Coles’ Farm

Coles’ Farm is in West End and is now a private house. There is little doubt that all of these places were named after the Cole family who were the occupants in 1740.

The lane marked with a green spot is called Coles Lane was a significant road at the time the map was drawn in 1794 but it is now a overgown footpath. Confusingly, there is another Coles Lane in the east of the village.

All of the buildings marked with yellow dots are no longer standing but there is evidence in the ground that they all existed. The building in what looks like plot 581 was a cottage that was probably occupied by the farm labourer.

There were two cottages in the plot marked 607 (Ben’s Causeway) which may have also accommodated workers for the Coles Farm but there was a quarry next to field 376 and Rookery Farm is very close.

Adams Corner is  just of  the top right hand farm which may have been operating as a farm at that time.

The blue spot marks the location of Prestons Cottage and the modern house. The wood opposite Preston Cottage is called Prestons Wood but the eponymous Prestons have yet to be identified. The road leading to the left is Prestons Lane and  is also a grassy/muddy track and leads to Tor Hole.

The red spot identifies an old Lime Kiln that has not been used in living memory, it is probable that a field called Lime Kiln Close was nearby.

The road between the blue and red spots is York Lane which leads to Mearns Cross and Eakers Hill.

The 18th century churchwarden accounts or the poor-law show the Coles family were  occupying Coles and Clouds.  Coles farm was occupied by Richard Williams in 1839.