Oak Farmhouse March 2008

Oak Farmhouse at Mox Hill was named after the stark looking Deadman's Oak just over the road and just in the parish of Northill|. Indeed, it is marked Deadman's Oak Farm on early Ordnance Survey maps. The farmhouse stands in a thin salient forming the northernmost part of the parish of Old Warden and just yards from the boundaries of both Northill and Cople|

The farmhouse was listed by the former Department of Environment as Grade II, of special interest. The house was built about 1600 and has a substantial timber frame with colour-washed rough-cast render over the exterior and a clay tile roof. It has a three room plan of one storey with attics. Directories reveal the following tenants:

• 1885: George Whitbread Baker;
• 1890: Thomas Kendal;
• 1903: Samuel Vincent;
• 1920: Frederick Vincent;
• 1940: S.Vincent & Son

Until 1881 the farm formed part of the living of the Vicar| of Old Warden; however, in that year the vicar sold it to Joseph Shuttleworth|, along with Vicarage Farm. Oak Farm then contained 117 acres, 1 rood, 11 perches [SL1/150]. The farm continues to be part of the Shuttleworth Estate at the time of writing.

In 1927 the farms of Old Warden were valued under the Rating Valuation Act 1925; every piece of land and building in the country was assessed to determine the rates to be paid on it. The valuer visiting Deadman's Oak Farm [DV1/H50/52] found it was occupied by S.Vincent & Son. The farm comprised 89 acres and was: "Useful farm. Close to road. Companies [sic] water. Farmed with land in Northill Parish. Part heavy land only 89 acres actually goes with the Homestead". Of the farmhouse the valuer noted: "Small House. Good buildings. Modern Cow House. Note Buildings are used with a large area".

The farmhouse comprised two living rooms, a kitchen, scullery and dairy downstairs with three "good" bedrooms and a box room above. The homestead comprised a north block of wood and tile stabling for six beasts with a loft over, two nag stables and two loose boxes as well as a large brick and corrugated iron cow shed for thirty beasts ["excellent building, concrete floor, fairly new"] measuring 28 feet by 60 feet, a mixing place with lofts over and a dairy and calving sheds. The east block contained two pigsties and a two bay open shed; the south block had a large wood and tile barn and loose box. The rickyard contained a wood and corrugated iron four bay cart shed and two wood and tile hen houses and tool sheds. By the house were an earth closet, a three bay open shed, trap house and cart hovel.