We lived in The Thatched Cottage from 1974 till 1991, buying it from the Kingsmill estate with the help of a mortgage from Basingstoke & Deane Council. There was a flat-roofed kitchen extension on the back of the cottage when we bought it. We further extended it in the mid-1980s, removing the outshut at the north end (nearest camera) and replacing and re-thatching the entire roof.
DAVID SOPP
01-May-2006 16:44
THIS COTTAGE IS NEXT-DOOR TO ELEPHANT COTTAGE, BROCKS GREEN. IN IT LIVED MRS ALLEN, HER SON, RAY, AND MR GEORGE HUTCHINS, FORMERLY THE FARMER AT BROCKS FARM. THE HOUSE JUST BEYOND THE ROOF LINE OF THE COTTAGE IS WHERE DAVID AND BRIAN SOPP LIVED (NOW APPROPRIATELY NAMED 'SOPP'S COTTAGE!) THE HOUSE BEHIND THE TREE WITH BLOSSOM, WAS WHERE MR AND MRS HOLME LIVED. HE WAS BUTLER TO COLONEL KINGSMILL AT SYDMONTON COURT. IT IS NOW OWNED BY ADAIR TURNER - BARON (LORD) TURNER OF ECCHINSWELL - FORMERLY HEAD OF THE C.B.I., AND NOW PROMINENT AS HEAD OF THE PENSIONS COMMISSION:THE TURNER ENQUIRY. THE LOW HOUSE FURTHEST AWAY WAS LIVED IN BY MR AND MRS JOE PAGE. HE WAS CHURCH ORGANIST AT ST LAWRENCES, SHE WAS NEE STEVENS, SISTER OF THE CHURCH SEXTON, WHEELWRIGHT, UNDERTAKER ETC., JOHN STEVENS OF CORNER HOUSE, ECCHINSWELL.....
