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27. DOWN COURT

Down Court lies half a mile north west of the village and was a manor in King John's reign (1199-1216), held by Simon de Dodington. It was mentioned in the 13th Century as land called 'le Downe'. During Henry VI's reign (1422-1461 and 1470-1471) both Down Court and Sharsted Court were owned by the Bourne family. Down Court was later owned by the Adye family who had resided at Gritt (Lady Margaret Manor) since the 14th Century.

The farm has since had several owners including the estate of Leigh-Pemberton, the Sage family and now the Attwood family. The present house at Down Court farm dates from about 1800. Information taken from census returns shows that in 1851 Alfred Barnes, aged 25, farmed 134 acres, employing 7 men resident on the property. In 1871 it was run by Thomas Bensted, with 1600 acres, who employed 66 men and 11 boys. This may have included farmland out of the area. In 1881, it was still under Thomas Bensted (aged 57), with 300 acres, 12 men, 3 boys and 3 women.

In the early nineteen hundreds, the Cricket Club met at Down Court on Saturdays.