Snailsgate Cottages

Snailsgate Cottages were pulled down in 1956 by Mr Lund, the then owner of Holywich Farm. We know little of their history except from an extract in a journal kept by F M Maitland, whose father had bought Holywich Farm for £5,261 at auction on 25 November 1817. The journal includes the following entry: ‘On 7th October 1820 my father hired Snailsgate farm adjoining Holywich, previous to purchasing it, at a rent of £58 8s, consisting of 78 acres. It now occurs to me that part of Blackham enclosure was got in right of Snailsgate. ‘On 24th may 1821 my father agreed to purchase Snailsgate from Mr Barton for £1,800.’ I am grateful to Hartfield historian Mike Parcell for sharing his research on Holywych on which this is based