Orchard House

Originally known as 'The Orchards', this fine house was built in 1904 by the Cox family. There was an extension added on in the 1930s, but this maintains the Arts and Crafts style of the original. The house remains very much as it was, with minimal changes, and is an important example of the period.

 
The Orchards (left in picture) & Orchard Cottage (right) from main Street in about 1904

The second picture shows a Croquet Party there in 1906

The Cox family moved to the village in about 1900 and seem to have occupied the small nearby house, 'Orchard Cottage', until the new larger house was completed. In the garden is an unusual wooden summer-house, which is several years older than the house. It must have been in the garden of Orchard Cottage originally. The cottage probably dates from the eighteenth century.

The Coxes became very important to village life. Frederick G. Cox rose to be Chairman and Managing Director of R. & W.H. Symington of Market Harborough, a company whose main product was ladies' underwear, with factories in many parts of the world. The programme of village activities for the Coronation of George VI in 1937 includes 'Presentation of Prizes..by Mr F.G. Cox', 'Cinematograph kindly lent by Mr F.G. Cox' and 'Toast to their Majesties the King and Queen Proposed by Mr F.G. Cox'. He was something like 'the village squire' at the time. He died in 1942

The house is set well back and is hardly visible from the road.