According to ‘About Newton – Town Street’ Jessie Hall, 1987, the Manor at Newton probably predates the chapel that was the forerunner of the church. In 975 Edric, a thegn of Essex, left land at Newton and Hauxton to King Edgar. Following a period of dispute, the land was purchased for the monks of Ely Abbey. In the reign of Cnut (1016-1035), Newton was obliged to supply enough food to support the abbey for two weeks each year. At the time of the Domesday Book the manor at Newton was still included with that of Hauxton.
After the Dissolution in 1539, the Ely Dean and Chapter were allowed to keep the manor at Newton. In 1564 it was leased to Robert Swann.
After 1600, Dr John Hills, a canon of Ely had the lease, followed by his widow Anne.
1661 Thomas Shipp
1669 Edward Atkins of Lincoln’s Inn
1690 Gideon Harvey, a Dr of ‘Physick.’
1701
William Hurrell married a daughter of Robert Swann. From 1701 to 1715 William Hurrell was churchwarden.
1718
William Hurrell took over the lease of Manor Farm. From 1729 to 1731 William was Overseer of the Poor.
By 1837 the house was a long building. There was a pond between the house and the church where possibly carp were kept. There was also an ice-house.
William Hurrell (later) was a wealthy landowner in Newton who bought the reversion of the lease in 1858. He started an evening class in the Old Vicarage coach house for men in the village. This provided instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic but later expanded to include metalwork.
William’s son Harold was educated at Eton and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. In 1890 he attended an Arts and Crafts School in London. This was probably the Guild and School of Handicraft set up by Charles Robert Ashbee in 1888. A lady named Ann Eliza Nash also trained as a metalworker and was to come and teach in Newton.
Manor Farm itself was owned at this time by the Dean and Chapter of Ely Cathedral.
1841
William Hurrell, 70, farmer
Elizabeth, 65
Eliza, 25,
William, 25,
Henry, 25,
Charlotte Hardwick, 35, servant
Sarah Seeby, 20, servant
James Fuller, 15, servant
1851
William Hurrell, 80, landed proprietor, b Foxton
Eliza, 38, b Newton
Mary, niece, 24, b Herts
Henry, 35, landed proprietor, b Newton
Mary Ann Gates, 25, servant, b Dry Drayton
Sarah Clark, 23, servant, b Little Shelford
Thomas Ives, 19, servant, b Castle Camps
In the 1850s the old farm house was demolished and the modern ‘Victorian Tudor’ house replaced it.
1861 census: Rectory Farm
William Hurrell, 47, landed proprietor, 600 acres employer 34 men 9 boys, b Newton
Charlotte Jane, 34, b Suffolk
William Phillip, 1, b Newton
Sarah Suckling, 31, servant, b Suffolk
Sarah Knights, 41, servant, b Swavesey
Elizabeth Austen, 41, nurse, b Newton
1871 Manor House
William Hurrell, owner of 886 acres occupier of 217 – 25 men and 7 boys
Charlotte Jane
Harold William, 7, b Newton
William Park, 44, coachman, b Southoe
Sarah Suckling, 41, servant, b Suffolk
Sarah Knights, 51, servant, b Swavesey
Mary Ann Stubblefield, 24, servant, b Newton
Ellen Bateson, 27, servant, b Fowlmere
1881 Top Farm
William Hurrell, 68, farmer and landowner 910 acres employing 40 men
Charlotte Jane
William Phillip, 21, college student
William, 23, coachman, b Fulbourn
Sarah Knights, 62, cook, b Swavesey
Susan Bevan, 39, parlour maid, b Cambridge
Henrettia [sic] Lambert, 16, housemaid, b Hauxton
1891 Manor House
William Hurrell, 76, land owner and farmer
Charlotte
Harold W, 26, land owner and farmer, b Newton
Emma Mayle, 29, parlourmaid, b Trumpington
Eliza Yard, cook, 28, b Gt Chesterford
John J Hockliffe, 19, coachman, b Oakington
Ellen Yule, 14, kitchenmaid, b Connington
1901 Manor House
William Hurrell, 87, farmer, b Newton
Harold W, 37, farmer, b Newton
Mary Wilson, 30, cook, b Girton
Bertha L Tadler, 17, domestic helper, b Coton
Ernest Gray, 19, coachman, b Hinxton
In 1901 William P Hurrell is living in Dallington St James, Northants.
1911
Harold William Hurrell, 47, farmer
Mary Ann Wilson, 40, cook housekeeper, b Girton
Ethel Maud Frost, 22, parlourmaid, b London
1926
Death of Harold W Hurrell
Cambridge Daily News 21.9.1922:
“Deep regret will be felt of the news of the death of Councillor H W Hurrell of Newton Manor. A staunch Conservative, he took a prominent interest in public affairs and was chairman of the County Education Committee since 1922.
“He will always be remembered for the Newton School of Metalwork where boys produce beautiful works of art in copper, brass, silver and pewter which are sent all over the country as well as to America and India. ‘It is one of the finest things the village ever had,’ said a resident.”
More information:
https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/forging-a-history-of-the-newton-school-of-metalwork/
https://www.hammeredhewn.com/newtonschoolsconce
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