Farther Common
Encyclopedia
Farther Common is a geographical region of East Hampshire
in the Parish of Liss
, Hampshire
, England
. It is characterised by greensand
topography, woodland
and heath
, which was a common on the Money-Coutts estate centred at Stodham House, Liss.
The Money Coutts family were part of the famous Banking family, owners of Coutts & Co
, London
.
Stodham House was used as a headquarters of the Special Operations Executive
during the World War II
, the centre of British Intelligence Operations in Nazi Occupied Europe.
The plots of development land were sold off in parcels in the early part of the last century, served by two lanes which remain in use. Some of the plots are on steep parts of the greensand ridge. The original houses on both the north and south lanes of the Common were cedar
houses, often now much altered. Other plots were sold off in parcels of an acre of more from the earlier plots and houses have been built in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
Farther Common is bounded to the East by Bones Bottom, to the West by Gravel Pit Bottom to the North by Stodham Lane and to the South by the North track. The former Woodley House, (the gardeners cottage of Grey Walls House) and West Gables, the former servants quarters of the same property are not properly part of the Common, although now separated from their master house.
The Far house on the South Lane is a modernist, 1960's wooden house built by writer Selwyn Jepson
while Ponticum on the North Lane is a remarkable 1960's modernist house looking out over the Chalk Hangars.
Some of the other houses built at a later time are built on smaller plots derived from the earlier larger ones. For instance, Fernhill from the 1970s. The site has previously been used for caravan
accommodation for the staff of Hill Brow Nursing Home, now itself gone.
There is a bronze age
ring barrow at Peacewood.
Some of those that came to build and live on the common have been notable.
East Hampshire
East Hampshire is a local government district in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in Petersfield. Other towns are Alton, Horndean and Whitehill-Bordon....
in the Parish of Liss
Liss
Liss is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 3.3 miles northeast of Petersfield, on the A3 road, on the Hampshire/West Sussex border....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is characterised by greensand
Greensand
Greensand or Green sand is either a sand or sandstone, which has a greenish color. This term is specifically applied to shallow marine sediment, that contains noticeable quantities of rounded greenish grains. These grains are called glauconies and consist of a mixture of mixed-layer clay...
topography, woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
and heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
, which was a common on the Money-Coutts estate centred at Stodham House, Liss.
The Money Coutts family were part of the famous Banking family, owners of Coutts & Co
Coutts
Coutts & Co. is one of the UK's private banking houses, now wholly owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland . RBS acquired Coutts and all of its overseas subsidiaries when it bought NatWest. On 1 January 2008, Coutts' international businesses were renamed RBS Coutts, aligning them more closely with...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Stodham House was used as a headquarters of the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the centre of British Intelligence Operations in Nazi Occupied Europe.
The plots of development land were sold off in parcels in the early part of the last century, served by two lanes which remain in use. Some of the plots are on steep parts of the greensand ridge. The original houses on both the north and south lanes of the Common were cedar
Cedar wood
Cedar wood comes from several different trees that grow in different parts of the world, and may have different uses.* California incense-cedar, from Calocedrus decurrens, is the primary type of wood used for making pencils...
houses, often now much altered. Other plots were sold off in parcels of an acre of more from the earlier plots and houses have been built in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
Farther Common is bounded to the East by Bones Bottom, to the West by Gravel Pit Bottom to the North by Stodham Lane and to the South by the North track. The former Woodley House, (the gardeners cottage of Grey Walls House) and West Gables, the former servants quarters of the same property are not properly part of the Common, although now separated from their master house.
The Far house on the South Lane is a modernist, 1960's wooden house built by writer Selwyn Jepson
Selwyn Jepson
Selwyn Jepson was a British author, of the Far House, Farther Common, Liss, Hants.His father was the mystery/detective author Edgar Alfred Jepson , his mother was Frieda Holmes, daughter of the musician Henry Holmes. His sister Margaret , also a novelist, was the mother of Fay Weldon.Jepson was...
while Ponticum on the North Lane is a remarkable 1960's modernist house looking out over the Chalk Hangars.
Some of the other houses built at a later time are built on smaller plots derived from the earlier larger ones. For instance, Fernhill from the 1970s. The site has previously been used for caravan
Travel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
accommodation for the staff of Hill Brow Nursing Home, now itself gone.
There is a bronze age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
ring barrow at Peacewood.
Some of those that came to build and live on the common have been notable.
- Monica StorrsMonica StorrsMonica Storrs was a British-born Canadian pioneer and missionary.She was born at St. Peters Vicarage, Grosvenor Gardens, in the City of Westminster, London to parents Lucy Cust and John Storrs. She was educated at and , Blackheath, London.Monica, at two years of age, developed a medical condition...
, Gods Galloping Girl of Peace Wood. - Henryk ZygalskiHenryk ZygalskiHenryk Zygalski was a Polish mathematician and cryptologist who worked at breaking German Enigma ciphers before and during World War II.-Life:...
. Mathematician and World War 2 Code master who lived with his partner, Mrs. B. Blofield in Greenwood, Farther Common. - Selwyn JepsonSelwyn JepsonSelwyn Jepson was a British author, of the Far House, Farther Common, Liss, Hants.His father was the mystery/detective author Edgar Alfred Jepson , his mother was Frieda Holmes, daughter of the musician Henry Holmes. His sister Margaret , also a novelist, was the mother of Fay Weldon.Jepson was...
of the Far House, well known author and intelligence officer in World War 2.