The present 'Hitcham House' was originally built in about 1868 for George Hanbury, the great-grandfather of Robert Hanbury who currently lives in 'Tithe Barn' adjacent to St. Mary's Church to the north of Hitcham Lane.
At that time, however, the house was called 'Blythwood'. It only became 'Hitcham House' after the Hanbury family purchased the land to the north of Hitcham Lane on which the original 'Hitcham House' had stood, located close to the site of the present 'Hitcham Park Cottage'. At one time, Queen Elizabeth I visited Sir Nicholas Clarke at the original Hitcham House and reportedly said that he was a very rude man and she would not visit him again! At some time, the site was occupied by a monastery and stew ponds were created to provide a guaranteed source of fish. Finally, a Georgian house was built on the site, used as a school at some time, but was demolished in 1804 after a fire.
Skipping ahead now to the 20th century, here are some more recent activities involving Hitcham. House and its estates:
During the Great War, Home Farm (now called 'Hitcham House Farm' with its entrance off Lent Rise) was occupied in March 1915 by the Kent Heavy Battery. It was also used as billets by the 2nd/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment, which was raised and commanded by Colonel L H Hanbury CMG VD. This Regiment moved to France in June 1916. In World War II, Hitcham House was partly occupied by the RAF Police (with Lionel Hanbury residing in one wing of the house only) and the RAF occupied both gate lodges. There was also a prison camp for Italian and other prisoners-of-war in the field on the north side of Hitcham Lane adjacent to the Gore.
According to Beryl Montague (who now lives in Church Lodge opposite St. Mary's Church), Hitcham House and its stable block was sold to the then Windsor Group Hospital Management Committee (now East Berks Health Authority) sometime between 1950 and 1952 for the princely sum of £17,000.
After minor alterations to the interior of the main house, it opened as a hostel for student nurses of the Canadian Red Cross Hospital in March 1953. Beryl first lived in Hitcham House as a student nurse in the 1950s. The stable block was converted into a School of Nursing in the mid-1960s with the loose boxes becoming offices, the stables two large classrooms, and the carriage room a very large practical room. After raising her own family, Beryl returned there in the 1970s, first as a nurse and then working as a nurse teacher.
By the end of the 70s, it was becoming obvious that Hitcham House would not be needed by the hospital for much longer. The upkeep was enormous, more students lived out, training had changed, and the Hospital was to be closed. In 1982, the training school moved into one of the now redundant wards at the Hospital and the house was closed up.
Beryl recalls that Hitcham House was then sold to a developer for around £275,000. The main house was divided into nine separate 'houses' that were sold without further alterations. Individual prices ranged from £25,000 to £75,000 for which one got only what was there before division. There was no electricity, gas, water or plumbing. Most had no stairs unless you bought a part containing the original stairs, probably no bathroom and certainly no kitchen. As a Grade II listed building, any changes to the external appearance of the house were rigorously controlled by the local council.
Every house had a different builder which meant that there was a constant stream of builders' vans going up and down the drive. At the same time, the stable block was being converted into 4 units by a second developer. At the end of this nightmare, the old house looks very much the same from the outside whilst inside it is seeing yet another way of life. Unlike many other Victorian mansions, Hitcham House has lived to see another day!
Space did not permit the full text of this article to be included in this issue and for those wishing to read the fascinating recollections of Beryl's life at the Nurses' Home the full text by Alan is on our website at www.taplowsociety.org.uk
