Gatley End Farm

Often called Upper Gatley to distinguish it from its near neighbour Lower Gatley, this farm sits close to a rising spring, which is the source of Cheyney Water (previously Gatewell), which runs directly north past Lower Gatley. Gatley End appears to have been the name of the locality or hamlet. where there were dwellings and small enclosed fields from the 1200s. Erection of a new dwelling is recorded as late as 1725 and there were were still 14 dwellings at Gatley End in the early to mid 1800s.

Historically, the farm was part of the Steeple Morden Browis Manor estate and can be assumed to have been generally let to tenants. In 1755 the Earl of Hardwicke purchased Steeple Morden manor and  this farm became part of his Wimpole Estate.

At the 1892 Wimpole Estate Sale this farm was bought by James Odell Vinter, coal merchant of Cambridge. He was non-resident and employed a farm bailiff to run the farm. This was Joel Kingsley from 1905-1915, when Vinter sold the farm to Charles Francis Ansell, butcher of Hitchin, who was also non-resident and retained the services of Joel Kingsley as farm bailiff.

Owners of Upper Gatley (previous manorial owners not included)

Tenants of Upper Gatley

Extent of Farm in 1839

The Tithe Apportionment and Map dated 23 February 1839 describe in some detail the layout and land use on the farm. The owner was the Earl of Hardwicke and the tenant Thomas Hall.

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