Elmbridge Online covering Cobham, Esher, Oxshott, Walton and Weybridge

Ashford Farm House

There is mention of "the home of John de Ashford" in 1332 (see Place-names of Surrey 1934) although the existing building is, in major part, 15th century. It is a three bay timber framed medieval hall house with 18th century brickwork and a tiled roof. The western end comprises an early 20th century addition which matches well with the existing facade.

There is a fine crown post roof with numerous carpenter's assembly marks. The original main ground floor room was open to the roof and there is evidence of sooting on the roof timbers. The main chimney was probably added in the early 17th century and would have been cut through the existing rafters. It is thought the brick front of the house was added in Regency times (the date corresponding with some of the fireplaces) and is decorated by fine brick pilasters.

Ashford Farm House has a wealth of fine architectural features and boasts a fragment of medieval black and white wall painting in one of the first floor rooms. In addition to the main building there are early outbuildings and a large sunken room at the rear of the house.

By 1650 there is documentary evidence of this property being used as a farmhouse. For much of the period from the mid 17th century to the middle of the 1800s the buildings were the centre of a prosperous farm. Towards the end of the last century the farmland was sold to neighbouring landowning families such as the Combes and Phillips. For a time it was run as a livery stable but since the 1890s it has been entirely in residential occupation. It is interesting to note that a record of ownership can almost certainly be traced back to 1783 - the earlier details of ownership and occupation have been obtained from tithe award information and land tax returns. The extensive and attractive gardens include an unusual summerhouse which was originally a tea house on Tartar Hill and was brought to the garden between 1890 and 1910 as a refuge for the owner of Ashford Farm House where he could smoke when the ladies were in the main house.

Stile Cottage

Next to Ashford Farm House stands Stile Cottage which whilst not, apparently old property, has considerable charm with a mature rose garden.

Stile Cottage

Cooper Cottage

Cooper Cottage was built by Mr. Cooper of Stoke Lodge for elderly people from London so that they could have holidays in the country. The house was certainly in existence by 1896 and logically post-dated the opening of the railway. It provides a variety of window frame styles which give it quite a different appearance from the neighbour ing properties of Old Cottages and New Cottages. These are of similar age and were originally farmworker cottages for the Stoke d'Abernon estate.

Ivy Cottage

Ivy Cottage is adjacent to Cooper Cottage and is probably over three hundred years old being an almost imperceptible amalgam of building periods. The original part of the property (i.e. the right hand side when facing the building) was constructed about 1650 and was originally the farrier's cottage on the Stoke d'Abernon estate. In 1740, according to studies by a former owner, it became a dairy and as late as 1960 there was an outside cellar, for cheese and other dairy products. The original large inglenook was taken down about 1900 when the left hand side (facing) was extended. The interior retains many early features and a wealth of exposed beams.

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