Author Colin Needham
Our earliest records of the farm indicate that the estate of some 250 acres of agricultural land, wetlands and woodland was purchased by a gentleman named Cook Flower from West Beckham in 1813. The Flowers were farmers and onetime Lords of the Manor of Sheringham. Flower Cook farmed the land around Sheringham Hall. He initially worked with Humphrey Repton to landscape the park. This work was completed after the sale of the Sheringham estate to Abbott Upcher in 1811.
Flower was named as owner and occupier of Lodge Farm in the Tithe records of 1839. Cook Flower died around 1856. At that time the tenant farmer was George Theobald, when the farm included lands in Southrepps, Northrepps, Gimingham, Trimingham and Sidestrand.
The sale papers describe the property as a highly valuable and exceedingly desirable residential estate. We do not know who purchased the estate when Cook Flower died.
“ the above property is worthy of especial attention of any gentleman in quest of a delightful Country Retreat in which agricultural pursuits may be profitably followed ; whilst, to a gentleman of sporting habits, it offers attractions rarely found , the plantations, Carrs, and ponds being in the centre of the estate and exceedingly well stocked; surrounded by the extensive preserves of the Right Hon. Lord Suffield, Sir E.N. Buxton, and G. Hoare, Esq and abutting on the lands of J.H.Gurney Esq., M.P. and Archdeacon Glover”.
The map shows the farm in 1856. Sometime thereafter, the land in the other parishes was split off leaving a residual estate in Southrepps of about 160 acres.
After the first world war the Estate formed part of the lands owned by Sir Samuel Hoare. The tenant was George (Sloddy) Cubitt who also farmed at Hall Farm, Trimingham.
On Cubitts retirement, the farm was taken over by Ben Ling. In 1938 A.E.(Friday) Forsdick took over the running of the farm .
After the war the farm ownership passed to Paul Pagett (whose mother was a member of the Hoare family). In 1949 John Everett was appointed as Farm Steward and subsequently took over the tenancy. During Everett’s tenancy, Frogshall Farm, also owned by the Pagetts became vacant and he took on this land as well.
Paul Pagett’s brother Julian took over the ownership of both farms in 1960.
John Everett then bought the freehold of both farms in 1964. Julian Pagett retained the Lodge which he subsequently sold to the Wilcocks who later disposed of the house to Christopher Sladden (date not known).
On John Everett’s retirement in 1989, both farms were sold to Peter Sladden and are now part of the Southrepps Hall Estate (Wayware Ltd). John Everett now lives in Blakeney.
The late Alf Hewitt who lived in Palmer’s Yard off Chapel Street started full time work at Lodge Farm in 1930’s and remembers Ben Ling and Friday Fosdick. In more recent times the late Mr Brock and wife worked for John Everett and lived in one of the cottages adjoining the main house before their retirement to their cottage off Sandy Lane.