Picture of the month – Luccombe Knap - Part One

This month’s contribution is the result of a comment sent in about a previous “Picture of the Month” by a website reader whose parents were friends of the Manvells who lived at Luccombe Knap during the 1950’s and 60’s. I have enough material to do a “part 2” in the future.

It is believed that Luccombe Knap began in the early 17th Century as a two room cross-passage house, of two storeys, with a rear unheated wing. A walled garden, stables and linhay were probably held with the house during the 18th Century. It was divided into two cottages in the late 18th or early 19th Century and is shown in this state on the 1842 Luccombe tithe map, with the walled garden separated. The property was converted back to a single dwelling in the late 19th or early 20th Century and the rear lean-to on the north end of the wing was raised to two storeys, with a balcony being added on the east side of the wing and an extension, possibly in the 1920s or 30s. A walled garden and stables on the opposite side of the lane was also part of the property until fairly recently. It was owned by the Worth family of Wychanger until the 1880s.

A substantial number of photographs of Luccombe Knap interior, exterior and walled garden (21 in all), as well as other Luccombe views taken by Bath photographer George Love Dafnis can be seen on the “Bath in Time” website. The interior shots are erroneously described as being of “Glebe Cottage”. Unfortunately the images are very low definition.

My association with Luccombe Knap began at a very early age. My father was the gardener for Mr & Mrs Manvell. He started working for them just after the end of WWII, left their employment for a short spell in 1953, and finally left altogether when Eileen passed away in 1965, Leslie having died in 1961. My mother was the relief cook/housekeeper, the full-time cook/housekeeper being Mrs Howard who lived at East View.

The Manvells had moved from Kent. I believe that Leslie was a retired accountant and Eileen, his wife, was a very keen gardener, a member of the Royal Horticultural Society and frequently made trips to major gardening events. Leslie drove a Bentley roadster with two large headlamps at the front. I rode in it once and can still remember that I could hardly breathe because of the rush of air.

The gardens were very well maintained. A great deal was spent on constructing crazy paving paths, patios, flower beds etc. and two gardeners from the well-known nurserymen Scott’s of Merriott would spend several weeks each year working there and would lodge with us during the week, going home at week-ends. The Walled Garden grew mainly fruit and vegetables, but in later years was planted largely with summer annuals so that the ailing Mrs Manvell could see the display from the house.

The Stables, now Stables Cottage, was part living accommodation, part stables before being converted probably in the late 1960’s. Early occupiers were Martin & Rosalie Davis, Martin being the gardener for Mr de Glehn (aka von Glehn) who preceded the Manvells. I can remember Mr Golden and his daughter Carol living there in the 1950’s. During most of the 1950’s-60’s it was just used for storage.