ashgrove

ashgrove

30 Mudford Road

 

Ashgrove is a substantial Regency-style residence dating to about 1840 in once-extensive grounds on the northern corner of the junction of Sparrow Lane (now Sparrow Road) with Mudford Road. Ashgrove was certainly built after 1831 as Madeley's map of that year shows the site as a field, known as Penny's Ground after its owner Henry Penny (see Documentation), but Ashgrove is clearly shown on the Tithe Map of 1842 as Parcel 1064 (see Maps). The 1846 Tithe Apportionment noted that the owner / occupier at this time was glove manufacturer, later Mayor of Yeovil, Elias Whitby Jnr who almost certainly build Ashgrove.

Ashgrove is of two storeys and three bays with colour-washed render scribed with course lines under a hipped Welsh slate roof with wide overhanging eaves. There is a projecting central porch with Roman Doric unfluted columns and flat pilasters carrying a full entablature with a flat roof. Fenestration comprises 12-pane sash windows to the ground floor and 9-pane sashes to the first floor.

The 1846 Tithe Apportionment noted that Elias Whitby Jnr was the owner / occupier of the large house called Ashgrove. In the 1851 census, Elias gave his occupation as gloving master. He and Hannah and ten of their children were listed living at Green Quarry - although this was almost certainly Ashgrove.

In the 1851 census, at the age of 21, Martha Softley was lodging in the boarding house of Mary Lukins in Kingston and listed her occupation as a schoolmistress. Indeed, it was in 1851 that Martha started her own school, later to become The Park School, at Ashgrove. In the 1861 census Martha was listed at Ashgrove as 'Principal of School' with her sister Harriett and cousin Catherine, known as Kate, both listed as 'Assistant in School'. There were three boarding students; Fanny and Mary Stone, aged 9 and 5 respectively and 7-year old Ellen Indoe. There was capacity for eight boarding students, housed in two bedrooms on the first floor. Also in the house was a boarder, a cook and a housemaid. Shortly after founding her school at Ashgrove, she moved to a house on the corner of Mudford Road and Higher Kingston. However, certainly by 1869, the school was in Park Road since this is the address given in an advertisement announcing the commencement of the new term.

In 1854, Elias Whitby Jnr sold Ashgrove to his son, Joseph Whitby (2). Although he lived at Ashgrove in his childhood, Joseph didn't live here after his marriage and in the 1861 census Joseph was listed at Church House with his wife Eleanor.

The 1871 census for Mudford Road is somewhat confusing with almost all properties being listed as "cottage". However, one property is listed as a "Private House" occupied by 70 -year-old bachelor Henry Cole, a "Professor of Music"

In 1891 Ashgrove was the residence of Congregational Minister Samuel Allen, his wife Mary, son Herbert and a domestic servant. By 1901 it was the home of Henry Monk who, with his daughter Edith, ran the Grammar School in Flowers House in Hendford. Kelly's Directory of 1919 listed Ashgrove as the residence of Henry James Foote.

The building survives but its plot was divided and the former rear gardens now contain a small, four-storey block of flats, Blackdown House. 

 


maps & AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH

 

This section of Edward Bullock Watts' 1831 map of Yeovil shows Fiveways at the left, with Mudford Road running straight to the top and, at the right, is Goldcroft. Sparrow Road runs across the top, connecting the two. What appears to be an empty triangular field at top centre, was Penny's Ground. The field would, during the next ten years, be subdivided and Ashgrove would be built in the southwest corner plot.

 

The 1842 Tithe Map, also by Edward Bullock Watts, showing Fiveways towards bottom right and Sparrow Lane coming in from top centre right. Ashgrove is shown as parcel 1064 left of centre.

 



This map, based on the 1886 Ordnance Survey, shows Ashgrove with its extensive landscaped grounds at centre, on the corner of Mudford Road (running vertically left of centre) and Sparrow Lane (now Sparrow Road) running off to the right.

 

An aerial photograph of 1946 showing Sparrow Road running across the photograph from Mudford Road at left to Goldcroft at right. The two roads at the bottom of the photograph are Roping Road at left of centre and Mitchelmore Road at right of centre. Ashgrove is at the bottom left corner of the photograph. 

 

The modern aerial view (courtesy of Mr Google) shows Ashgrove in its much-reduced setting.


gallery



Courtesy of David Perry

Ashgrove, just left of centre, seen from the top floor of the Yeovil College building during the snows of early 1963.

 


This colourised photograph features in my book 'Yeovil From Old Photographs'.

Ashgrove, photographed in the 1970s.

 

.... and seen from the other direction - for sale by auction by Palmer Snell & Co in two lots; a freehold development and a residential property.

 

Ashgrove, glimpsed through the trees of Yeovil College campus. Photographed in 2013.

 


This photograph features in my book "Yeovil In 50 Buildings"

.... and photographed in 2017.

 

Documentation