Fantastic maps of local area found here

https://www.oldmapsonline.org/

If you click the link above, and put Stansted into the search area (at top left) and press return, you are presented with a list of maps on the right hand side (may work differently on mobile devices). Click each map and then click 'View Map'. The maps are scaleable, and full of amazing detail. I could spend hours looking at them! Below is a screenshot from one map. It shows Fairseat Lane marked as Horns Lodge Road, which is a much more apt name considering that the house at the end called Horns Lodge is one of the oldest in the area. You can see the full map here.

Fairseat House - another vintage postcard dated 1912

I have posted an old vintage postcard of the Georgian era Fairseat House before, it can be found here. This post threw up the information that the house was once a school.

Today I have found a new vintage postcard of the house, and this one has the date written on the back, which pleases me greatly as it's so much more informative to get a date for images. This image is taken in winter, whilst the one in the other post is taken in summer. I believe this is the earlier image, as the other has the addition of what looks like an entrance porch, seen where the two buildings join together. However I could be wrong, as modern day images of the house (see last image) show no porch now. So it's possible that it's the other way around.

The modern day image of the house (above) also shows the reduction, from three floors to two, of the building on the right. I wonder when that happened? Perhaps when it ceased being a school? Also shows bay window enlargement on left, and the windows have changed in style. It is a beautiful house, in a lovely secluded position, and I always admire the top of it peeking out from over the hedge when I walk the footpath behind it through the fields from the village pond.

The Convalescent Home, Fairseat, AKA The Old Rectory

I have heard tell of there being a Convalescent Home for children in Fairseat, but I've never been sure as to where it was. I once mistakenly thought that Fairseat House was the convalescent home, but it turns out that FH was once a school (thank you to Becca Peters (nee Sheldon) for giving me the information - you can see that blog entry here.)

So I was very please to find this Postcard, with a very clear postmark of JU27 07 (which I presume is either June 27 or July 27, 1907.

Rootling around a little on t'internet, I found several mentions of the Convalescent Home in Fairseat, but all were a little vague as to exactly where it was. Most seemed to point to it being at the Manor House in Fairseat, like this extract from the history of the Church of the Holy Innocents (which you can read more fully here)

"…the Church at Fairseat is the second Church of the Holy Innocents at Fairseat, the first being established in one of the farm buildings adjacent to the children’s convalescent home at the Manor House, which was managed by a member of staff for Sir Phillip and Lady Waterlow. 

 In 1921 Lady Waterlow had established a children’s convalescent home at the adjacent Old Manor House. The home gave free convalescence to children from the London hospitals, in particular from St. Bartholomew’s…."

However, the picture on the postcard in no way matches the Manor House opposite the pond. So I went with my gut instinct and thought 'that looks like The Old Rectory' in Fairseat. I have an image of the Old Rectory, taken before the right hand side of it was extended upwards, and luckily it is taken from almost the same angle. I think it's pretty conclusive that it's the same building, everything matches up.

On an architectural note, there is evidence in the earlier postcard that there was once a balcony above the main entrance to the building, with, I'm guessing, door access from both the 1st floor bay windows.

I suppose that the Manor House once had a fair few buildings as part of its estate, and that The Old Rectory was one of them. Now it is in private ownership, hence the misconception that the Convalescent home was at the Manor House. (On a slightly off piste note, I was once told that Staples Cottage, next door to the Manor House, was the home of a Mr Staples, who was the chauffeur of whoever lived at the Manor House at the time.)

Also, the date on the postcard stamp (1907) is earlier than the Convalescence Home being established (1921) in the extract above. I know that the date on the postcard is correct, as prior to 1918 it cost 1/2d to send a postcard (and the green stamp is 1/2d). After 1918, it increased to 1d. Therefore I think the home must have started earlier than 1907.

Digging a bit deeper into the history of The Old Rectory, Fairseat, I have an old booklet on walks in the area (see this blog post), which states

'The Old Rectory in Stansted was built in 1847 and housed rectors until 1969 when it was sold and became a private house ...  The present rectory is in Fairseat and is illustrated in the pages of this booklet.' (Note: image in booklet is the same as image shown above). 

So, the Fairseat Rectory must have become named as such in 1969 or just after, when the Rector moved up from the Stansted Rectory. When did the Rector then move down into Vigo I wonder?

So, although I'm pleased with my detective work, it has thrown up a bunch of questions, such as those above, and also when did the Convalescent Home cease to run? If anyone has any answers, please do let me know!