Downing College – Pilgrimage to East Hatley, 1978
On Friday, 6th
January 1978, the Bursar and the Archivist visited East Hatley, West
Cambridgeshire, at the invitation of Mr. T. C. Hood of Holbein’s Farm. Mr.
Hood’s father bought Holbein’s farm, of which he was the College tenant, when
the College’s estates were sold in 1945. East Hatley and nearby Tadlow were
livings in the gift of the College until recently. The manor house at East
Hatley was the home of the Downings from about 1663 to 1712, when the Founder (Sir
George Downing) pulled it down and used
the materials to build a new manor at Gamlingay Park.
The country around
is gently undulating with lovely open views, broken here and there by small
copses and large woods much ravaged by elm disease. (It had been a sad sight as
we passed Wimpole Hall on the way out to see that the same fell disease had
destroyed the elm avenues which had been for nearly two centuries the glory of
the home of the Earl of Hardwicke and latterly of the daughter of Rudyard Kipling.)
Mt Hood had
arranged that we should call on several of his farming neighbours. They all
gave us a most hearty welcome. The generation of College tenants has at last
died out – we met the only survivor, Mr Law, who at 88 still runs two farms
(Hill Farm and another), and drives his own car; he became a College tenant in
1923 – but the present generation remember the respect and gratitude which
their predecessors had for their landlord. The College was always generous in
giving abatement of rent in hard times, which were frequent, and when on good
advice it decided to sell it did everything it could to ensure that the tenants
who wanted to buy their farms could do so, even to the extent of refusing a
better offer.
We had a very
enjoyable talk with Mr and Mrs Starr, Mr Starr’s grandfather came from
neighbouring Croydon, where the Downings are buried under the floor of the
Church, and where in 1961 a memorial tablet was placed by the College. Mrs
Starr belongs to the Abbott family, the oldest in East Hatley. It was pleasing
to see the latest scion of the Abbott and Starr family, the fourth generation
in the village, sitting on his grandfather’s lap by a blazing log fire in a
cottage which was probably in use in the Founder’s time, Mrs Starr’s
greatgrandfather and Mr Starr’s grandfather were both associated with John
Perkins, Downing (College)’s
famous hunting Tutor and Bursar. Greatgrandfather Abbott lived in and looked
after The Palace, where rooms were kept permanently available for Perkins, and
grandfather Starr succeeded him. Mrs Starr said her greatgrandfather was
following Dr Perkins on horseback from Longstowe to the village one night. As
Perkins entered the village he spurred his horse into a gallop and shouted
loudly “Fire, Fire!”
Doors and windows flew opened in alarm, and Perkins
slowed down and shouted cheerfully “Yoicks! Fire in every house but mine.” His
sister lodged at Manor Farm and was not at all popular whereas Perkins was a
great favourite with everyone. He stocked the numerous ponds and pools in the
district with fish, and as an enthusiastic member of the Cambridgeshire Hunt of
which he was Secretary for many years.
We visited The Palace, now occupied by fairly recent
owners, Mr and Mrs Keith. We arrived at a time of tragedy – an ancient family
retainer of a gander (male goose) had been killed in mistake for a young goose
ripe for the pot. The Palace was the scene of a much greater tragedy – John
Perkins shot himself there in front of the French windows on 30th
April 1901. it used to be said that a thick patch of clover grew where his
blood and brains stained the earth but it was winter so we did not look for
this gruesome relic of a great character. His grave and that of his sister are
in East Hatley church. It is said he asked to be buried in the part of the
churchyard nearest Buff Wood (formerly known as Hatley Wood), so that he could
hear the hounds working it when the Hunt came Hatley way. Unfortunately the
Church is now an empty ruin. It would cost so much to repair it that a smaller
Church has been built elsewhere. The graves are overgrown; it is planned to
clear them before long. It is hoped that there will always be members of the
College who will keep Dr Perkins’ memory fresh and his grave looked after.
Another great Downing character still remembered in
East Hatley is Dr H. W. Pettit Stevens, historian of the College. He was Vicar
of Hatley, Croydon and Tadlow from 1888 to 1941. he is remembered, Mr Starr
told us, for his devotion to his parishes. He used regularly to walk or to drive
his trap from his vicarage at Tadlow along the drift road to East Hatley in
order to visit everyone, old and young, sick and well. He invariably put
half-a-crown in the collection or every service he conducted – a generous
gesture when the value of the living of Tadlow and East Hatley was (in 1916)
only ₤152, with
residence and nine acres of glebe.
The third Downing
man who is well remembered was Dr John Hammond, the pioneer of artificial
insemination. Whilst James Grantham (whose memory is still green in the
village) was serving in the navy during the last war, John Hammond acted as
estates bursar. Naturally he endeavoured to interest the farmers in his
experiments – especially in an attempt to get heifers to produce milk without
having calves. Mr and Mrs Starr recalled with pleasure rent days when the men
were entertained to supper at the Downing Arms in the evening, after the wives
had enjoyed tea together in the afternoon. The Bursarial inspections, they
said, were always very thorough and tenants who did not cultivate their gardens
or neglected their cottages received warning notices. Mrs Starr’s grandmother
suggested to the Estates Bursar at her fiftieth rent tea that she had paid rent
(only 6/- per week) for so long that she was entitled to live rent free in
future, but was told that the College could not afford it.
The three
villages, Croydon, Tadlow and East Hatley used to raise a cricket team to play
the College; it would be pleasing if that tradition could be revived.
Mr Hood
entertained us to a very substantial lunch at the Downing Arms (on Tadlow Road known
locally as The Scratching Cat) for which the College obtained the first licence
in 1827.
We are very
grateful to Mr and Mrs Starr, Mr and Mrs Keith of The Palace, Mr and Mrs
Richardson of Manor House Farm, Mr and Mrs Norris of Top Farm, and Mr and Mrs
Hood of Holbeins Farm for the interest they showed in the relationship of the
College with the village, and for their courtesy and warm hospitality.
Especially are we grateful to Mr Hood for arranging the visit. The friendships made
that day must be maintained.
S. French,
Archivist of Downing College