Dairy Farms High Halden And Eugene Cottage

Hi Jane, I'm no relation but live next to Eugene Cottages in High Halden. I've been researching the origins of my house (built roughly 1879) - and I think it used to be called Eugene Villa. I'm curious to know about the family that built the house (Croucher I think) and it looks like he was a significant land owner and farmer in the village and I'm guessing must have built Eugene Cottages for his farm workers. Sadly I don't have much detail - but happy to research what you have. It looks like the Crouchers were a long established family in the area. For your interest there is a dairy farm between our house and Eugene Cottages, I've yet to speak to the current farmer about the information I've uncovered - he's from the area originally and didn't seem to think my house had anything to do with the farm - but I'm starting to think that's wrong. Anyway, if you do get this message I'm happy to chat!

According to old Ordnance Survey maps, Eugene Villa (now called Orchard House) & Eugene Cottages and the farm buildings in between were all in the same ownership. The current farmer is or was Stephen Lynes, the farm was called Moat Farm & they used to live in the old Moat House by the bend of the road which used to be called Oak Grove Lane, Durrant Green. When I lived in the village, Orchard House was owned by the Scott family, one of the daughters was Nicola (Scott) Padgett, the actress. My father did a great deal of building maintenance work for both the Scott family & the Lynes family, on their main houses, cottages & the farm buildings. In fact I drew the plans to get permission for the odd-shaped garage at Orchard House & helped my father build it.