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Great Tosson : The Form And Development Of The Village

The development of the village over the course of the 19th century can be traced through the historic maps and the surviving built fabric. The historic maps provide detailed coverage beginning with the Enclosure map in 1806 (NRO QRA 51/1, copied as ZBS 8/6) and continuing with the Tithe map in 1840 (DT 405 L) and successive editions of the Ordnance Survey from the 1st edition of 1860 onwards.

The enclosure map is most useful with regard to the layout of the fields immediately to the east of the settlement, whereas the tithe map shows of the layout of the buildings in the village in detail. However, the clearest impression of the degree of change over the two preceding centuries can be gained by comparing William Senior's plan of Great Tosson in 1632 with the equally beautifully drawn 1st edition Ordnance Survey 1:2500 series. Sufficient remains apparent of the basic framework of the early 17th century settlement on the Ordnance Survey map to be able to reconstruct the basic changes. In particular, the manner in which the tofts at either end of the village project forward of the original position of the south row is very clear.

By the mid 19th century the buildings of the village had substantially encroached on the earlier green, as is evident from both the 1st OS edition and the tithe map. Moreover, the evidence of the enclosure map, although less detailed, is sufficient to show the same pattern was already probably well-established at the beginning of the century. Comparison of the three maps also demonstrates that the three main farm complexes, Tosson Tower Farm (formerly the Royal George), Great Tosson Farm and East Tosson Farm were already well-established by 1840, and most probably by the first decade of the century when the Enclosure map was drawn up.

Both Great Tosson Farmhouse and the majority of its associated farm buildings, for example, belong stylistically to the period c. 1800 (Grundy 1988, 367: TOS 5-6). The latter include a large, two-storey shelter shed and granary with six low segmental arches and a range of three byres and stables all distinguished by the fine quality of their stonework, like the farmhouse itself.

Comparison of the 1840 tithe map and the 1st edition Ordnance Survey of 1860 shows a number of changes had occurred in the intervening two decades. A building situated in the middle of the former green area evident on the tithe map has disappeared by the time of the 1st edition, as has a long row of cottages set back on the north side of the street, towards the west end of the village. The latter has been replaced by a single cottage on the street frontage with outbuildings to the rear. This occupies exactly the same position as Keeper's Cottage, but Grundy assigns a date 1890 to the latter (1988, 368: TOS 8), so this may be a predecessor. A gingang was also been added to one of the ranges of farm buildings at Great Tosson Farm during this period.

Relatively few changes are apparent during the second half of the century, but more cottages were evidently added at the west end of the village and on the north side. The three Great Tosson Farm Cottages at the west end of the village do not figure on the 1st edition, but they may have been built shortly afterward as Grundy (1988, 368: TOS 7) considers them typical of c. 1860. In contrast the pair of semi-detached cottages, known as Pele Cottage and Tower Cottage, built immediately to the east of Keeper's Cottage were probably erected towards the end of the century. Both appear on the 2nd edition Ordnance Survey of 1897, but Grundy assigns them a date of c. 1890 (1988, 369: TOS 9).

A porch was also added to the front of Tosson Tower Farmhouse at some time perhaps not long after 1860. It does not appear on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey, but stylistically belongs more to the middle decades of the century than the later. It is shown on the 2nd edition. A row of buildings (cottages/farmbuildings?) at the south west corner of the settlement were partially demolished between 1860 and 1897. Subsequently another range of farm buildings, with stockyards was added to Great Tosson Farm before the 3rd edition Ordnance Survey was published c. 1920.

To the north west of the village, a beautifully constructed lime kiln, polygonal in plan with three round-headed draw arches, was built at Tosson quarry in 1888, designed by the architect George Reavell of Alnwick.