Hoops PH - Steeple Morden History

The Hoops PH

32 The Green aka Willow Dene & Green End

Summary

This house is the oldest surviving property on The Green and is believed to have been built in the late 1600s and originally was likely thatched. The single story extension on the east is is later. The house was erected on what was was originally common land and it is likely it encroached on the roadway that ran past on the east, which has long since been reduced to a track or footpath. See The Green: Origins & Development.

This would have been a small farmstead with modest agricultural buildings. The availability of water from what was then a substantial stream fed from a spring on the Church Farm boundary to the west would have influenced the choice of site. Even as late as 1846 this stream was of such a size to be called a river in sale particulars. Before 1846 the property became a public house and this may have arisen from the passing of the Beerhouse Act 1830, which simplified obtaining a licence to brew and sell beer. John Newell who was tenant from 1835 until his death in 1845 is believed to have followed the trade of beerhouse keeper.

By 1846 it had become known as The Hoops and remained trading under that name until the licence was withdrawn in 1905. Since then it has been a private house, known as Willow Dene in the 1930s and Green End by 1939. Neither name appears to be in use in 2025.

Owners of 32 The Green

Dates	Owner	Notes
1810-1846	Edward Hall jun
1846-1906	Messrs Phillips	brewers of Royston
1906-1910	William South	now private house
1910-1915	William Christmas ?	owner occupied onwards?
1916-1919	?
1920-1935	Thomas Andrew Elsmere and Emma Annie Elsmere
1935-1939	Thomas Andrew Elsmere
1939-1949	Henry Kiell Ayliff & Gertrude E Ayliff	Henry died 1949
1950-1958	?
1959-1960	Albert William Grundy & Phyllis Marguerite Grundy
1961	Phyllis Marguerite Grundy
1962-1965	?
1966-1974	Col Hugh Vincent Fraser & Mabel Maureen O’Connor Fraser
1974-1980	George Brian Nelson and Giselle Nelson
1980-2004	Richard James Dancey and Sheila Margaret Dancey
2004-2011	Richard James Dancey
2011-2013	Richard James Dancey, Exors of
2013-2015	Amanda Bloom
2015-Today	Richard William Dance & Sarah Meer

Tenants & Occupiers of 32 The Green

Dates	Tenants/Occupiers	Notes
1810-1818	Edward Hall jun	Owner
1819	John Charter
1820	Unoccupied?
1821-1834	John Hitch
1835-1845	John Newell
1846	Unoccupied?
1847-1887	Rivers Pearce
1888	William Haslett
1889-1890	George William Gipson
1890-1891	Charlotte Gipson
1891	George Skelton
1892	Unoccupied?
1893-1897	Robert Gray	from 25 December
1897-1899	George Lawrence	from 8 November
1899-1910	William John Wilson	from 29 April
1910	Unoccupied?
1915 onwards	Owner occupied ?

Listed Building

Listing Details: Grade II since 4 September 1986

Cottage. Late C17 with C20 renovation. Timber-framed and roughcast rendered. Plain tiled roof. Rebuilt red brick ridge stack. Two storeys with single storey range to east with gable end stack. Three unit, lobby entry plan. C20 closed porch with glazed door, and boarded door to left hand. Three large ground floor casement windows with central glazing bars and three small first floor casement windows.

Listed Pump

Listing details: Grade II since 4 September 1986

Stands in garden two metres south of house. Pump. Possibly C18. Lead spout to cistern with iron lever and wooden long case.

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