Farms in Elstead, 1800s

[bearsome]

I'm doing a history course on Victorian country history, and am looking for some information. I have some details of my husband's great great grandparents, James and Hester Collyer who, on the 1871 census were recorded as being a 'farmer of 50 acres' (in 1881, 54 acres) at Woolfords Farm, in Elstead. However, looking at excerpts from a book called 'Elstead Then and Now'  by Gillian Drew, there's no mention at all of a Woolfords Farm, in any century, though the name comes up occasionally on modern property websites. I'm assuming that James would have been a tenant farmer, rather than a landowner but, what I'd like to find out if possible is who owned the farm, was there a manor house or 'big house'/gentry involved, and what sort of farm it was i.e what would have been grown or raised there. A lot to ask for, I know, but my husband (sadly, no longer with us) knew nothing of these forebears, and I have no contact with the person who originally passed the information to my mother-in-law years ago. Any help or suggestions where I could look, would be much appreciated.

[dawnsh]

Have you tried the Surrey History Centre?

https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/heritage-culture-and-recreation/archives-and-history/surrey-history-centre

[bearsome]

No, I hadn't, so thanks for that. I had tried looking for a Surrey archive, but couldn't find anything - Google failed this time! I lived in Surrey myself for 27 years, but nowhere near that area, and I wasn't into Family History then, either. I can start digging now. Thanks again. P.S. Just seen that the archive is in Woking - I lived three miles from there the whole time I was in Surrey, and never knew there was such a thing!

[dawnsh]

small world!

Let us know how you get on.

[Mark1973]

This overlay map from the 1890's shows the exact location of Woolfords Farm.

http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17&lat=51.1706&lon=-0.7181&layers=176&b=1

Use the transparency slider on the left to toggle between old and new view.

[rosie99]

I lived three miles from there the whole time I was in Surrey, and never knew there was such a thing!

It was Goldsworth Secondary School when I lived there, It appears from planning documents that SHC was built around 1995.

[bearsome]

Thanks very much, Mark! Very useful and interesting. I have to admit that I know nothing about Elstead, although I did visit nearby Frensham a couple of times as a child - a long time ago.

I assume that's Sheerwater High School, Rosie? Paul Weller territory!

[rosie99]

I assume that's Sheerwater High School, Rosie? Paul Weller territory!

No, not Sheerwater.  It is along Goldsworth Road - the road from Woking Town to St Johns /Brookwood though I believe vehicular access is from the Kingsway.

[bearsome]

Ah, yes, of course. Amazing how quickly I've forgotten.