Entrance to Farm at the top of Cuckoo Hill.

This property most probably dates back to the mid 1500`s according to this extract from the Waldegrave archives:- George Waldergrave died 1528 and left Smallbridge Hall, Fysh House, Bevills, Nether House and Overall to his wife Margaret...........   <<<<Advertisement in "The Times" for the Sale of Fysh House Farm dated 21st October 1797

Fysh House Farm as we see it today above, started life at Fysh House further along the road, adjacent to Moat Farm Lane.
The building and surrounding farm land was purchased from Col Inyr Probert by a Capt Moreing on 31/12/1945. The farm was originally owned by the Probert family together with Chapel Barn Farm. Captain Moreing owned a stable at Bookham and a residential property at Esher.
This property was on a grand scale, the garden alone covered 10 acres.
He owned a large number of horses which were shown at summer shows and used for hunting during the winter months.

Jack Rutt was the groom and Harry Bass his chauffeur. He made his fortune mining Tin, China Clay etc, with mining interests abroad in such countries as South Africa, Yugoslavia, Australia and USSR. Prior to his arrival in Bures he was an MP and a close friend of Winston Churchill.
It was not uncommon for Harry Bass the chauffeur, to take the car by boat over to Australia etc for the convenience of the Moreings.
Immediately after the war, he decided to build additional stables at his home, to cater for his ever expanding number of horses.
Unfortunately Esher council turned down this request, and so the Captn immediately decided to re-locate and take his fortune with him.

31st December 1945, Captn Algenon & Dorothy Moreing moved to Bures. They purchased Fysh House, 100 acres of farm land, Salamander and No`s 14 & 15 Cuckoo Hill Cottages.

Fysh House, circa 1750	Fysh House to the rear with ornamental gardens
	At one stage it was owned by Charles Dupont (1844 -1920). He was the grandfather of Clifford Dupont who was a Rhodesian politician who served in the internationally unrecognised positions of Officer Administrating the Government (from 1965 until 1970) and President of Rhodesia from 1970 to 1976. He was aslo the son of John Dupont, Ironmonger in Bures View the Bures Dupont family tree
Stables behind Fysh House, still in use 2018

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Salamander:- top of Moat Farm Lane.

Salamander at the entrance to Moat Farm Lane	Tennis Court and Spinney which still belongs to the previous owners (Lean family) of Salamander. This is located to the right down Moat Farm Lane adjacent to the stables

This property dates back to the time of Fysh House or even before. This would indicate it was built circa 1750.
The field on which it was built, was known as " Parlour Inn Field", could this have been another beer house?
The house in the background, was built after the war as additional farm worker accommodation.The original property was the `cart house` for Fysh House, Early in the century a fire occurred which destroyed most of the buildings but part of the property survived.

It was re-named to Salamander, the name derived from a `mythical creature which rose from the ashes`

These were two separate farm workers cottages, before the conversion we see today. Purchased from Col Inyr Probert by Captn Moreing 31/12/1945, as part of the farm purchase.

Mrs Dorothy Moreing (widow) sold this property on 22/04/1971 to a Mr M Mitchell, releasing it from Fysh House Farm ownership.
Mr Mitchell sold this to Mr &Mrs Jones on 30/08/1973. It then became known as "Springtime".
Possibly converted into one property at this time, due to new naming.
Mrs & Mrs Jones sold this on the Mr R Lucas and Miss L Bowditch on 23/09/1983. It changed its name again to "Roseneath"
Mr & Mrs Lucas (nee Bowditch) sold this to Mr & Mrs Thompson on 26/04/1985. Name changed to "Cuckoos Nest"
Mr & Mrs Thompson sold this to Mr & Mrs Morgan with aunt Sylvia Small on 25/09/1987.
Mr & Mrs Read, purchased property in 1992.
Circa 2019 new owner

It`s still possible to see the canopy where the right entrance door used to be located.

Bert Clarke Night Soil Man Late 1940`s to mid 50`s George Austin 1953-55 Farm worker

On one side of the cottages, lived Bert Clarke. He generally helped on the farm and gardens. He was originally the `Village Night Soil` man who collected `waste and effluent` from the village households. He stabled the horse in the black barn along the track, between the farm and Clickett Hill. He was still in active use until about 1953.
The `waste` he collected, was disposed off locally into a man made pit, along the track between the farm and the barn.

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3 and 4 Fysh House Cottages Turn right top of Cuckoo Hill

Capt. Moreing proceeded to farm the 100 acres he purchased, together with another rented 100 acres still owned by the Probert family. His main asset was a superb herd of Red Poll cattle, now a rare breed, initially for milk, and then later for displaying at farm shows.

Later a pair of houses were built for the farm foreman and Herdsman, pair of semi-det farm cottages, top right of Cuckoo Hill.
Known then as 3 & 4 Fysh House CottagesA dairy and farm buildings were then erected on Fysh House farm site as it exists now. Today, the old dairy stands on your immediate right, as you enter the farm entrance.
The farm during the late 40`s grew cereal crops, sugar beet and a dairy herd of cows.
Major John Lean was the farm manager and lived along the Nayland Rd, near to Jane Walker Hospital.

Claude Sergeant Foreman Then Denise Ambrose Farm Manager (dec) New rented 2021 Jim Arbon then Bill Ottaway Herdsman 2020 new residents

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Moat Farm Lane Cottages

Later stables and a pair of cottages were constructed down Moat Farm lane. These accommodated the Groom (Jack Rutt) and Chauffeur (Harry Bass).

The Chauffeur kept the limousine in a garage attached to Fysh House.

Harry Bass (Chauffeur) Now owned by Guy Jones, Tree Surgeon. Jack Rutt (Groom) Occupied by David Rutt

Update on Harry Bass:-
Harry Bass and his wife Edith, were my great grandparents and I have many fond childhood memories of visiting them at Fysh House Cottages, playing in the garden, having access to the grounds of Fysh House including the tennis courts and stables and was delighted to read this article which bought memories flooding back. I also have very vague memories of the Rutt family.
Harry and Edith had a daughter Gwen who married John Hockley and they had two children, Madeline (my auntie who now lives in Luddenfoot, Yorkshire with her husband, she has a daughter and son and 3 grandchildren) and Micheal (my dad who is married to Sandra, they have me and my brother and 2 grandchildren.
Gwen and John lived in Colchester most of their married lives after a short spell in Morden Surrey. After Harry's death, Edith remained at Fysh House Cottages up til the age of 98! My parents moved to Cornwall in 1986 and Gwen followed shortly after, it was only when Edith could cope no longer that she moved to Cornwall to live with Gwen, she had a wonder life and finally left this earth when she was the grand old age 105!! She was an extraordinary woman.
Sadly Gwen died shortly after leaving just my immediate family in Cornwall and my aunts in Yorkshire.
Courtesy of Lorraine Hockley, Cornwall
16/11/2014

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Cuckoo House

The last farmworkers property to be built on the farm
Like the others these were two separate farm cottages, before conversion to one large house.
Now called Cuckoo House and privatley owned

Fred Hunt Len Bantick Percy Feveyear Barry KIng Farm Workers George Austin 1955-69 Farm worker Now privately owned

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Staff at Fysh House Farm

Unfortunately we have no names for these farmhands

The Moreings had no children, but John Lean (now dec, who lived at Salamander) was their nephew. After the Capt. died, John Lean (& his wife) moved into Fysh House to look after his aunt. When Mrs Moreing eventually died, they both continued to live in the property for a further few years. Fysh House farm was eventually put up for sale, ( see left) when John & Estelle moved next door back into Salamander. Richard Probert ( now dec) subsequently purchased the farm. By this time, 15 workers were employed on the farm. Fysh House was later put up for sale and subsequently purchased by the present owner Mr R Grindell in 1983. After the death of John Lean, Salamander was sold in 2003

Fysh House Farm 2003:-
Today, all of the farm work is put out to specialist contractors. None of the farm buildings now hold any livestock, instead they have been split up into individual units sub-let to private individuals.
The farm now houses many diverse small industries, ranging from woodturning, reclamation yard, builders, packaging, furniture making etc

Information supplied by:-
D & K Frost/David Rutt/S & J Read
Col R Probert, Mr R Grindell
George Austin & Dennis Ambrose
Lorraine Hockley at Cornwall

Major update 17/11/2014

update 20/01/2015
updated 20/06.2020