History of the Old Bakery Audlem

Old Bakery, Audlem,

David Blair Moss (current owner of freehold)

Name

The current name of the house is the 'Old Bakery School Lane' but at times in the past it has also been a Post Office, a farm house, a shop, etc. It has also been known as the Victoria Bakery c. 1900. The current property includes agricultural buildings (reportedly a pigsty) that have been converted into rooms and a stables/ dovecote that is now a garage.

History

The village of Audlem has a very long history. It was recorded in the Domesday book. The area has a long agricultural tradition (particularly dairy) and the village has a centuries old butter market building near the centre.

The Old Bakery is just across Stafford Street from St James Church. The church was built mainly in the 13th century on a hillock that is the highest point of the village. It is likely that this was the site of an earlier church or religious building. The church suffered minor damage in an earthquake in 1777.

The architecture and records suggest the core of the current 'Old Bakery' was built in the mid 1600's. This was at around the same time as the nearby Audlem Grammar School was built (completed c. 1655) . There are also records of agricultural buildings such as The Barns being built in School Lane in 1650

The proximity of the Old Bakery to the church has led to unsubstantiated speculation regarding possible priest holes and secret passages in the foundations. There are plausible explanations that the timbers used in the construction of the Old Bakery were from old ships. There are cross marks in the timbers that are believed to have originated to deter 'evil' spirits. Some exemplary local examples of contemporary timbered architecture are -

• Moss Hall Audlem
• Churche's Mansion Nantwich
• Little Moreton Hall.

Audlem was affected by the English Civil War c.1639-53 when there was the major local Battle of Nantwich 1644 with skirmishes in and around Audlem.

Audlem is also famous for the Shropshire Union Canal lock system etc., designed by Thomas Telford, etc.

Owners of Audlem Post Office/ The Victoria Bakery From 1839

In 1839, George Haughton of Leicester was the owner of the plot of land which included the Old Bakery (ref. Title Deeds) He owned the parcel of land between School Lane and Vicarage lane with the exclusion of the school and private residences on Stafford St. Up until 29 Sep 1842 George Houghton and Charlotte Elizabeth his wife were the owners. George Haughton (of Leicester) also owned -

• Brick Kiln fields
• Owens Croft
• Copthorne Bank
• Far Brick Field
• Copthorne Meadow
• Park & Garden of Windmill Field
• Barn, house (Old Bakery) & garden

In 1841, a tenant was Thomas (or William) Davies (agricultural labourer) aged 30 (rounded) with his wife Hannah (or Mariah) aged 35 (rounded) and four children – Henry 9, Frances 8, William 5, Joseph 2

Other tenants in 1841 were -

• William Dooley
• John Hall.
• Ambrose Lockett.
• Henry Sharpe.
• John Wycherley.

In 1842 the land and property was sold by George Haughton to William Hill the Elder (probably not the bookmaker).

From 29 Sep 1842 to 23 Apr 1881 William Hill the Elder was the owner and from 23 Apr 1881 to 9 Jul 1897 William Hill the younger inherited the property.

In 1897 the land and property was conveyed by William Hill to John Hall Greaves Esq. In the Conveyance of 9 Jul 1897 the dwelling house and shop is described as being Audlem Post Office.

From 9 Jul 1897 to 24 Aug 1897 John Hall Greaves was the owner.

John Hall Greaves died on 24 Aug 1897. His will was proved on 15 Nov 1897. In the will John Leigh (Solicitor) and Charles Meikle Nelson were named as its Trustees. Charles Meikle Nelson died on 12 Mar 1898 and Christopher Crossley was appointed to be Trustee in his place. The Trustees were responsible for the property until 29 Sep 1900.

In 1901 an occupant was Harriet Blakeman (aged 40 post mistress) with her family -

• Ada Blakeman sister aged 30 assistant post mistress
• Ryland Blakeman brother aged 26 organist

From 29 Sep 1900 to 1 Feb 1925 John Wood was the owner. Previously (in 1881) John was a corn miller in Audlem. John's father Thomas was a retired farmer then.

In 1901, the Old Bakery had a large extension built to the north west which was a grocery, bakers and confectionery shop. It was then known as 'Victoria Bakery'. The extension is now a large residence on Stafford Street known as 'Victoria House'.

John Wood aged 46 (grocer and baker) was recorded in the 1901 Stafford St Audlem census with family -

• Sarah E Wood Wife 37
• Herbert H Wood Son 14

Their circumstances were similar in 1911, by which time Herbert Horace was a shop assistant grocer.

John Wood died on 1 Feb 192. By the time of his death the whole property was known as Victoria House.

His son Herbert Horace Wood inherited the property and owned it from 3 Aug 1926 to 5 Jun 1937.

The last known bakers at the Old Bakery/ Victoria House were Horace Allan and John Woods who bought the premises in 1937.

Horace Allen owned the property from 5 Jun 1937 to 6 Apr 1968.

Part of the land was sold to HMPO in 1966, on which they built a rural automatic telephone exchange.

From 8 Apr 1968 to 25 Jun 1970 Dennis Beard and Leslie Payton were joint owners and from 25 Jun 1970 to 10 Mar 1982 Dennis Beard was the sole owner.

From 10 Mar 1982 to 7 Jan 1994 David John Wood and Mary Wood were the owners. During this period David John Wood and Mary Wood sold the part of the then Victoria House which had been added in 1901 or thereabouts after having carried out building work to separate that part from the remainder. Thereafter only the part sold has been called the Old Bakery. David John Wood and Mary Wood continued to own The Old Bakery until 7 Jan 1994.

From 7 Jan 1994 to 15 Oct 1997 Michael John Prince and Anne Elizabeth Prince were the owners.

From 15 Oct 1997 to 2021 the late Michael John Moss and Elma Blair (Watson) Moss were the owners. They were keen local historians and did most of the research in this study.
Recently David Blair Moss inherited the Old Bakery.

For details of the full study see the website here
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Old_Bakery%2C_Audlem%2C_Cheshire_One_Place_Study