History of the Workhouse Lands

1780s

The inhabitants and parishioners of Chobham enclosed 2 acres of common land belonging to the Manor of Chobham and built a house for the reception of the poor of the parish.   There were also three cottages occupied by Hawthorn, Harding and Cook.  To legalise the tenancy of the land a fee of 10 guineas was paid in 1790 to Lord Onslow, the Lord of the Manor.   The land is believed to be the land immediately around the workhouse and the three cottages on the separate piece of land adjoining Red Lion Lane (parcels 349 and 350?).

1836

The two acres of land, the old workhouse and three cottages were sold for £350 - but we don't know to whom.

1860 25^th August

Rev William Tringham of Long Cross, who had bought the properties at a time unknown, enfranchised another 2 acres of common land (parcels 350a and 350b?) to increase his holding to 5 acres - all the coloured area on the map shown.  The original documents describe the additional land as being 'bounded on the north by the road leading to Chertsey, the south by a road leading to the old workhouse property, on the west by a road leading to Little Heath, and on the east by the old workhouse property'.

Note the cottages in Red Lion Lane shown in red.  Lilac Cottage (the southernmost) and the westmost of the pair still survive although much changed.  Note also the word 'smithy' in the top left corner.

1863 25^th March

A deed of enfranchisement was made between:

1. Right Honourable Arthur George Earl of Onslow, Lord of the Manor of Chobham
2. Esquire Cobbett Derby of Brighton of Sussex and Reverend Charles Bradshaw Bowles of Woking
3. The Copyhold Commissioners
4. Reverend William Tringham
5. Henry Goodwin Glazebrook of Chertsery – a gentleman

1873

The Reverend William Tringham of Long Cross died on 9^th February 1873 and left the land around the old workhouse to his son William Tringham, reverend at Busbridge, Godalming.

1883 March 27^th

William Tringham (younger) of Busbridge Rectory Godalming sold what was ‘formally the old workhouse of the parish and also those three cottages’ and the 5 acres 2 roods and 31 perches of land to Frederick Walter Benham for £600 (parcels 349 and 350 in the Ordnance Map of the Parish - shown in red on the map above). There was an existing tenant James Hughes. The commoners rights were also passed on to Mr Benham.

Mr Benham converted the workhouse into three cottages and as the work was completed in Queen Victoria's Jubilee year in 1887, they were called the Jubilee Cottages.

1910-20

Sometime during this period, Mr Benham put the all or part ? of the lands on the market.  The council built two rows of council houses (still standing but now passed into the management of a housing association or bought by the tenants).

1920 23^rd August - Maycrest Plot

Frederick Walter Benham, corn dealer of Chobham sold Plot 10 - 1 acre of the land and associated rights of common to Frederick Aylward of 2 Council Cottages, Burrow Hill, Chobham for £100.

"And also all such commonage and right of title to common of what nature or kind soever in upon or over all or any of the wastes commons and commonable lands of or belonging to the Manor of Chobham aforesaid as the Vendor possessed or enjoyed in respect of and were appurtenant to the land thereby conveyed and the inheritance of all such commonable rights as aforesaid in as large ample and beneficial a manner to all intents and purposes as the Vendor had theretofore used and exercised all or any of the said rights of privileges or as he or his predecessors in title or their former customary heirs could or might have used and exercised the same."

	This map shows the area as it would have been about 1933.
	This map shows the extensive development seen by 1964.

Details of the history of each individual plot can be accessed by clicking on the plot title on the left navigation pane of this screen.