Paddock Row, Franklin's Close and Fardell's Lane


Last updated: 02/04/2018

Paddock Row is a short lane that runs from the western end of Boxworth Road (opposite the junction with Brook Street) northwards ending in a cul de sac.  Fardell's Lane runs from about halfway along Paddock Row westwards to Broad End and Meadow Drift.  There are a few houses along the lane including a small group on bungalows in Franklin's Close (named after the Franklin Trust) and two thatched houses, Lordship Cottage and Dear's Farm.  Fardell's Lane sometimes floods as a result of water flowing down Water Lane into Broad End and then into Fardell's Lane to the brook.

Note: Some of the old pictures are poor quality as they are photocopies rather than the originals.



View of Paddock Row & Smith Street early 1900s

View from Paddock Row towards Smith Street showing the bridge over the brook, probably early 1900s.

Fardell's Lane and washpit in the 1920s

Fardell's Lane in the 1920s with the washpit and sluice visible.

Cottages at the western end of Fardell's Lane         Cottages at the western end of Fardell's Lane

Cottages at the western end of Fardell's Lane before the 1940s as no electricity wires are visible.  The large thatched cottage in the centre has gone but the houses at either end remain today.  Both photos are from the same negative but the left one has been cropped.


Dear's Farm before the 1940s

Dear's Farm from the east before the 1940s as there are now electricity wires.  The barn to the right is once again thatched after being roofed with corrugated iron for many years.

Fardell's Lane from the east

A view down Fardell's Lane from the east before the 1940s.  The farmyard fence can be seen and the end of Woodpecker Cottage in the distance.

Western end of Dear's Farm

Dear's Farm seen from the west before the 1940s.  Fardell's Lane is clearly an unpaved track at this time.

Dear's Farm from the west

A closer view of Dear's Farm from the west with the barn just visible.  Again there are no electricity wires so it must be before 1938-39.

Dear's Farm from Lordship Cottage

Dear's Farm from the grounds of Lordship Cottage before 1938-39.  The barn on the right appears to be in a poor condition with some of the thatch missing.

Dear's Farm probably in the 1960s

Dear's Farm in Fardell's Lane probably in the 1950s or 1960s.  

Lordship Cottage in the 1930s

Lordship cottage probably in the 1930s when it was two or three homes.  The old bus body may have been used for farming rabbits.

Lordship Cottage after restoration

Lordship Cottage after restoration work.  This was originally more than one dwelling.

Murden Family outside a cottage in Paddock Row

The Murden and Childerley family outside a cottage in Paddock Row around 1900.



Franklin's Close under construction

The bungalows of Franklin's Close sheltered housing off Fardell's Lane being built in 1965.

Franklin's Close looking east

The bungalows of Franklin's Close being built in 1965.  The old Airey homes of Paddock Row can be seen in the background.  These have since been demolished and replaced with new housing.

View of Paddock Row and Smith Street

View from Paddock Row looking towards the Boxworth Road/Smith Street junction 1979-1981.  The old wall on the right is probably the old wall of the manor grounds.

Airey Homes 1979-1981

View of the Airey Homes on Paddock Row 1979-1981.  These houses were demolished around 2000 and new houses built.

Airey homes in Paddock Row

The original Airey homes built in Paddock Row as they were in the 1990s.  One has been renovated with the concrete section replaced with brick.  The site has since been redeveloped and the houses replaced with new houses.

Fardell's Lane 1979-1981

Paddock Row end of Fardell's Lane with the site of the old washpit.  Dear's Farm is visible further down the lane.

Flooding in Fardell's Lane

Fardell's Lane flooded in spring 1983.  The brook is overflowing and water is also flowing down from Broad End.

Fardell's Lane flooded in 1983

Water coming down Fardell's Lane from Broad End in spring 1983.

New houses in Paddock Row 1980s

New houses built at the end of Paddock Row during the 1980s.  The land was formerly occupied by orchards and a cottage.

Dear's Farm

Front of Dear's Farm taken from Fardell's Lane in the 1980s.  The barn attached to the right of the house was originally thatched but has been roofed with corrugated iron.

Grapevine Cottage in the 1990s

Grapevine Cottage at the end of Fardell's Lane in the 1990s.

Woodpecker Cottage from the west

Woodpecker Cottage seen from the west in the 1990s.  The original cottage (the last of the three) has been greatly extended.

Dear's Farm in the 1990s

Dear's Farm in the 1990s.  The barn at the right of the picture has since been restored and the roof is now thatched.

Dears Farm in Fardell's Lane

Dear's Farm from Paddock Row.  The lane has changed little since the 1990s.

Front of Dear's Farm

Looking along the front of Dear's Farm in the 1990s.  The barn at the end still has a corrugated roof on it.

Lordship Cottage in the 1990s

Lordship Cottage in Fardell's Lane in the 1990s.  

Farm buildings in Fardell's Lane

Farm buildings in Fardell's Lane which originally belonged to Dears Farm and were later bought and used by the Throssell family.  It has since been redeveloped for housing.

"Brookside" in the 1990s

"Brookside" built on the site of an orchard in Paddock Row was originally built by the Throssell family.

New houses at the end of Paddock Row

New houses built at the end of Paddock row where an old cottage formerly stood.

Franklin's Close 1990s

Franklin's Close is named after a local charity and provides sheltered housing primarily for the elderly.  It was built in the 1960s.


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© Elsworth Chronicle 2016