Author: Karen O'Mahoney

Blog: A history of Welton House – down under!

Regular readers will be familiar with Welton House, the home of Sir Halford Reddish that stood on the site of Halford Way. 

But it’s unlikely that you’ve heard of its namesake in Marlborough, New Zealand – yet interestingly, the New Zealand property takes its identity from our village.

Welton House in Marlborough is built high on an ancient sand dune, to avoid the floods that came regularly from the Wairau and Ōpaoa Rivers. 

Once used as a refugee centre, it is today known for its striking Victorian main house and celebrated seven acre garden; visitors come to see its sweeping lawns, restored villa architecture and the creative planting schemes developed by owner Wendy Palmer and her garden designer brother Ross.

The grounds once bore crops and supported sheep farming, today they contain gardens and acres of the world famous Sauvingnon Blanc grape.

But behind this modern success lies a story of more than a century old that begins on the other side of the world – in our village.

The link comes through Sarah Elizabeth Knibb, born in Lincolnshire in 1875 and raised in Welton. Her family were agricultural labourers who moved to the village around 1880.

By the 1891 census, her parents Samuel and Harriet Knibb were living in a modest two‑up, two‑down cottage on Lower Church Street, (Churchill Road) with daughter Annie. Sarah herself does not appear – she was working as a servant in London for Elizabeth Major, living in St George Hanover Square.

Her younger sister, Annie Elizabeth, would later marry Ernest Porter at St Martin’s Church in 1906. They had a daughter Doris who died as a baby and another daughter Cicely, and would settle at The Firs. But Sarah’s life took a very different turn.

Sarah had an illegitimate son, Frank, born in 1900 in Oakley, Buckinghamshire, with no father named. At the time, Sarah was employed in Buckinghamshire as a servant, but by 1901 she had returned to Welton, while baby Frank was taken in by John and Jane Brooks of Oakley — relatives through the Causby (Harriet’s parents) line — assisted by a young girl Nellie Hawes. It’s likely that the return to Welton was prompted by the loss of her job after Frank’s birth.

Soon after this, Sarah met Arthur John Mills, a New Zealander from Marlborough. The son of pioneering settlers John and Ann Mills, Arthur was unusual among early settlers in that he had been born in New Zealand rather than arriving from Britain. In 1878, while still a young teenager, he began clearing dense native bush to create a plot for a cottage. His parents had bought land for him and his brother to “break in”, and Arthur spent years shaping the beginnings of what would become Welton House.

Early in the 20th century, Arthur travelled to England to find a wife, though the exact circumstances of his meeting with Sarah remain unclear. What is certain is that Sarah made a life‑changing decision: she left behind her young son, and sailed halfway around the world to live with him.

They married in Welton in 1906 – Arthur having travelled from New Zealand with his relative Alice – and all three sailed back after the marriage, on the ship Athentic, on 21st September 1906.

It was a trip that would take 70 days; the emotional cost of leaving her child must have been considerable. Returning to Marlborough, Arthur built a new house on his land, replacing an earlier smaller dwelling. He named it Welton House, honouring Sarah’s home village and it was the core of the house that remains today.

This naming was a touching link between the two Weltons: one a small English parish, the other a growing agricultural settlement on New Zealand’s South Island.

Sarah (left) and Arthur went on to have two children together in New Zealand – Cicely Beatrice in 1907 and Eileen Mary in 1909.

In 1925 Sarah bought the freehold of The Firs in Welton from her great uncle Francis Knibb. The property was held in trust with daughters Cicely and Eileen being the trustees.

Arthur died in 1933, and is commemorated on Sarah’s memorial stone. It states he died ‘in England’ and the following obituary appeared, showing he was in Derbyshire at the time along with with wife and daughters.

OBITUARY A. J. MILLS.
By Telegraph—PrM Association
BLENHEIM, July 10 1933.
A private cablegram reports the death in Derbyshire of Mr Arthur John Mills, a well-known Grovetown farmer, and member of many Marlborough local bodies. He was on a health recruiting visit to England, accompanied by his wife and two daughters. Mr Mills was one of the original members of the Marlborough County Council, and prior to 1914 a member of the Spring Creek Road Board, the Spring Creek River Board, and other bodies. He was also prominently identified with the Automobile Association and various farmers’ organisations.

After Arthur died in 1933, Sarah went to Welton and made her will there, witnessed by Clement Porter, her sister’s brother in law. She must have returned to New Zealand by 1936, the date on personal correspondence of hers left in Welton House, and she died there in 1946. In her will, she left the Firs and its land to her son Frank!

Sarah and Arthur’s memorial stone at Blenheim Anglican Cemetery is shown below.

Their elder daughter, Cicely Beatrice McHugh, maybe named after Annie’s daughter, her cousin, lived her life in New Zealand, marrying  Joseph Lindo McHugh. She died in 1986, the stone below Arthur and Sarah’s commemorating her. Her sister Eileen married Henry Joseph Stace, whose descendants are the Marchs – the branch of the family that owned Welton House for many years.

As for Sarah’s son Frank – he joined the Royal Navy, serving as a telegraphist on HMS Renown in WW1 and HMS Faulknor in WW2. He married in Welton in 1941 – his wife was his cousin Cicely – Annie’s daughter! Did Frank and Cicely know they were cousins? We can only speculate.

Frank sold The Firs to the Ellisons (yes the famous Mill Ellison) in 1958.

Today, visitors to Welton House see a beautiful garden and restored villa, but few know that its name carries the memory of a young woman from Northamptonshire who crossed oceans to begin a new life. 

You can read a much more detailed story of Sarah’s family here.

A revised history of The Firs is now live on the website giving a fuller history of that property.

Photos of Welton House and Sarah courtesy Wendy Palmer

Photo of Frank courtesy of Phil Knibb

With thanks to Wendy and her Knibb family connections for generously sharing knowledge

People of Welton – Lucy Brashaw and her daughter Rose Nicholls

Lucy Brashaw was born in Well Lane on 3 January 1875. Her grandfather was John Fathers, listed in the 1885 Kelly’s Directory as a coal dealer. His daughter married into the Brashaw family.

John’s granddaughter Lucy,left, grew up in the heart of Welton.

It was in Well Lane, looking over the wall of farmer Clarke’s orchard, that Lucy first met Matthew Nicholls, a young man from Buckinghamshire who had come to work locally. They married at St Martin’s Church in 1901, when Lucy was 26. Matthew lived to the age of 92, dying in 1969, while Lucy reached the remarkable age of 101.

The couple raised six children: their son William, and daughters Lucy, Daisy, Nellie, Rose and Annie. The family lived in a cottage on Ashby Road, and Lucy (the daughter) and her sister Annie are pictured outside it below – we have wondered for a while the identities of the people in this photo so it’s great to put a name to them!

The cottage was demolished in the 1930s when farmer Adams owned it, and the Nicholls family moved into one of the newly built council houses further along Ashby Road. The new house had bare brick kitchen walls and an outside toilet.

Rose still lived there in 1999, now as the owner, while Annie Britten, her younger sister, lived only a few doors away. At this time Daisy was living at Great Brington, aged 92, and Nellie in Chelmsford, aged 86.

The Nicholls family also had ties to Welton Cricket Club. In the team photograph below, Matthew, Lucy’s husband, appears third from the right in the back row. Beside him, second from the right, stands Jack Goode of Well Cottage — Lucy’s nephew. Rose believed that the man fourth from the right was farmer Clarke rather than Sam Goode, as labelled. She should know: Jack was her uncle.

During the First World War, Lucy worked both at home and on the land. Her wartime agricultural certificate recognises the vital contribution women made, comparing their service to that of men fighting in the trenches, at sea and in the air – as we found out at a recent WHG speaker evening about the Women’s Land Army in WW1.

Daughter Rose

Lucy’s daughter, Rose, was remembered as a cheerful and lively character. She attended Welton School in the 1920s under the watchful eye of Miss Nora Burrows. However, she disliked school and was glad to leave, taking a job with Dr William Clements in Daventry.

Rose was maid of honour in one of the inter war May Day celebrations, sharing the role with Mary Pimlett, who lived in Well Lane at the time. Many May Day photographs survive because Mr Long, a photographer from Rugby, visited each year to take group and individual portraits.

In 1939, Rose joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). She served in several parts of England and later in Mons, Belgium, and Bonn, Germany. She never married. After the war she was welcomed back to the village by the Welton Soldiers’ Comforts Fund – although they clearly only had certificates designed for men!

Rose remained in Welton for the rest of her life. She worked for Sir Halford and Lady Reddish at Welton House, while she and Annie shared the care of their mother Lucy. This continued until one winter when Rose slipped on ice, broke her ankle, and ended up in a ditch. After recovering, Rose resumed caring for her mother and later for herself.


Despite back and hip problems, Rose stayed active, with the photo opposite taken of her gardening.

The story of Lucy, Rose and their wider family paints a picture of a Welton family from the 1870s, through two world wars and into living memory. They lived their lives in Welton’s houses, workplaces, cricket club, May Day traditions and long‑standing family connections — a reminder of how deeply rooted village life could be, and how one family’s story reflects the wider history of the community.

We are grateful to Barbara Franklin – Rose’s niece and Annie’s daughter – for sharing her information and photographs – Barbara herself grew up in the dining room of the White Horse – which used to be a cottage adjoining the pub!

History of the Rosary

The Rosary centre right. Red Lion to its left, The White Lodge to its right. Circa lates 1950s

The Rosary is an early 20th century house that was built on the site of the thatched cottages to the right of the Old Red Lion.  Whilst we don’t have a definite date of build, from photographs we estimate it to be around 1925 – 1935.

In 1939 the census tells us the occupants were William George Emery, a boot maker, his wife Mary and children Mary, William and Jean. They subsequently had a further child, Trevor, born in 1945. Trevor is living as at 2026 and lives in Barby. William George was the son of William and Nellie Emery, and the person after whom Emery Close was named.  See the Emery family history.

There is evidence that Mary’s father James Gardiner lived with them for a while, his death at the house being recorded in 1951.

The Emery family lived there until the death of Mary junior in 1993.

The Rosary was bought by Catesby Homes and in October 1994 the company sought planning permission for the development of 3 dwellings.

The Rosary was subsequently renovated and extended, with Catesby also building an adjacent new house in a similar style (now Willow House no 39 Churchill Road) and a bungalow at the rear of the two properties (no 37a).

After renovation, The Rosary was initially lived in by Colin Maxwell’s son Martin with his partner Lorraine and her son. They sold to Jo and Paul Durkin in the early 2000s and since they left, the house has been sold another couple of times.

As a note, Catesby Homes was owned by Colin and Caroline Maxwell who lived on Halford Way during the late 1990s/early 2000s and when Colin passed away, Caroline, in one of those lovely little connections we keep finding, moved to Emery Close. She was an active villager, helping with the WI and village hall, until her move to a nursing home and death in 2025.

History of Welton Railway Station

Photograph showing platforms either side of road bridge

Welton Station opened in 1838 on the pioneering London & Birmingham Railway, serving the rural communities of Welton and Watford at a time when steam travel was transforming village life. 

Note: Robert Stephenson’s 1838 London & Birmingham Railway was Northamptonshire’s first railway and one of the great early achievements of Britain’s railway age. The 112-mile route connected London (Euston Station) to Birmingham (Curzon Street Station) and it was the first line to link the capital with a major industrial centre, demonstrating that long‑distance rail travel was not only possible but transformative, cutting multi day coach journeys down to just a few hours. It was built by roughly 20,000 workers using hand tools and gunpowder, and later formed the core of the West Coast Main Line.

Building the line was a testament to Victorian engineering. It demanded overcoming challenges never before attempted on such a scale: driving cuttings through hills, constructing viaducts across valleys (many of which are in use today), and building the line beside canals and coaching roads.

Under the direction of Robert Stephenson (son of George Stephenson of The Rocket fame), the route became a showcase of new engineering techniques. It included building the celebrated Kilsby Tunnel, which demanded unprecedented tunnelling methods and vast pumping operations. At the time of opening, this railway tunnel was the longest in the world at 2,420 yards – approximately 1.4 miles.

It seems odd that Northampton itself was by-passed by the line. But early locomotives could only cope with easy gradients. Stephenson maintained a gradient of less than 1 in 300 by following the course of the Grand Junction Canal. As a result, Roade, Blisworth, Weedon and Welton were the first places in the county to receive railway stations. Whilst the other three stations were rebuilt later in the 19th century, Welton remained untouched.

The station stood physically much closer to Watford, although it carried Welton’s name.  This was to prevent confusion with Watford in Hertfordshire. Until 1991 villagers remember a sign to the station on the green at the bottom of Churchill Road.

Signpost to Welton Station in Watford date unknown but probably circa 1950

There is some evidence that the station was originally named Crick, only being re-named Welton in 1881. Certainly there are press cuttings to support this, such as this one from 1874.

‘Kilsby and Crick’ station did not open until 1884 so the reference above is not to that station. However, whilst probable, we can’t verify this for certain.

Welton was noted for its platforms that were staggered awkwardly to fit the narrow strip of land, one on each side of the road bridge—rather than facing each other. This was necessary due to the canal and the A5 hemming the station in. 

Railway ownership

1846: Became part of the London & North Western Railway

1923: Absorbed into the London, Midland & Scottish Railway

1948: Passed to British Railways (London Midland Region) after nationalisation

Closure

1958: Closed to passengers

1964: Closed to freight

Taken around the time of closure to freight

Providing Welton employment

We can probably safely assume that some of the villagers in Welton were employed at the station. Census information gives us a clue to to type of jobs that were provided by the railway:

1891 – William Hancock of Welton Fields Farm – plate layer on the railway

1901 – William Houghton – former railway porter

1911 – Thomas Reuberson – retired railway plate layer

1939 – Frederick Green of the Red Lion – railway clerk

The station site now sits beside Watford Gap Services on the M1. The only surviving structure is a former goods shed beside the tracks, the white building in the distance on the top photograph. 

Scroll through the photo album below:

History of Rugby Plastics Factory

Rugby Plastics Factory circa 1965

The story of Rugby Plastics begins in 1946, when engineer Albert Hupfield founded his own precision‑machinery company. Initially focused on specialist engineering equipment, the business soon moved toward the rapidly developing field of injection‑moulding machines, thanks to the post‑war boom in plastics manufacturing.

As demand grew, Albert sought space to expand beyond his base on the Edgware Road in London. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, he and his brother leased land in Welton, on the area now known as Elms Dyke, to establish a new plastics injection‑moulding works. This factory—designed to complement the London operation—became Rugby Plastics. The building work was done by Frank Emery senior

In 1953, the BBC sold Churchill House (now Welton Manor) to the Hupfield family. The conveyancing documents were signed by the BBC’s Director General, Sir Ian Jacob, transferring one of Welton’s most prominent properties. Albert and his wife Olive moved into Churchill House, and throughout the 1950s and 60s the family lived on the estate: the old stables and coach house were converted into a residence, later known as Churchill Court, and occupied by one of their sons. Son Tony purchased Pear Tree Cottage (the house in front of the factory) in the 1960s for £2150.  

By the early 1960s, Rugby Plastics had become a thriving local employer run by Hupfield sons Brian and Tony. A press report from 1964 announced the firm’s ambitious plan to triple production, increasing output from four million to eleven million articles a week through new machinery and expanded product lines. The company manufactured a wide range of goods—sherry bottle caps, battery tops, thread protectors, and multi‑purpose plastic boxes. Many villagers worked at the factory, with regular advertisements appearing for new staff members.

L-R: Mary Shirley, Cyril Cockrill Tony Conopo, Marjorie Warne, Selina Emery, Eddie Hasell circa mid 1960s

On the death of Albert Hupfield in 1968, his widow Olive required a smaller home, and part of the former manor’s kitchen garden was walled off to create a new dwelling—today’s Churchill House—built again by Frank Emery Senior. 

Meanwhile, Rugby Plastics continued to operate, increasingly shifting its focus toward Daventry’s growing industrial zones. Business listings show Rugby Plastics active at 11 Lanchester Way, Daventry from the 1950s onward, employing 11–50 staff with turnover in the £1–2.5 million range. 

These records list R. (possibly Roy) Hupfield as a manager, confirming the family’s continued involvement.

By the 1980s, the transition from Welton to Daventry was well underway. Planning notices from 1987 show Rugby Plastics seeking permission to build a new factory and offices in Lanchester Way, along with applications for signage at the new premises. 

That same year, Daventry District Council debated the impact of relocating operations on the workforce, postponing decisions until reassurances were provided about the jobs of the firm’s 18 employees. Councillor Jean Cox of The Stone House became involved in the discussions.

Back in Welton, the original factory site was entering its final chapter. In 1988, planning notices recorded proposals for demolition and the construction of new housing, including applications by Sunguard Homes Ltd to develop the former Rugby Plastics land. 

The clearance of the works paved the way for the modern residential development of Elms Dyke, transforming an industrial corner of the village into a new neighbourhood.

As an interesting note: the developers of Elm’s Dyke planned to call the development Churchill Place, but this was rejected as thought to be confusing with other properties in the vicinity.

Elm’s Dyke was chosen by the Parish Council to mark the site of the dyke or stream that was the main watercourse of the village and flowed down through that area, which – prior to building – was abundant with elm trees.

Circa 1905 showing the elms. Note the oak tree is not yet present.

Today, nothing remains of Rugby Plastics’ physical presence in Welton, but it is well remembered by some in the village.  

Aerial shot showing extent of factory mid 1960s. Pear Tree Cottage on left. Dairy Farm centre.

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History of the Reddish family

Sir Halford Walter Lupton Reddish (1898 – 1978) was one of the Midlands’ most forceful industrial figures—outspoken and fiercely committed to free enterprise. His career spanned insurance, engineering and above all, the cement industry, where he became one of its most recognisable national advocates.

Though only 5’3″, Sir Halford projected the presence of a much larger man—large spectacles, strong features, immaculate grooming, and a famously Churchillian rate of cigar-smoking. He was known for booking two seats on aircraft for comfort, and for his polished, professional appearance.

Friends described him as cultured, with a lively appreciation of art, and he was an accomplished chess player.

Early Life and Education

Though born in 1898 in Coventry, the son of a Rugby solicitor Henry Lupton Reddish and his wife Millicent Emma Luckman, Sir Halford grew up in Rugby, living with his parents and sister at 27 Elsee Road on the 1911 census.

He was educated on a scholarship at Rugby School and served in the Army throughout the First World War in the Honourable Artillery Company. After demobilisation he trained as an accountant, quickly distinguishing himself; in 1920 he became gold medallist and institute prizeman of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, later becoming a Fellow.

His entrepreneurial skills showed early on. In 1921 he was back in the family home with his parents at Elsee Road, but in 1929 he purchased ‘Bilton Rise’ in Rugby, turning it into 7 flats. In 1930 he bought The Parsonage House in Birdingbury, seemingly as an investment. By 1932 he was involved in a consortium to develop a ‘super-cinema’ in Rugby. This project resulted in much local controversy thanks to its plans to open on a Sunday.

His early professional work focused on insurance, leading him to the Scottish Union and National Insurance Company and eventually to its London board. He also served as an underwriting member of Lloyd’s of London.

Industrial career

Reddish’s interests broadened into engineering. He became chairman of the Trussed Concrete Steel Company and Charles Nelson & Co., and served as director of the Meldrum Investment Trust and Granada Theatres. He was active in international trade, becoming a member of the Dollar Exports Council and leading a mission to Canada in 1957. His work often took him to London, where he kept rooms at The Dorchester.

In 1958 he was knighted for his services to industry. The photo below is of Sir Halford and Lady Valerie at Buckingham Palace on the day he received his knighthood.

Rugby Portland Cement

From 1933 to 1976, Reddish served as chairman and chief executive of the Rugby Portland Cement Company, overseeing its subsidiary companies and becoming one of the most prominent voices for British industry. He vigorously opposed nationalisation, earning a reputation as a defender of private enterprise.

His long-standing position on the Council of the Institute of Directors prompted one commentator to remark that his uncompromising views made the Institute “look like the Left Book Club” (a publishing group that exerted a strong left-wing influence in Great Britain from 1936 to 1948).

Personal life

Reddish married Valerie Grosart Lehman Smith in 1946, daughter of Dr Arthur Grosart Lehman Smith of Crick. She was his second wife, him having married Edith Whitbread in 1924. We are not sure what happened to Edith although she was still married to Sir Halford in early 1935. This is around the time he moved to Welton and there is no mention of Edith at Welton. Neither marriage resulted in any children.

Lady Valerie was a dog lover, and a patron and keen supporter of the Rugby Canine Society. She owned Great Danes and is pictured with one of her dogs on a jigsaw that the Reddishes produced as a Christmas gift in 1961 (a copy of which is held by Welton History Group).

She died in 1971, unexpectedly, whilst Sir Halford was in Australia. Her death came a year after Sir Halford donated £5 million to establish a medical research trust at King Edward VII Hospital, Midhurst, supporting research into heart and lung disease.

By all accounts she was remembered very fondly by the villagers, the Rev Niell saying at her funeral that ‘she gave ready help and encouragement to all with a cheery smile, quiet dignity and gentleness.’ She certainly appeared in numerous press reports on local activity, seeming an enthusiastic supporter of village life.

Connections to Welton

Sir Halford and Lady Reddish were among Welton’s most influential 20th‑century benefactors, and their presence left a lasting imprint on the village. Their gifts included the church organ, presented in 1953 to mark the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and the land on which the village hall now stands, with the build of the hall itself later funded by Lady Reddish.

These contributions certainly improved life for the parishioners. Their influence, however, extended beyond philanthropy. Sir Halford is remembered locally for removing headstones from the churchyard to make access to St Martin’s Church easier. He is also recalled as a man of firm habits, reputedly insisting that his Bentley, kept at Southgate, be ready outside his front door each morning.

The Reddishes lived at Welton House, a beautiful stone house built on the site of a medieval mansion once owned by the Catesby family of Ashby St Ledgers.

During their tenure, the house was often used for entertaining visiting dignitaries and VIPs, reflecting Sir Halford’s national standing in industry. 

Following Sir Halford’s death, the estate began to fragment. The house and its immediate grounds changed hands several times, and the 63 acres of accompanying farmland were sold off separately. After a devastating fire in 1986, the site was redeveloped as Halford Way, preserving the Reddish name in the village.

Sir Halford’s later years

Sir Halford’s final decade was marked by declining health but unwavering commitment to his work. In 1973 he was hospitalised after breaking three ribs during a violent coughing fit, yet continued to telephone Rugby Portland Cement at least once daily.

By the mid‑1970s he had largely stepped back from active leadership, though he remained a respected elder statesman of British industry. He died in October 1978, aged 79, in hospital at Midhurst, Surrey, after a period of prolonged illness.

He requested no memorial and no funeral and left his body to medical research.

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Terms and conditions of prize draw

Prize draw period commences 19th August 2026.

History of Churchill Lodge

The building began life as the lodge to Churchill Manor, serving as the gatehouse and living quarters for staff responsible for security and managing access to the estate. Built in the 1700s in the William and Mary style, it was originally around a quarter of its present size and has been known locally as Ivy Cottage and also as Gardener’s Cottage .

The 1901 census shows the residents of Ivy Cottage as Emma Stockley, widow, 65 and her daughter Fanny Clarke, 30.

By 1911, the young Dean family were there: James Edward Dean, 27, his wife Alice Mary Dean, 25 and their newborn son James Edward junior.

By 1919, John A Holland and his wife Clara had moved in – and found themselves embroiled in a tussle with the Emerys who lived just round the corner in Pear Tree Cottage!

In the 1960s, the lodge was quadrupled in size, though only at ground‑floor level.

Here’s the building in the 1960s after expansion, (please note this image has been enhanced with AI as the original was very blurred).

A 1977 advert advertising Churchill Lodge for sale shows an asking price of £35,000.

The house was presumably sold to Mr Albert Frake who was living there in 1978 when he suffered a burglary.

When the roof later collapsed onto the extension, a rebuild created a two‑storey structure, but because the foundations were only designed for a single storey, the upper floor had to be supported on stilts, which the owners tell us are visible in the loft space. Work on the house can be seen in progress in the photo below.

The original spiral staircase was replaced with a narrow traditional staircase built to accommodate a central chimney. Although the house features many chimneys, only one is functional; the rest are decorative additions designed to echo the style of the manor.

History of St Martin’s Cottage

2026

St Martin’s Cottage was originally part of The Stone House estate and is thought to have begun life as a stone barn, later converted into two small cottages. A bricked‑up doorway can still be seen on the side facing The Stone House drive, and a Victorian frontage was added during the 19th century.

By 1914, many nearby cottages were described as being in poor condition, with shared outside toilets, and were recommended for demolition. Local lore suggests that the nurse caring for the scholars at The Stone House may once have lived in St Martin’s Cottage.

In 1958, Mr B. Smart, a keen promoter of village sport, lived there while helping to establish the Welton Table Tennis Club.

Two years later, in 1960, the cottage was occupied by a man named Collingwood.

In 1962, Mr Abbott of The Stone House—the only person known to have referred to the building as “Chetwynd Cottage”—advertised both the main house and St Martin’s Cottage for sale.

When the Cox family purchased The Stone House in 1963, Jean Cox’s mother and aunt lived in the cottage until they died.

Following the deaths of the Coxes, St Martin’s Cottage remained part of The Stone House estate when their children first attempted to sell the property.

When The Stone House was ultimately sold in 1996, the cottage was offered to its tenants and has since then functioned as a separately owned dwelling.

History of the White Horse

The White Horse is a historic two-storey, thatched-roof inn, believed to be at least 400 years old. Located at the heart of Welton on the High Street, it has served the local community for centuries and remains a quintessential village pub.

Circa 2020

The building is constructed in traditional Northamptonshire stone and features beams and log fires.

Over the years, the White Horse has played an important role in village life. It was frequently used for auctions, selling everything from timber to land, livestock to houses, and in fact was still being used for auctions in the 2000s! Numerous newspaper reports record outings and social gatherings beginning from the pub. ‘Smoking concerts’ are something we hadn’t come across before!

The pub was also used for legal matters and trials, for example, the inquest of poor Thomas Townsend.

The White Horse was offered for sale on 17 April 1817, when the pub with ‘brewhouse’ was occupied by Mr Rogers, and it was up for sale again in 1826. It was advertised once more on 9 January 1833, when the occupant was Mr Farr.  Could this be Issac Farr, the wife of Jane Farr who brewed her own beer from her home opposite the pub?

It appears the sale was unsuccessful because here it is again in 1834, still occupied by Mr Farr, stating the sale is to pay off a mortgage. We can also see that there was a butcher’s shop adjoining it.

The White Horse and Northampton Brewery Company

By the late nineteenth/early twentieth century, the White Horse had become a tied house of the Northampton Brewery Company (NBC). NBC was established in 1856 and went on to become a major regional brewer and owner of tied public houses. Its distinctive branding was displayed on many of its houses, including the White Horse.

The photo on the left below dated approximately 1895–1905, shows a prominent NBC sign on the side of the building advertising its “Noted Stout”.

Left approx 1895 – 1905, right approx 1990

The photograph aligns with the period when Thomas Rixon was landlord, which was between at least 1898 and 1902. There is a sad report on how his young son died at the pub in 1902 after having had a fit.

Other landlord/ladies that we are aware of are listed below. If you have any more information please let us know:

Recorded landlords of The White Horse – click here

1808 – Mr Piddington

1817 – Mr Rogers

1833 – Mr Farr

At least 1847–1854 – Henry Harris

At least 1869–1871 – William Harris (son of Henry), his wife Elizabeth, son Thomas and daughters Jane and Elizabeth

1885 – Elizabeth Harris (daughter of William)

At least 1890 – 1892 – Thomas Harris (son of William)

1894 – George Dunkley

At least 1898–1902 – Thomas Rixon, his wife Edith, children George, Edith and Harry, and parents-in-law George and Elizabeth Osborne. Their son Horace died in 1902 as a baby.

1906 – Frederick Green

At least 1911–1920 – John Henry Dench, his wife Mary Ann Dench and daughter Mary Ethel

At least 1939 – 1940 – Percy B. Woodward and housekeeper Ida Lamb

1940 -1947 – Ida Beatrice Lamb (Mr Woodward’s housekeeper)

1947 -1951 – Harry Smith

1952 – Phyllis May Mawby and her husband Wal, a plumber

1953 – Alice Dora Garratt

1955 – Henry Clarke

1958 – Lilian May Smith

1959 – 1960 – Peggie Lizzy Corney

1960 – 1963 – Fred and Pam Cave

1963 – Gordon Ferdinand

1969 – 1981 – Maureen and Colin Brown with sons Stephen and Darren

mid 1980s – ??? Jacobs

1987 – Carol and David ???

1990 – 1994 – Dennis Ellerby

1994 -1997 – Colin and Valerie Whale

1997 – 2005 – Jason and Nicola Stacey

– ?? – 2011 John and Jackie Collier

2011 – 2022 – Margaret Elcock

2022 – present – Ellie Ponder

Interestingly, in 1892, while the White Horse was held by NBC, the pub was reportedly due for closure. This may have due to the death of Thomas Harris, as can be seen by the cutting on the left.

Fortunately for Welton, this did not happen, and the White Horse continued to serve the village.

In 1957, NBC merged with Phipps & Co. to form the Phipps Northampton Brewery Company.

When you could live in the dining room

The part of the pub that is used as the dining room used to be a separate cottage, as can be seen on the painting below. This was around the 1940s/50s, and local woman Barbara Franklin lived in the cottage as a child. This discovery explains the 2nd door that still remains today. Note in this picture the roof appears to be tin.

Disaster strikes for the locals

In 1963 villagers went for three months without beer thanks to a dispute between landlords Fred and Pam Cave and the Phipps Brewery. It seems they felt they were having to subsidise the pub out of their own money. After 3 months the pub got its beer back when a licence was granted to Gordon Ferdinand in May of that year.

“My dad grew dahlias in the day and would adorn the pub. I would walk down with them and the lovely Maureen {Brown} gave me Coca-Cola, crisps, chocolate, raisins, peanuts and all manner of confectionery.”

Resident’s memory from the early 1970s

At some point in its life the original thatched roof was covered with a tin one. The situation was rectified by Dennis Ellerby when he moved from being a tenant to a lessee in 1990. Here’s the pub getting a new thatch during an eight week process, using reeds imported from Hungary, at a cost of £20,000.

The thatch was replaced again after this in the 2010s and still looks beautiful!

The White Horse continues to quench the thirst of villagers today, and has been voted most dog friendly pub in Northamptonshire and in 2026, was recognised for the quality of its beer when it was awarded the regional CAMRA Country Pub of the Year award for 2026.

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History of the village hall(s)

The original village hall

The original village hall was the “Old School” building, put to this use once the school moved onto its current site in 1915.

It was a substantial stone building, built by the Clarke family around 1820. For many years it served as an important centre for village life, providing a venue for education, meetings, entertainments, religious activities and community events.

Darker buildings next to pub: Old School building and master’s house circa 1955

The first headmaster to lead the school in the new building, Mr Bond, still lived in the master’s house adjoining the old school building, and was followed there by Miss Burrows. The old school could also be brought back into use on occasions when circumstances required it. During one such period, when burst pipes affected the present school, lessons were held in the old building.

The interior

The hall was relatively basic by modern standards. Lighting was provided by oil lamps suspended from the ceiling, while heating came from a central stove, usually fuelled with coke, together with an open fire at the end of the room. The arrangements reflected the limitations of a village building of the period and would certainly not meet modern standards of fire safety.

A small stage was provided for performances and concerts. Although considered inadequate, it was used regularly and provided the setting for many successful village productions. The stage was evidently in poor condition, with local memories recalling performers occasionally disappearing through gaps at the sides before being retrieved and the performance continuing.

Costumes for productions were made locally. Mrs Mary Pimlett’s mother and the caretaker, Mrs Clarke, are particularly remembered for making costumes to suit the different characters and performances.

Welton Players 1920s
Entertainment and social activities

The hall provided one of the principal venues for entertainment in the village. Concerts and theatrical productions were regularly staged, including performances by travelling theatrical companies. The Church Army also visited with its ‘Magic Lantern’ shows, which provided an important form of visual entertainment before modern cinema and television became widely available.

Note:

The Church Army used magic lanterns extensively from the late 19th through the early 20th centuries as a primary tool for evangelism, temperance education, and social outreach across the UK. Operating through dedicated mobile vans and urban mission halls, evangelists projected hand-tinted glass slides to draw crowds and illustrate gospel messages.

Dancing was another popular activity, with music provided by Mr Sam Cox and his players. The hall subsequently hosted old-time dancing lessons and other social gatherings.

The Mothers’ Union, Girls’ Club and, later, the Women’s Institute were all active users of the building. Mrs Garrard of Welton Place was a prominent figure in all of these organisations and in village activities more generally.

The library and Sunday School

A small room adjoining the main hall served several purposes. It housed the crockery and other equipment required for refreshments, but also contained books used by the Sunday School.

The Sunday School itself was held in the old school building. It was initially taught under the guidance of Miss May West who in later life became Sister May West – a nun – and lived in Plympton. And later by Mrs Joan Gulliver, who continued to teach generations of local children for approximately thirty years.

Religious and community events

The building was also used for religious purposes when St Martin’s Church was undergoing renovation, with services being held in the hall during the work.

May Day was an important village occasion. Following activities around the village and the outlying farms, children were welcomed back to the hall for tea. The day’s collection was divided as part of the traditional celebrations.

May Day celebrations 1920s

Photographs of village events were also taken at the hall. One recollection describes villagers proceeding down the stone steps into the yard to have their photographs taken by Mr Long, using an early camera.

The hall played a role in charitable activities as well. During the winter, food was distributed to those in need, while the annual Harvest Festival included a sale of donated produce and goods, orchestrated by Mr Gil Tebbit.

The hall during wartime

During the Second World War, the building continued to serve the community. Dances were held as part of fundraising activities for Salute the Soldier, a wartime savings campaign.

The hall also provided temporary accommodation on at least one occasion. During a miners’ strike, striking miners passing through the area were reportedly allowed to stay overnight in the building.

Later uses

In later years the hall continued to accommodate a wide range of village activities, including first-aid courses, dancing classes, fêtes and wedding receptions. Notices advertising forthcoming events were displayed in the hall windows, and at Christmas the building was decorated with a Christmas tree.

The annual fête was among the regular community occasions associated with the building, with local volunteers taking responsibility for organising and running events and sales.

A centre of village life

The old school and village hall therefore served a much wider purpose than its original educational role.

Its importance reflected the close-knit nature of village life at the time. Families knew one another, children attended activities together and many organisations relied on the same building.

The old building remained an important part of Welton’s community life until the provision of a new village hall.

The new village hall

During the 1960s it became apparent that the Old School was not really fit for purpose and a Village Hall Committee was established, led by the vicar Rev Pilkington, with the aim of fund raising to pay for a new one.

An initial time scale of 12 years was envisaged, but the village was extremely grateful to Lady Reddish (of Welton House), who donated the whole cost of building a new hall. Her generosity had brought down the waiting time to 12 months.

It was built during 1966, on land donated by Sir Halford Reddish and was opened in April 1967 by Mary Pilkington, wife of the vicar. It is clear from the press cutting below that the whole village was involved in getting the project completed. 

Fortunately Welton had a resident builder, and the physical build was conducted through the ‘skilful hands of Mr Frank Emery and his son’. Frank is seen, left, working on the project.

The Emerys are a long established Welton family, still residing in Welton today. Frank also built Kiln House, which he then lived in, and the next door bungalow for his son John as well as many other buildings in the village. 

Today’s hall remains at the centre of village life with a full diary accommodating exercise and sports, theatre, bridge, brownies and guides as well as hosting parties, celebrations and wakes over the last 60 years.

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History of the Old Post Office

The Old Post Office stands at the corner of High Street and Well Lane, long serving as the village’s postal hub.

It opened in 1856, issuing an undated postmark that January. This mark was applied to the reverse of letters sent or received, while postage stamps themselves were date‑stamped later at the Head Office in Daventry.

Nationally, undated marks were withdrawn in 1860, and Welton did not receive a date‑stamp until 1896, when a rubber version was supplied, used mainly for postal orders.

The photo below taken around 1890 shows the post office as the tall building on the right with the hanging sign.

Kelly’s Directories of 1890, 1894 and 1898 list Richard Houghton as sub‑postmaster, baker, grocer and beer retailer. Born in 1824, he began his working life as a shoemaker before becoming a grocer by 1881. During his time at the post office, letters arrived from Daventry at 6.55am and were despatched at 6.10pm, with a Sunday arrival at 9.10am.

In September 1902, the office was upgraded to a Telegraph Office, enabling villagers to send telegrams. By 1906, Miss Annie Leeson, a stationer, had become sub‑postmistress, a role she is documented as holding until at least 1931. In 1911 Annie lived with her mother Betsy and brother Charles Benjamin; Annie and Charles were still there in 1939.

It seems that in 1910 there was an attempt to sell to property which has been owned by a Mr Houghton, likely a relative of Richard.

By this period, postal traffic had increased to two arrivals from Daventry at 6.55am and 11.55am, and three despatches at 7.00am, 11.55am and 6.30pm, with Sunday delivery at 9.05am.

By the early 1950s the office was run by Mr F. Woodward, followed by the Knights from at least 1955. Mr Knight is remembered for suffering a sizeable lump on his head after a robbery at the premises. Memories from Mr Knight’s time from villagers include:

“Four fruit salad chews for a penny! He used to moan that people let their dogs pee up his wall outside!”
— Welton Villager

Many villagers remember buying sweets from the post office, and in the photo below, taken in the late 1950s, you can see a Walls ice cream sign outside the building on the left.

Jack and Molly Brown are recalled as later occupants.

In the 1980s the post office was run by Mr and Mrs Doreen Loveridge, before relocating to The Gables at the corner of Well Lane and Ashby Road, when it was operated by Val Hamblin. When Val wished to retire in 1987 there was an attempt to find someone to take over:

For a while it looked like Irene Kitchener of Ashby Road would take on the role as post mistress, having done it on a temporary basis since Val retired, but alas plans must have fallen through as Welton finally lost its post office in 1887.

The original post office building is today known as The Old Post Office and is a family home. Photo below taken 2026.

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History of Wisteria Cottage

Kiln Lane some time around 1910, Wisteria Cottage on left

Wisteria Cottage began as two small estate cottages, maybe used for workers from Welton House, (although there is no evidence it formed part of Welton House’s estate) with a third neighbouring cottage later demolished. You can see the three cottages on the photo above on the left. One of the original pair was known as Rose Cottage. The name Wisteria Cottage probably appears only in the second half of the 20th century, as no census records use it.

There is a carved stone, believed to be from the original building and now remounted in the wall of the rear extension. This bears the date ANNO 1637.

The building may have suffered 17th–18th‑century fire damage, and later alterations joined the two cottages, removed the central chimney, added modern facilities, and revealed two saltbox niches beside a fireplace. Before the conversion, one cottage was regularly rented by school teachers or residents awaiting new homes.

Late 1960s showing the building as two cottages

There is a belief that the building may once have operated as a shop.

The cottage appeared in 2003 on the C4 programme House Doctor (Season 6, Episode 11), although sadly this is unavailable to view anywhere at the moment.

What else do we know about the residents?

Mid‑century residents included Mrs Edgar, 1950 who advertised for a nurse for a baby due in October. Mrs Foy, 1952 lived in the house and wanted a second hand hoover. Mr Henry Samuel Songhurst, 1956 lived there and gave evidence in a court case regarding insurance, licence and tax offences by ‘two youths’ who crashed outside his house. And newlyweds Diana Vivienne Bradley Jones and William Gordon Cullen made the cottage their home in September 1958.

In the late 1960s–70s, owner Mrs Clare Kaddy—likely responsible for merging the cottages—hosted local art exhibitions to raise funds for local causes. We believe many of Eric Fleming’s paintings were shown and bought at these events.

Wisteria Cottage in Welton News and views October 1989:

At the Wine and Cheese Gathering at Wisteria Cottage, The Green, on Monday October 30th at 8pm, we are having one stall only, for cakes. (Please, all our friends, support us, even if you can’t come!) Also please bring, or send with a friend, a small item suitable for an auction. This should take place at about 8.45pm. Proceeds to Church Urban Fund and St. Martin’s Bell Fund.

George and Lil Goodman

In the 2000s it was owned by a family named Patten who moved to the Isle of Man, and later that decade two pilots named Karen and Peter Banner lived there for a few years. They sold to the current owners.

It is believed the door from their kitchen was one of the original doors salvaged after the fire at Welton House. This is borne out by this memory from a villager:

Wisteria Cottage? If it’s the door into the kitchen from the ‘snug’, I got it from the ruined house and had it hung – it weighed a ton to drag(!), even though the journey was short…
Circa 2020

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History of the Darnell family

For nearly half a century, one particular man helped shape the character and life of Welton: Rev. Daniel Darnell, Vicar of St Martin’s Church for an extraordinary 48 years. His story forms part of a wider family legacy that travelled across Britain and around the globe. The Darnells were a family committed to learning, faith, and public service — and their impact stretched far beyond Welton.

Darnell Family Tree

Click the button below to open the Darnell Family Tree on Ancestry.

View Darnell Tree on Ancestry
A background in learning

Rev. Daniel Darnell was born in 1812 into a household where education was central. His parents, James Darnell, a schoolmaster, and Sarah Stevens, married in 1799 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire. The baptism register of St John’s Church, Clerkenwell, shows Daniel and his siblings — Esther, James, William and Sarah — were baptised together on 14 September 1814. Group baptisms were not unusual at the time, often done for reasons of cost or convenience.

This early influence of his father may well have shaped Daniel’s future. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, earning both his B.A. and M.A., before embarking on a career that would take him far from England.

Across oceans: ministry in the Bahamas

Daniel was ordained a deacon in London in 1837 and a priest in Jamaica in 1839. His early ministry unfolded across the Caribbean, where he held several significant posts:

During these years he married Frances Charlotte Brigman, around 1838–39, and the couple had four children while living in New Providence. It was during this period that Daniel became acquainted with the Hill family, later associated with The Firs in Welton.

Return to England: the Welton years

The family returned to England in 1845, first to London, where another son was born. By 1846 they had settled in Welton where Daniel became Vicar of St Martin’s Church, a role he would hold for nearly half a century, and had a further daughter.

The 1851 and 1861 censuses show the family living at the vicarage/The Stone House with their children and a lively household of private pupils. In 1851, seven boys aged 11–16 boarded there to be taught by the vicar; in 1861, five remained. The household also included several servants, including a nurse. By 1881, the school had closed and only family members and domestic staff were listed.

The vicarage and The Stone House were physically joined at this point and it may be that the Darnells lived in the vicarage whilst using The Stone House fully as a school – with the family moving into the The Stone House (which Darnell owned) in later years after the school closed.

He was by all accounts a benevolent man, much concerned for the welfare of his parishioners. Around 1890, he was the driver behind the formation of the “Welton Institute” with the aim of providing a library, lectures and entertainment during the winter for a “nominal charge”.

As president of the Institute, Darnell was supported by Mr George Smith of Coalville who was elected vice -president; Col Clarke was elected treasurer and Mr Quelch, the newly appointed school master, the secretary and librarian. The committee included Mrs Clarke, Mrs Darnell and Miss Stansfield. Its overall aim was to support the youth of the village.

Restoring St Martin’s Church

Between 1866 and 1871, Rev. Darnell worked closely with his friend Colonel Richard Trevor Clarke to restore the interior of St Martin’s Church. Their efforts revitalised the building, preserving its structure and enhancing its appearance for future generations.

The two men oversaw restorations to the roof and floor and the installation of stained glass windows.

The answer to a mystery?

In July of 1858 , an alarming train accident had occurred on the Ramsgate and Margate branch of the South-Eastern Railway, near the Chilham station, between Ashford and Canterbury. Several people were killed, and many more injured.

The report includes this paragraph, the first detail is stating where the injured were taken: At the “Saracen’s Head” Inn, Canterbury.—The Rev. D. Darnell, Vicar of Welton, near Daventry, Northamptonshire, arm badly fractured. Mrs. Darnell (wife), contused arm. Master Darnell, contusions. The nurse, with four other children of the same family, escaped unhurt, beyond the shock to the system. 

Whilst we can’t be 100% sure, we believe what we are seeing below is a picture taken later in 1858 when Darnell is still recovering from his injuries. The man on the right is Richard Trevor Clarke.

Later years

Darnell suffered personal loss in 1867 when his first wife, Frances, died aged 58. Four years later, he married Jane Stansfeld at Sowerby Parish Church in Yorkshire; both were approaching sixty.

Daniel retired in 1894, becoming the longest‑serving vicar of St Martin’s. He continued to live at The Stone House until his death in 1897 at the age of 85. Jane had predeceased him in 1896.

Memorials to Daniel, Frances, Jane, and their daughter Mary (see below) remain on the wall beside the pulpit in St Martin’s Church.

The next generation: teachers and clergy

Daniel and Frances’ children inherited their parents’ commitment to education and service:

Mary’s short life is recorded poignantly in the 1851 census: a ten‑year‑old girl living at the Vicarage with her parents, siblings, seven pupil‑boarders, and four female servants. She died aged just fifteen. Their first daughter also died young at just short of 18 years, she had married Charles Edward Barrett-Lennard. And the couple’s youngest son Herbert died before his third birthday.

Rev. Daniel Charles West Darnell: from Welton to Portsmouth

Born in Nassau in 1841, Daniel Charles West Darnell (known as Charles) followed his father into the church.

Charles was a scholarly boy and was educated at Pembroke and Downing Colleges of Cambridge University. Here he was ordained – in 1864 – in preparation for a career in the church.

His early teaching career began at the Stone House School. He later taught at Rugby School under Dr Temple.

Darnell moved to Edinburgh in 1873 aged 32 and, with his wife Elizabeth and their five children, he invited his first group of boys to his home, Cargilfield villa in Trinity. The school opened on 19th September 1873 – initially to a handful of boys.

This was the start of Cargilfield School, Scotland’s first preparatory school. His aim was:

“to provide a liberal education and teach the merits of hard work and honesty under conditions of happiness and well‑being.”

Cargilfield thrived, preparing boys for Fettes College and attracting pupils from across Scotland and northern England. Charles retired in 1898 and became Vicar of St Thomas’s Church, Portsmouth the following year.

He died in 1903 after contracting septicaemia from an injury incurred during church repairs. His obituary in The Scotsman praised his ability to recognise moral qualities in every child.

Dorothy Gwynn Darnell: artist and founder of the Jane Austen Society

One of the most culturally significant Darnells was Dorothy Gwynn Darnell, born in Edinburgh in 1876, daughter of Rev. Daniel Charles West Darnell and Elizabeth Fisher.

Dorothy studied under Sir William Nicholson and exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts between 1904 and 1914. Her works included:

  • Daphne (1904)
  • Sweet and Twenty (1906)
  • Much study is a weariness of the flesh (1907)
  • Oh, mirror, mirror, on the wall… (1908)
  • Poor and content is rich, and rich enough (1910)
  • A Maid of Antwerp (1912) – left
  • Lysbett (1914)

She specialised in portraiture, notably painting musician Emily Daymond.

Before 1939, Dorothy moved to Alton, Hampshire, living with her sister Amy Beatrix Darnell. In 1940 she founded the Jane Austen Society, determined to preserve Chawton Cottage, Austen’s home from 1809–1817.

The Society attracted the attention of a benefactor, Mr. T.E. Carpenter, who bought the house for £3000, and endowed it to the nation, as a permanent memorial to his son, Philip Carpenter, who had been killed in action in Italy in 1944, aged just 22. Dorothy served as secretary alongside novelist Elizabeth Jenkins, while Amy was treasurer.

Dorothy died at Brook Cottage, Lenten Street, Alton, in 1953.

A legacy that takes us through Welton and beyond

With a legacy across Caribbean classrooms, Scottish preparatory schools, Welton’s Vicarage and the founding of the Jane Austen Society (yet another literary connection to Welton), the Darnells were a family whose influence crossed continents and generations.

Their memorials remain in St Martin’s Church, but their influence lives far beyond its walls — in the schools they founded, the art they created, and the heritage they helped preserve.

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Blog: The Liddells and the Fraser Tytlers: A story of faith, art and forgotten genius

When people hear the name Liddell, they often think of Alice Liddell, the child who inspired Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. But the Liddell family tree stretches beyond Oxford and Lewis Carroll’s imagination. One of its more interesting branches for Welton History Group leads us to Alice’s second cousin, Rev. Canon Edward Thomas Liddell (their fathers were cousins)- who, for a while, at the turn of the 20th century, was vicar of Welton — and through him, to a remarkable woman whose talent and influence seem to have been almost lost to history: Christina Catherine Fraser Tytler.

Christina : A forgotten writer

Born near Bombay (Mumbai), Christina Catherine Fraser Tytler (1847 – 1927) grew up between India and the Scottish Highlands. After her mother died giving birth to her sister, the renowned artist Mary Seton Fraser Tytler, Christina and her two siblings were raised at Aldourie Castle on Loch Ness. Her father, who worked for the civil service in India, remained there.

The Fraser Tytler sisters — Christina, Etheldred, and Mary — formed a tight, affectionate trio. The girls spent ten years growing up in the Highlands before their father retired and returned to Scotland with his second wife Harriet, in 1861. He also brought with him the girls’ half siblings, sons Charles, Edward and William and a daughter Eleanor, known as Nelly. Another half sister Eva had died in India. Shortly afterwards, Charles moved the whole family to a new home in Forres.

Christina was determined to write. In an era when women’s literary careers were often dismissed, she persisted — and succeeded. Her debut, Sweet Violet and Other Stories (1868), was well reviewed, praised for its characterisation and emotional insight. She went on to publish:

She published under several names — C. C. Fraser‑Tytler, Mrs Edward Liddell, and Fraser Tytler — probably to avoid the stigma attached to women novelists. Her poetry often explored Christian themes, reflecting her deep faith and her fascination with life, death, and spiritual longing.

Christina in the Victorian artistic world

Christina’s life was threaded through the artistic circles of the 1860s. She and her sister Etheldred visited Freshwater on the Isle of Wight for the first time in 1867, where they fell under the lens of the groundbreaking photographer Julia Margaret Cameron.

In an interesting twist, Cameron’s granddaughter lived briefly in Craven Cottage in Welton during the early 2020s.

Cameron was captivated by the sisters, photographing them repeatedly — often calling Christina “Christiana,” a poetic flourish that suited her ethereal presence. These photographs — The Rosebud Garden of Girls, The Three Sisters, and others — captured the sisters’ beauty, closeness, and artistic sensibility.

Through Cameron’s circle, Christina met renowned painter and sculptor George Frederic Watts, known as “England’s Michelangelo”. It was she who introduced her younger sister Mary to him, setting in motion a celebrated artistic marriage of the Victorian era, despite a thirty year age gap between the couple. Watts greatly admired Christina’s writing, once remarking that her poems carried “a waft of sweet air” and that he envied her gift with words.

Christina, Mary and George: A creative triangle

Christina’s relationship with Mary and George was unusually close. Mary’s private diaries reveal that Christina was not just an occasional visitor to their house, Limnerslease, but a central figure in their daily life. She read with them, debated ideas, shared books by progressive thinkers, and collaborated on artistic projects.

One diary entry describes the three sitting together in the intimate reading alcove at Limnerslease, “his arm round us each,” a scene that suggests a complex emotional dynamic. Christina’s presence shaped their conversations, their creative decisions, and even their philanthropic ideas.

Mary’s diaries reveal that Christina conceived the idea for Watts’ famous Memorial to Heroic Self‑Sacrifice in Postman’s Park, London — although the work has always been attributed solely to George. The slideshow below shows some of the moving memorials displayed there.

Christina was in many ways a bridge between Mary, a celebrated artist in her own right, and George, one of the most successful British artists of the 19th century. She was the person who first connected them, and the person who continued to influence them with her insight, affection, and artistic sensibility.

Enter Edward Thomas Liddell

Christina’s marriage to Rev. Edward Thomas Liddell (1845 – 1914) brought her into another distinguished family. Edward was the son of Hon. George Augustus Frederick Liddell (an English cricketer for Hampshire, Marylebone Cricket Club and England) and Lady Cecil Elizabeth Jane Wellesley (who incidentally was the niece of the Duke of Wellington!)

They married on 26 September 1871 at St John’s Church, Forres, honeymooning in the Lake District.

Educated at Christchurch, Oxford, Edward began his ministry as Rector of Wimpole (1872 – 1876), a wealthy parish on his cousin’s estate. But he felt uneasy living “in so easy a cure” and resigned, choosing instead to serve in Jarrow, one of the harshest industrial towns in England.

Edward moved from rural comfort to Jarrow in 1876, becoming Rector of St Paul’s. The contrast could not have been greater. Jarrow was dominated by shipbuilding, poverty, and harsh working conditions. Edward threw himself into social and missionary work among labourers and their families.

The strain was immense; the physical and emotional demands of Jarrow “broke him down with premature paralysis,” leaving him with chronic illness for the rest of his life.

His efforts in Jarrow did not go unnoticed; he was later made Honorary Canon of Durham Cathedral. He resigned from his position at St Paul’s due to ill health in 1882. His mental health was not helped by his father dying around 1888, after which Edward was reported to have had a nervous breakdown.

Christina and Edward may have spent some time in Italy* to allow Edward to recover, although ill health dogged him for the remainder of his life. (*Note: only brief reference is made to this in one source, but we do know George Watts spent a lot of time in Italy and so this is plausible). They returned and settled in Hertfordshire for a while, before Edward resumed his ministry in the rather less stressful position as vicar of Welton.

The move to Welton

On the retirement in 1894 of the long standing vicar of Welton, Rev Daniel Darnell, Edward took up the role, moving into the vicarage behind The Stone House where Darnell continued to live. He purchased The Stone House (at the time called Hillside) on Darnell’s death in 1897, and let it out.

During his time in Welton he continued to convalesce, yet he remained committed to social welfare. He organised woodwork and carving lessons for unemployed young men, whose handiwork still survives in our church today, in the elaborate carvings of the pulpit and an alms box.

Despite Edward’s declining health, the marriage was warm and intellectually rich. Christina continued her writing, and Edward his studying, preaching, and academic works — including his illustrated history St Alban’s Abbey (1897) – a book still available on Amazon today!

A move to be near her sister

Edward retired in 1902 and the couple moved to Puttenham, near Mary and George Watts’s home Limnerslease. Their house, Birdshanger, still stands. They retained ownership of The Stone House, continuing to let it out, even after Edward died in 1914.

Christina remained deeply connected to Mary and George. Their relationship — part family, part friendship, part creative partnership — was one of the most important of her life. In 1904, it is even said that George called for Christina on his death bed.

She continued writing into her later years, completing a biography of her husband in 1916 called A Shepherd of the Sheep; The Life-Story of an English Parish-Priest. When she died in 1927, she left nearly £6,000 to Mary (around £300,000 in today’s money).

Edward and Christina are buried together at Compton Cemetery, near George and Mary Watts. Their gravestone reads “Edward Liddell – Priest 20/4/1845 – 22/5/1914
and his wife Christina Catherine 14/2/1847 – 29/6/1927″. It seems in death she became once again simply a vicar’s wife.

A legacy worth remembering

During research into Welton’s history we have come across many a cutting that describes Mrs Liddell baking a cake, opening a fete or providing tea on the lawn. But she was so much more than that. Christina Catherine Fraser Tytler was a talented novelist, poet, and a central figure in Victorian artistic networks.

And it’s tempting to view Edward Thomas Liddell as a short footnote to the massively influential and long serving Daniel Darnell. But he was a man of deep conviction who sacrificed comfort for service. And surely, to have had a successful marriage with Christina, an unusually liberal man for the time. Together, they represent a couple defined by creativity and compassion.

We felt their story — from India to Scotland, Freshwater to London, Jarrow to Welton — deserved to be told.