Norman Hill House, Cam

Have a photo of old Dursley to share? Post here to see if anyone can add anything.
Rich Hughes
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by Rich Hughes »

That's it Andy.

davegoldsmith
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by davegoldsmith »

Yes, you can see the turrets quite clearly now, Dave.

helen sheppard
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by helen sheppard »

Sorry Richard haven't lived in Dursley for forty years so don't know Holywell Rd but I still visit Dursley nearly every week so will try and go round there next time and see what I find!

Rich Hughes
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by Rich Hughes »

Helen, It looks like me, Dave and Andy will be going to look at the site to try to solve the mystery, From what Info you and others have given and what I have seen, I'm pretty sure the tower or part of it is still there! Once that's established we will know exactly where the estate stood!

dursleyglos
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by dursleyglos »

Holywell Road wouldn't have existed of course when the house was present so it's probably difficult to relate the two together without maps of then and now.
Andy - Dursley Glos Web Admin

Rich Hughes
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by Rich Hughes »

Like I said Andy, from your second photo I know exactly where the estate was. To me it's just a case of working out if that protruding wall (that joins to the main wall) IS the remains of the now famous tower. If it is (JOB DONE). If it isn't then the tower is, like you say, further down, meaning the wall carries on and there would be another boundary wall to join up to the castle. It has to be said though, the inner and outer wall on the pic that goes to the tower looks wider! I am though confident it is that wall. Also if the wall and tower are further down, then it would be going down a steep slope, unless the landscape's been altered since the estates demise.

P.S. Though not visible on Google maps, I believe I have found where the long curved wall to the side of the house was,(which more than likely joined to the wall with the tower). The grass has a long curved shallow indentation which fits well with the wall in the picture.

dursleyglos
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by dursleyglos »

From Debrett's Guide to the House of Common's 1886

Arthur Brend Winterbotham, son of Lindsey Winterbotham, Esq., Banker of Stroud, by Sarah Ann, daughter of Rev. H. Page; born April 19th 1838; educated at Amersham School: married 1863, Elizabeth, daughter of J.G. Strachan, Esq., of Farm Hill Park, Stroud; is a J.P. for Gloucestershire, and a cloth manufacturer. A Liberal; has sat for Eastern, or Cirencester, Division of Gloucestershire since Dec. 1885.

Residence - Norman Hill, Dursley Gloucestershire.
Clubs - Devonshire, National Liberal.

PS - He held the seat until his death on 8th September 1892.
Andy - Dursley Glos Web Admin

Rich Hughes
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by Rich Hughes »

Andy, Yeah, I found all that sorta stuff out looking for the house!

dursleyglos
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by dursleyglos »

Here you go, a merged old (1903) and new (1985) map showing the old house and garden against the new roads. The wall is where you said it is Rich and the red dot is around where the tower was. It looks like there could be some remains on that spot!

Looks good, what do you think? Andy

PS - the blue dot is the old pond.
Attachments
Old (1903) and new (1985) map merge
Old (1903) and new (1985) map merge
combined_3200x2500.jpg (95.5 KiB) Viewed 19667 times
Andy - Dursley Glos Web Admin

Rich Hughes
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by Rich Hughes »

I thought as much, so the estate was longer than it was wide. I'm glad the 3 trips up there were worthwhile. There is also a footpath with Victorian gate posts that runs up by the tower from the new estate.

Rich Hughes
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by Rich Hughes »

That's spot on as far as I can see. Thanks for all the time and effort you have spent on this. That is case closed I think? The pond is surrounded by trees in your second pic.
Last edited by Rich Hughes on Thu Mar 03, 2011 10:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

dursleyglos
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by dursleyglos »

I agree it does seem to be case closed for identifying the tower, thanks for yours, and everyone else inputs too. I'm still going to get up there to see it for myself though.

You can see a footpath clearly on the map, between two of the houses on Holywell Road. The path seems to be a direct route between the tower (red dot) and what I believe is the pond (blue dot) which is surrounded by trees (visible on the old map and the photograph).

Now I just need to find more photographs and information about the house and estate as I've still not seen any documentary evidence on when it was built. I want to look into the family history as well as not much is written. Cheers, Andy
Andy - Dursley Glos Web Admin

Rich Hughes
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by Rich Hughes »

Andy, let me know if and when you find anything out.

Rich Hughes
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by Rich Hughes »

Andy, On your latest map, if you go across the playing fields to a large orchard in a field with "Spring" marked on it, there are 3 plaques surrounding the top of the stream telling of a Nun that went there to drink the water regularly (hence the name Holy Well Orchard). Also of a gardener to the estate who visited the stream/spring 3 times daily to fetch pails of water for Mrs Hague, even when the House was connected to the mains water supply, it says she preferred the spring water!

Rich Hughes
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Re: Norman Hill House, Cam

Post by Rich Hughes »

Andy, If you want, when you go to visit the estate I can meet you up there?

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