The Workhouse at Waldron was known as the Spike.
At one time Henry Pelham of Heronsdale owned the land where the workhouse stood.
An early 1700’s map shows a building on the land. In 1738 a bond was given to build the workhouse.(see note below). It is possible that the overseers adapted the existing building as a poor house or that the money was spent to build the Masters house. The house now called Little Grove Cottage was built for the Workhouse master. And village folklore suggests that it was built a hundred years after the original building.
The brickwork on the workhouse is Flemish Bond (Alternate Headers and Stretchers) that came into general use in the 1700 century.
After the residents of the workhouse were transferred to the Uckfield Union in 1835 the workhouse was divided into two cottages that together with the masters cottage became Workhouse Cottages. They were later renamed Grove Cottages sometime after 1861.
We believe the name Little Grove Cottage was established about 1969 when for the first time in the history of the cottages, the former Masters house was sold separately,.
An Inventory of the Goods and Chattels of the workhouse dated 1792 indicates that it provided for ten people. These were probably adults, as we know from the overseers’ accounts that children were boarded in the village.
1529 Sale of Heringauds by Henry Earl of Northumberland to Sir John Gage. Vice Chamberlain to the King and Robert Fowler of Alston co. Sussex Yeoman for £50.
Manor of Heringauds alias Walderne.
The Earl reserved 10acres for right of entry to cut and carry for 10 years.
1601 Act for the relief of the poor.
1662 – 1688 Hearth Tax – Possibly too early for Grove cottages. (Workhouse).
1631 – 1892 Herringsdale Manor book. Lists Lords of manor.
1673 Probate of Will of Thomas Offley including £5 to poor of Walderne.
1678 Act of Parliament. If buried in linen £5 was to be paid to the poor of parish.
1700’s Map of Waldron. Building shown on land.
1721 (Court book 1631 – 1888) Manor of Waldron otherwise Herringdales in
Waldron, book prepared 1721 as a result of the settlement by Thomas Pelham-Holles,
Duke of Newcastle of much of his Sussex estate on his brother Henry Pelham.
(Original documents in the British Library).
1738 Bond given to build Waldron workhouse.
Bond by the Hon. Henry Pelham of Esher, co. Surrey Esq. sit Thomas Dyke of Horham. co. Sussex. Bart. John Fuller of Brightling.Esq. Hugh Offley of Possingworth. Waldron. Gent.
Elizabeth Mittel of East Hoathley, spinster, Josiah Bonwick and Jesse Pyper, church wardens of Waldron. Josiah Smith and John Gosling, overseers of Waldron, and Nicholas Atwood of Waldron. gent. , and Samuel Durrant of Waldron, mercer, to Philadelphia James of East Grinstead, spinster, in £500 for payment of an annuity of £20 for life, in consideration of £250 paid for the building of a workhouse for the Parish of Waldron.
Signatures and Seals.
1741 The First record we found in the Parish Church records, that specifically mentioned the person living in the Workhouse was for a Burial of ‘Old Goodram Baker’ 17 Jan 1741.
1747 Window Tax 1696 – 1851 Window tax 13th June 1747 (Original parchment seen.) Rev Godman 19 windows, Charles Hendley maybe? workhouse master 9 windows. Josiah Bonwick 58 windows. Josiah Smith 19 windows.
1766 Sometime before 1766 a Waldron family named Hammond erected a Vault at the church without permission. This had annoyed the Vicar and after he had buried an Ann Hammond on October 30th 1766 he then also buried in the Vault, on 30th December, a pauper named Thomas Ifold from the Waldron workhouse.
1766 Burial 30 Oct 1766 Ann Hammond aged 35 Wife of William Hammond of Lewes, Tanner.
There was a vault erected without any consent asked, but having buried a corpse could demand only 6/8d for breaking the ground and 2/- for reading the service, but might bury anyone in the said vault.
30 Dec 1766 Thomas Ilfod buried in the vault of Tanner Hammond’s wife of Lewes, no satisfaction being made for the said vault. NB Thomas Ifold was from the Workhouse,
1767 List of Pelham owned land. Mentions parish workhouse worth £5 per ann. but intended by Mr Pelham to be given.
1768 (See above 1738). With an endorsement receipt of March 29 1768 by Henry Humphrey executor, for 50s paid by the parish officers of Waldron, being the arrears of annuity due at the time of death of the said P James.
1775 Pelham family sells Herringdales to the Smith family.
Workhouse mentioned as being retained by the Pelham family.
1786 – 1865 Court Rolls. No relevant Info
Waldron Overseer’s minutes relating to the poor
Waldron Vestry Minutes Dated from October 1783
1786 Agreement From 10 April 1786 John Waters appointed to Govern, Manage and direct the Management of the poor in the workhouse. (Vestry book)
1792 Workhouse accounts to be separate from Easter 1792 (£250) (Overseer’s Minutes)
1792 Workhouse Inventory 1764/5/6. dated 26 April 1764.)
1795 November 3rd It was agreed to hire out paupers of the workhouse that were capable of labour by the month to the highest bidder.
1796 August 9th John Waters given Board for himself, wife, 2 children £25 for keeping Parish Accounts, for managing the effects of the workhouse in the best manner he can.
1820 John Walters died. School Master and Vestry Clerk. Buried 1 Dec 1820 Aged 74
1835 March 25th Uckfield Poor Law Union formed.
1838 Last Burial specifically mentioning a person as living in the Waldron Workhouse was a Burial for Ann Medhurst Jan 28th 1838, Aged 76 from Framfield.
1841 Plan of Herringdales estate
1841 Census
Edgar Thomson, M, Head, age 13, born Sussex Poorhouse
Naomi Thomson, F, age 12, born Sussex
Emily Thomson, F, age 11, born Sussex
Jane Thomson, F, age 7, born Sussex
Lucy Thomson, F, age 6, born Sussex
George Thomson, M, age 4, born Sussex
1841 Census Poorhouse
Moses Durrant, M, Head, age 40 to 44, born Sussex Farm Labourer
Mary Durrant, F, [Wife], age 35 to 39, born Sussex
William Durrant, M, [Son], age 13, born Sussex
George Durrant, M, [Son], age 11, born Sussex
Hannah Durrant, F, [Daughter], age 7, born Sussex
Amos Durrant, M, [Son], age 5, born Sussex
Owen Durrant, M, [Son], age 2, born Sussex
1842 Land tax 1842 this consisted of a map of Waldron and surrounding districts, with numbered plots. Referred to book with owners matching land numbers.
Owned by Rev Thos Raynes Exeter college
Plot 960 Crossways 3acres 1rood 39 perches.
957 Glebe. First crossways field. (now stands Old Glebe).
958 Field opposite Grove cottages. Cat(h)tam meadow.
96 Poor house and garden 10 acres 3 rood 22 perches.
1197 Workhouse wood owned by Richard Preston 15acrs 1 rood 14 perches.
1843 Waldron Union now at Uckfield. Overseers to the Poor. Neri Moon and Josias Bonnick churchwardens and James Wood.
1851 Census
The cottages were known as Workhouse No 1 Walter Wenham born 1809 Waldron, Farm Labourer. His wife Susannah born 1848, Lucy aged 14, William aged 13, Mary Ann aged 11, Emma aged 10, Susannah aged 8 Sarah Ann aged 7 Edward aged 6, Louise aged 3 Walter aged 1.
No 2 Samuel Durrant. born 1796, Waldron, Farm Labourer, His wife Mary born 1795, Samuel aged 28, Agricultural Labourer, Mary aged 24, Sarah aged 20, Harriott aged 18, James a grandson aged 3 & Ann Durrant aged 50 a lodger.
No 3 Fanny Tommas, Pauper born 1785 Chiddingly. Horace aged 26 Agricultural labourer, Edwin aged 23 Agricultural labourer, Sarah aged 17
In the 1861 Census Fanny Tommas was working as a Charwoman for the Vicar of Waldron.
In the Parish records we found a Burial for Fanny Thomas (Tommas) buried 7 Jan 1865.)
1858 Herringsdale sold to Wm Gilliat
1861 Census
Workhouse Cottages
Thomas Eversden aged 30 born Waldron, Carter. His wife Ellen born Waldron, Reuben aged 10 born Framfield, Carter boy, George aged 6 born Framfield, William aged 3 born Framfield, Thomas aged 5 born Framfield.
Henry Tommas aged 44 born Waldron, Agricultural Labourer. His wife Hannah aged 31 born Waldron, Mary aged 8 born Waldron, William aged 4 born Waldron, Trayton aged 3 born Waldron.
William Tommas aged 41 born Waldron, Agricultural Labourer, Richard Tommas aged 36 born Waldron, Agricultural Labourer.
1871 of Herringdale and Foxhunt. Sale document. No relevant info.
1871 Census
The Workhouse Cottages are now called Grove Cottages.
1 Grove Cottage. William Thomas aged 50 born Waldron, Agricultural Labourer. His 1871wife Lucy aged 34 born Waldron, John aged 16 born Crawley, Errand boy, Sally d 1871 born Waldron, Elizabeth aged 5 born Waldron, Harry aged 2 born Waldron.
2 Grove Cottage. Henry Thomas aged 54 born Waldron, Agricultural Labourer. His wife Hannah aged 40 born Waldron, George aged 20 born Waldron, Agricultural Labourer, Mary aged 16 Dressmaker, Trayton aged 13 born Waldron, Agricultural Labourer, John aged 7 born Waldron, Albert aged 5 born Waldron, Edwin aged 43 (brother of Henry) aged 43 born Waldron Agricultural Labourer.
3 Grove Cottage Thomas Eversden aged 39 born Waldron, Agricultural Labourer. His wife Ellen aged 45 born Waldron, William aged13 born Framfield, Agricultural Labourer, Emily Alice aged 9 born Waldron.
1881 Census
1 Grove Cottage. Alfred Allen, aged 47 born Brightling, Agricultural Labourer. His wife Mary aged 34, born Heathfield, Annie aged 10 born Brighton, Alfred aged 7 born Rotherfield, Alice aged 4 born Rotherfield.
2 Grove Cottage. Henry Thomas, aged 65 born Waldron, Farm Labourer. His Wife Hannah aged 50 born Waldron , Mary aged 28 born Waldron, a Dressmaker, William aged 26 born Waldron, Farm Labourer, Trayton aged 26 born Waldron, Farm Labourer, John aged 17 born Waldron, Farm Labourer, Albert aged 15 born Waldron, Farm Labourer.
3 Grove Cottage. William Gaston, aged 47 born Waldron, Carter. His wife Mary A E aged 41 born Rotherfield, William G aged 14 born Waldron, Farm Labourer, Elizabeth T aged 11 born Waldron , Arthur age 10 born Waldron, Beatrice aged 6 born Waldron, Leonard aged 4 born Waldron..
(Leonard Gaston married Ethel Vine 29 April 1905 In Waldron Church)
1891 Census
1 Grove Cottage. George Woodgate aged 33 born Waldron, Agricultural labourer. His wife Rosetta A aged 30 born Goudhurst, Henry E aged 6 born Heathfield,
William aged 4 born Heathfield, Susannah aged 2 born Hellingly, George 3 months born Horsmonden.
2 Grove Cottage. Henry Tommas aged 74 born Waldron, His wife Hannah aged 61 born Waldron, Mary aged 35 Born Waldron, Dressmaker, Ruth Page aged 14 and her sister Ellen lived with the family, they were their Granddaughters. Also Bessie Tommas aged two also their granddaughter. A Page family lived up the road at Cattscrouch and a family Called Tommas were living in Crossways cottage in the lane.
3 Grove Cottage. William Gaston aged 56 Carter/Agricultural, born Waldron, His wife Mary E aged 57 born Rotherfield, Elizabeth aged 22 born Waldron, Dressmaker, Arthur aged 20 born Waldron, Bootmaker, Mary B aged 16 born Waldron, Bernard aged 14 born Waldron, Agricultural labourer.
1893 Sale of Lordships of Heringsdale and Foxhunt. By J Ricketts executors (without land) .No relevant info.
1896 In the Parish records we found a Burial on 13 Feb 1896 for an Elizabeth Stevenson aged 77 of Grove Cottage.
1901 Census
1 Grove Cottage *Henry Ades aged 35 Agricultural labourer born Hollington, **Hannah Martha his wife aged 30 born Waldron, Lily aged 4, Bernard aged 3, Dorothy 1, and Sidney aged 1month. All children born in Waldron.
(*In the 1881 census Henry Ades was living at Tanners in Waldron with his Father George who was a Farm Labourer, his mother Esther and his three brothers and three sisters.)
(**Also on the 1881 census Hannah was living with her parents at Burnt Oak where her father William was the Farmer. She had three brothers. Their surname was Gorringe. )
2 Grove Cottage William Durrant aged 39 Cattle stockman born Waldron, Clara A aged 28 born Hellingly, William 10 born Hellingly, Edwin 6 born Eastbourne, Henrietta 4, Ernest 2, Kate 1. The last three children born in Waldron.
3 Grove Cottage William Gaston 68 born Waldron, Cattle worker on farm. Mary Ann E 62 born Rotherfield William G 34 Cowman on farm born Waldron, Elizabeth F 31 Dressmaker, born Waldron, Arthur 30 Agricultural labourer, born Waldron, Leonard 24 Agricultural labourer, born Waldron.
1903 Burial for Mary Ann Gasten aged 64 Jan 10 1903 aged 64 Grove Cottage.
1918 Burial for William Gasten 17 Feb aged 84 Grove Cottage.
1923 Arthur Gaston died aged 52 Buried Waldron Church June 5th
1927 March 23rd Grove Cottages to be sold with Kirby farm, Heronsdale.
Since 1927 the cottages have been in private hands.
