The buildings we see in Timsbury reflect different periods of expansion. This table shows the number of dwellings found in Timsbury at different dates.
| Year | 1658 | 1784 | 1821 | 1831 | 1891 | 1951 | 2001 | 2011 |
| Number of dwellings | 20-30 | 50 | 198 | 267 | 355 | 589 | 1091 | 1145 |
Before 1784 Timsbury was a small rural settlement. In the 19th century there was significant expansion of dwellings that resulted from the development of coal mining. In the second half of the 20th century the expansion resulted from the development of Timsbury as commuter village.
There are several buildings still to be seen that date from the 18th century and the core of the village represents much of the development that took place in the 19th century. Further information about how to research the history of a building can be found here.
The gallery below shows some of the older buildings in Timsbury. Click on the names highlighted for further information.
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VALE HOUSE was built in the early 19th century and was the home of the Langford family. Grade II listed building. |
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HILLSIDE HOUSE was built in the early 19th century and was the home of William Coxeter Smith, a Justice of the Peace. Has been known as ‘Rennys’ and now Rosewood Manor. It is a Grade II listed building. |
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THE GUSS AND CROOK was formerly called The New Inn. The building dates at least to 1784 and was identified as an inn, run by William Moore, in the 1851 Census. |
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SLEIGHT FARM – commands wide ranging views of the countryside around the village. Sleight Farm has an interesting history. One story relates to the son of the lord of the manor who married below his ‘station’ and was banished to live on the Sleight in the ‘dower’ house. |
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THE CHURCH ROOM (now THE LEGION) – The Legion used to be located on South Road but swapped with The Church Room. |
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GREENHILL HOUSE is thought to have been built at the beginning of the 19th century and incorporating some older buildings. |
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THE LAURELS was formerly the home of Dr Crook who used the house as a surgery before the present surgery being built in St Mary’s Close. Now a residential home. |
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BARTHOLOMEW ROW consists of five cottages. No. 1 probably built much later than the other four which are pre-1784. Built of natural stone and having a pleasant southerly view. |
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THE OLD SCHOOL was built in 1830 as a National School, sign saying erected and supported by pub subscriptions, natural stone with slate roof. |
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TIMSBURY HOUSE was built in Tudor times and was the family home of the Sambournes for many centuries. Demolished in 1961. See more photos here |
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CHURCH COTTAGE is one of the oldest buildings in Timsbury and was built before 1784. |
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ST MARY’S CHURCH was built 1826 on site of former church and has a Norman – style tower, there are beautiful stained glass windows. In the chancel a tablet is dedicated to the Sambourne family who owned the Manor. It is a Grade II listed building. |
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PITFOUR HOUSE dates from the mid 17th century. The Georgian facade was the result of alterations, extension and refacing at the beginning of the 19th century. It is a Grade II listed building. |
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BAKERS PARADE – The Holbrook family ran a shop on the Corner of Bakers Parade and at the bottom of Maggs Hill. They also owned the bake house in Bakers Parade. Charles Abbott then ran the bakers shop which also sold sweets, tobacco, fancy goods and toys. It is first recorded as Abbotts in 1923. |
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CHRISTADELPHIAN CHAPEL was built in 1825 as the Congregational Chapel. The chapel changed hands about 1930 and became the Christadelphian Church |
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SOUTH ROAD METHODIST CHURCH was built 1805 of natural stone with slate roof. This is a single story building but is of sufficient height to accommodate a gallery. |
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RECTORY LANE – a row of houses built of natural stone, the eastern part pre-dates 1784. Some of the buildings used to be shops. |
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THE RECTORY was built in 1821 of natural stone in a late Georgian style. It is a Grade II listed building. |
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH – the present building was opened in 1928. Previously located in the chapel on Maggs Hill. |
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RADFORD MILL was run by the Collins family for many years. The mill house was built (or rebuilt) in stone in 1706, but the adjacent water mill had already been in operation by a member of the Collins family certainly since 1611. |
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TABOR FARM is the oldest building on North Road. It was built early in the 18th Century. The southern front was taken down and rebuilt in 1998, but the remainder of the building is original. |
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TABOR FREE METHODIST CHURCH was built in 1865 from natural stone quarried at Lippiatt Lane. A two storey building with slate roof. |
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TEMPERANCE HALL (NOW ST JOHN HALL) was built in 1844 of natural stone with slate roof, by the Temperance Movement. Later it became the base for the St. Johns Ambulance. The cottage adjoining was built for the caretaker. |
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PARISH’S HOUSE was built in 1816 from older existing buildings. It is a Grade II listed building, has a projecting porch supported by classical columns. |
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CROCK BARTON was originally four houses in a short, uniform terrace built in the 18th century. Now exists as two houses off Rectory Lane. |
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THE LODGE in Church Lane built circa 1650 is the old porter’s dwelling that is at the entrance to the now lost TIMSBURY HOUSE mansion of Tudor origin. This was the seat of the Somerset Samborne family who owned much of the surrounding lands. |
