Capturing Cambridge
  • search
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
Nine Chimneys house after restoration, 1930 (photo W M Palmer) (Cambridgeshire Collection)

Nine Chimneys House, Thomas’s Farm, Tudor Cottages, Balsham

History of Nine Chimneys House

Listed Building:

House. Late C16. Exposed timber frame and tiled roof. The house was probably built in c.1583 for Thomas Sutton, the Master of the Ordnance to Queen Elizabeth I.

Nine Chimneys house before restoration, 1930 (photo W M Palmer) (Cambridgeshire Collection)

The house was originally a great E-shaped building with nine chimneys, six of which survive.

There is a rumour that the original fine staircase is now at Audley End House.

Nine Chimneys, Balsham (MoC114/57)

Nine Chimneys House (RGL 2022)

According to Balsham A Village Story 1617 – 2017, this is believed to be the oldest building in the village. It was probably built  in 1585 by Thomas Sutton who obtained the lease around 1575. The site may have been that of the old palace of the Bishops.

It is marked on the 1617 map of Balsham. It had 60 acres and was at one time known as Thomas’s Farm. It is first called Nine Chimney House in 1755.

In the 18th century it was occupied by the Burrows family.

1801 The enclosure map shows that the house had an ‘E’ footprint.

In the 19th century is was occupied by the Symonds family.

1815 after death of Thomas Symonds it was sold at auction at the Fox and Hounds.

The house passed into the ownership of Robert Symonds and fifty seven acres to John Prince the Elder.

1844 Millington occupied the house and the house was gradually absorbed into Yole farm.

1874 Much of the house had been demolished and now consisted of two cottages occupied by William Lofts and John Clarke.

1920s the building was in serious disrepair until 1930 when a grant of £200 was obtained by the Linton Rural District to carry out restoration.

There had been an underground passage to the church which may have been blocked up about this time.

1939 The site was called Tudor Cottages. Bought by Commander Ronald Scott-Miller.

1963 House sold to Mr and Mrs John Coates.

1967 Purchased by Joanna and William Sanders.

2000 Restoration revealed some wall paintings in one of the bedrooms.

Share this article

Share on Bluesky

Contribute

Do you have any information about the people or places in this article? If so, then please let us know using the Contact page or by emailing capturingcambridge@museumofcambridge.org.uk.

Licence

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Dear Visitor,

Thank you for exploring historical Cambridgeshire! We hope you enjoy your visit and, if you do,  would consider making a donation today.

Capturing Cambridge makes accessible thousands of photos and memories of Cambridge and its surrounding villages and towns. It is run by the Museum of Cambridge which, though 90 years old, is one of the most poorly publicly funded local history museums in the UK. It receives no core funding from local or central government nor from the University of Cambridge.

As a result, we are facing a crisis; we have no financial cushion – unlike many other museums in Cambridge – and are facing the need to drastically cut back our operations which could affect our ability to continue to run and develop this groundbreaking local history website.

If Capturing Cambridge matters to you, then the survival of the Museum of the Cambridge should matter as well. If you won’t support the preservation of your heritage, no-one else will! Your support is critical.

If you love Capturing Cambridge, and you are able to, we’d appreciate your support.

Every donation makes a world of difference.

Thank you,
Roger Lilley, Chair of Trustees
Museum of Cambridge