Click on any photo to enlarge and scroll through them all.
Today there are 35 houses on West End. At the start of the first world war there were 16 (13 dating from 1811) and of these 16, 8 still stand.
Starting at The Cross and heading south west down West End, we have fields on our right and on our left the first house we come to is Westfield Farm – built in 1800.
Next along would have been Ivy Cottage – built in 1839 – and now demolished and replaced by Ivy House.
Following this on our left, on the site of Sycamore House, there was a cottage that we know of as Grandma Whittam’s cottage (she was living there in 1891) – LH below, and then another unnamed cottage – built in 1822 – on the location of Westfield House – RH below.
The latter cottage was photographed from the air. Two other aerial photos taken about the same time (below) are revealing.
Going back to our walk along West End, on our right we can now see a house with two parts divided 1/3 to 2/3 – this was built before 1811. It was demolished in recent decades and replaced by 13 & 14 West End.
Continuing on the left is a house – Manfreya – also built before 1811. Next to it and adjoined is Holmgarth (also pre-1811) which the left hand photo above shows was originally single or 1&1/2 storeys.
Beyond this on the left are two cottages (today) – both built in 1773-7 – they are The Cottage and West End Cottage. The Cottage was made up of two smaller cottages at the time we are walking.
Opposite West End Cottage is West End Farm – built in 1840 – see the photo to the right.
After West End Farm on the right is another house, now demolished, where Appleton House now stands.
Opposite these and a little beyond on our left is West House Farm – built 1839.
Finally, on our right are two houses which have left no trace; the first is near the road and was built in 1777. The second is more substantial and set back from the road behind sizeable ponds – see the 1889 map.
Until 1814 or thereabout, the track beyond West End was the main road to Laytham as Breckstreet Lane at that time did not exist.
Although not actually on West End, next to Manfreya there is a driveway off to the south east leading to the farm known as Ladysmith – which was built in the 1860s (?):
All photos are from the collections of Bessie Fridlington, Dave Waby and Jane Henley unless otherwise attributed. If you have other photos or clearer copies that we could include – please contact us.