The Yews

THE YEWS

The listed buildings guide states

“House of circa 1820 masking older timber framed structure. 2 storeys, 3 windows.
Sunk basement. Coursed freestone with mutuled cornice and parapet. Full height
elliptical bows at either side hold tripartite sash windows with glazing bars.
Single sash window over prostyle Doric porch with modillioned cornice and blocking
course. 3 steps to porch. Panelled door with patterned fanlight. Other elevations
of brick.”

An auction brochure of 1969 describes the Yews as

“a two storey house with cellars, constructed of brick, but with a front of squared blocks of the grey sandstone, as used for the Calverley Estate and other building in Tunbridge Wells. The front has two curved bays, which once has verandahsand a central door with a fanlight, with a flat hooded proch supported by two columns, It forms an excellent text book example of a small villa dating from between 1815 and 1850. The section at the back, containing the kitchen was added about 1900.” K Gravett FSA

Bob Sellings informs us that the portico came originally from South Park.

Pevsner (West Kent and the Weald)states that the house was built c 1820 with a  Sandstone façade of three bays , the outer windows in the shallowest of bows.

It is though that the house may have been designed by JB Rebecca, who was working for Penshurst Place estate at that time. Phoytographs show that at one time the house had concave roofed verandahs at the front, supported by iron posts from the slated front.

OWNERS

The house was initially occupied by the Streatfeild family, although directories do not mention the Yews by name until 1887.

1826, 1832-4               Captain Henry Streatfeild

1840                            Major Henry Streatfeild

Penshurst church south west plot has a memorial marked:-

“Henry STREATFEILD died 28 August 1834 aged 61 years Elizabeth wife of Henry Streatfeild died 27 September 1820 aged 48 years Henry son of the above died 16 February 1797 aged 10 months Charlotte daughter of the above died 16 August 1819 aged 14 years Elizabeth daughter of the above died 30 March 1824”

The census of 1841 shows Charlotte, 55, Thomas, 50 and Emily 28 living at “sideny Villa” with one male and three female servants

1845, 1847, 1852        Colonel Thomas Streatfeild

1854, 1859                  Mrs Charlotte Streatfeild (died 9 oct 1859)

The 1861 census shows Emily , 47, Emily, a niece, 12 and another girl of 11 as a boarder, and a housekeeper, cook and housemaid

1862-1908 (09 sic)                  Emily Streatfeild, died on March 1st 1908 aged 95. There is a brass plaque in the chancel of the Church commemorating her.

In 1911, all but one of the cottages in Bridge row were demolished, and the lower part of Rogues’ Hill from Elliott’s Farm entrance to the bridge was re-aligned. The new road was further from the Yews and Elliott’s House, giving both a front garden .

1914-18           The house was home to a refugee Belgian Family. There is a photo [currently being researched] of the family having tea in the front garden on the drive.

In 1977, a member of the family as a young boy (in the photo) returned to see the house. Jean Van Lier (Avenue du Vallon,10 B-1640 Rhode St Genese, Belgium) said that the local residents were very helpful to the family during the War. The family kept in touch with relatives by sending mail through the Netherlands, a neutral in the Great War.

1924                                        Brigadier General Francis William Henry Cox CB CIE

The Gazette mentions Cox on two occasions;

“ Dated 20th April, 1908. Francis William Henry Cox, Commandant, 72nd Punjabis. (Majors promoted to Lieutenant Colonels – Indian Army)

Then in the 1916 Kings Honours lists for Order of the Bath;

“Col. Francis William Henry Cox, Indian Army, Assistant Quartermaster-General, Burma Division”

1927-1934                               Brig Gen Frederic Alexander McFarlan CB (died 7 Oct 1954)

There is a record of Ms. Nora and Nicola Pollock residing at the Yews at this time

1940,48                                   Richard and “Gid” Hoblyn

1953                                                Donald C Campbell. He was the son of Colin Frederick Campbell, 1st Baron Colgrain (13 June 1866-3 November 1954), was a British banker.

Colin was President of the British Bankers’ Association from 1938 to 1946 and was also a Director of the National Provincial Bank and of London Assurance. In 1946 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Colgrain, of Everlands in the County of Kent.

1957-69                                   Henry Yardborough Anderson, solicitor

1970                                        Mrs Theo Daphne Flower (d. 26 April 1994) purchased the house from the Penshurst Estate.

Mrs Flower tells of a ghostly story during the Great Storm of 1987. She was sleeping in the back room when wakened by a ring on the door. She went down to see who was there, but there was no one to be seen. As she was about to return to her bedroom, there was an enormous crash as the chimney, unsettled in the winds, fell through the bedroom, taking with it the bed upon which Mrs Flowers had until moments before been asleep.