gallery

The Elms began life as a simple farmhouse built in the 17th century. The original farmhouse shape can be best seen by viewing the house from the rear lawn. In 1632 the property was held by Matthew Stigant, a tenant of the Lord of the Manor and in 1792 the land and property called Stiggens was inherited by a John Pollington (Stiggens is most probably a name derived from the Stigant family name). Ten years later Stiggens was sold to Portsmouth wine merchant William Turner. Mr Turner developed the land and extended the property. By the time he offered the house for sale in 1821 there was a brew house, a wash house with a mangle room, a granary, a barn, a four-stall stable, open cow ranges, and a piggery, as well as coal, wood, and pigeon houses. The land had a kitchen garden, a melon ground planted with fruit trees, and a greenhouse. The details of sale include…....“a charming vista of full-grown elms, which afford a pleasing walk with the pleasure grounds to shade a retirement, surrounded by nearly twenty acres of good meadow land.” The estate also included a couple of labourers’ cottages and a second substantial residence.

Lady Constance Fawkes was the daughter of the 6th Marquis of Ailsa. She married Colonel Lionel Fawkes, who had been the Senior Gunner based in Portsmouth, where they had lived in Clarence Barracks (now Portsmouth City Museum). They moved into The Elms c.1905 with their two daughters Lois and Monica. Colonel Fawkes was related to the infamous Guy Fawkes; a connection he spent most of his life playing down. His family had been long-time and Lady Constance Fawkes (1855 - 1946) supporters of the arts which they collected to adorn the walls of the imposing family pile of Farnley Hall in North Yorkshire. His grandfather had been a good friend and patron of J.M.W.Turner. Colonel Fawkes was a very accomplished artist and illustrator. His water-colours are held in collections around the world. Lady Constance would regularly take long afternoon drives with her two daughters in their pony cart and was often seen taking her pet goat with her on evening walks On one occasion she stopped at the gate to speak to a friend and let the animal into the garden; the goat walked into the hall through an open door and feasted on two envelopes containing high value bank bonds that were waiting to be posted. Their stay at The Elms was tinged with sadness as their married daughter, Lois died in 1919 leaving a one year old son Lawrence. Tragedy struck the Fawkes family again in 1921, when their other daughter, Monica, also died. This was all too much for the Colonel and Lady Constance and in 1924 they emigrated to Mayne Island, British Columbia with their son-in-law and grandson. Stirling James Stent of the Havant glove making firm acquired The Elms, but his real interest was in the wealth of land that formed the estate. He increased the plot of land on which he had built his own house on the corner of Maple Wood and left The Elms with the small garden that you see today. He also built the small bungalow next door for his chauffer. This bungalow now forms the front end of The Lodge.