Ash Farm (formerly part of Maugersbury Estate)

History of Maugersbury Estate...

Maugersbury was originally known as Malgeresberie. Maugersbury Manor was controlled by Evesham Abbey from 708AD until its dissolution in 1537. At the time, Stow was a small settlement within the lands of Maugersbury Manor and intended by the Abbots to be a centre for trade. This would leave Maugersbury to its agriculture.

After the dissolution of the monasteries, Maugersbury Manor was granted to John T Seymour, Lord Seymour of Sudeley in 1547, and subsequently to John, Earl of Warwick who was licensed in 1549 to sell the estate to George Willoughby, of Netherton (Worcs).

Willoughby died in 1550 and was succeeded by his infant son Henry. In 1580 Thomas Willoughby sold the Manor to Sir Rowland Hill and Thomas Leigh. In 1598 Rowland Leigh, Thomas's eldest son, sold the freehold to James White a London silk weaver.

In 1603 White sold the Manor to Edmund Chamberlayne and the Chamberlayne family retained the Manor until the end of the 19th century. The Chamberlayne family is descended from John, Count de Tankerville, of Tankerville Castle in Normandy, who came with William the Conqueror to England, but returned to Normandy, leaving John de Tankerville, a younger son of the former Earl behind.

John was Lord Chamberlain to King Henry I, and his son Richard was Lord Chamberlain to Stephen. Hence the assumed name Chamberlayne. The Maugersbury Chamberlaynes are descended from Sir Thomas Chamberlayne or Prestbury, Gloucestershire, and his second wife Elizabeth.

The Lord of Maugersbury Manor, Joseph Chamberlayne, sold Maugersbury Manor in 1898 to fund the building of Hyde House (now the Fosse Manor Hotel). Joseph Chamberlayne and his wife Henriette Catherine saw Hyde House as the perfect place to improve their passion for entertaining. It was completed in 1901.

Maugersbury Manor was sold to John Hewitt and passed to his daughter Mrs Thomas Stubb-Hewitt in the 1920s. In the 1930s the estate was begun to be split up. 

Ash Farm, Oddington - Lot 3(Coloured Green on Plan)

Described at sale as The Compact Dairy and Mixed Farm, situated partly in Oddington and partly in Maugersbury Parishes. The Farmhouse was described as being "built of local stone with stone tiled roof and is of very pleasing appearance"

The Barns...

The converted barns were built at different stages throughout the history of the farm and the original uses varied from the granary and chicken house in the Drey and the Warren, to the more recent cart horse and tractor storage in Jay Barn and the Oaks. Jay Barn was the first to be converted into holiday accommodation in 1995, the barns in the farmyard followed over the subsequent 20 years.

The increasing challenge of farming stacking up financially led Martin & Kate down the route of holiday rentals and they've ensured all period features and original character were maintained throughout the builds.