Clyde House
Clyde House, built in the late 18th century, was originally Twerton Rectory House situated on church land. Besides the front garden, there was also a large ornamental garden at the rear (now the site of Clyde Gardens), which overlooked various pasture grounds and orchards beside the river. The present vehicle entrance on the east side led into a separate farm area (now mainly occupied by Springfield View, described below) where the stables and outbuildings were situated. On the 1786 map the pedestrian entrance is shown leading directly from the High Street to the front door.
View taken in 1905 of Clyde House with its orchard wall on the right, and the cottages and entrance of Church Farm opposite. In the distance is the Full Moon.
In the late 1830s the whole property was purchased by the GWR Company from Oriel College (the then Rectors) for the building of the railway which separated the lower grounds from the house and its gardens. However the premises continued to be held on lease from the GWR until the late 1840s to accommodate the curate, Rev.Charles Nutt, until a new vicarage could be built. In 1850, after the curate had moved into the new vicarage behind the church, the ‘old vicarage house’ was taken over for a few years as a ‘gents academy’ (boarding) run by a John Frederick Hewlett, but by 1860 it was in the possession of Mr.John Hippisley who adopted the name ‘Clyde House’. The presence of this name carved into the lintel over the entrance suggests that this opening and the surrounding high walls were probably constructed not long after this date, although Hippisley continued to occupy the house until about 1906. Since that time the house has remained as a private dwelling except for a period in more recent times when it became a care home for the aged. Indeed, the only change to the frontage in the last hundred years has been the installation of a GVI letter box in the wall, transferred in c.1968 from the orchard wall which formerly stood on the site of nos.26 to 41 High Street (described below).
Can you tell me if Edgar Searle ever lived at Clyde House. He was my Grandfather and would have lived there sometime between 1900-1925 approx. Any information would be helpful.
Hi Avril
Miss Searle lived at Clyde House from 1924-1935 with a Miss J. Tate.
The Revd S. Smith lived there from 1935-1950.
Mr Frederick James Little lived there from 1950-1960.
The first person to live in Clyde House was The Revd. Thomas Broughton from 1776-1777.
After him, the Revd. Fothergill lived there and then from 1815-1825, The Revd William Bailey Whitehead lived there.
Next came The Revd Charles Nutt from 1825-1851 and then The Revd. George Buckle MA from 1851-1870.
Then came Mr John Hippisley from 1870-1911 followed by Mrs Rees from 1911 -1924. Then Miss Searle and Miss Tate.
I hope this is of help to you.
Peter Little.
I was interested to see this photo. Jane, the wife of the Rev. Charles Nutt was a Mackenzie relative of my husband. At the time of the 1851 census both her mother & sister were staying with the Nutts. Perhaps they’d come to see the new Rectory & help with the move to East Harptree! Their Mackenzie forbear had gone from Ross-shire on the Darien Expedition & landed in Jamaica. A very extensive family, several relations lived in the Bath & Bristol area.