Goffs Oak House

Goffs Lane

By Iain Bickerton

Goffs Oak House, June 1970
Iain Bickerton
Rear of Goffs Oak House, July 1997
Iain Bickerton
May 2000
Iain Bickerton
May 2000
Iain Bickerton

Goffs Oak House is located in Goffs Lane, opposite from the Village Memorial Hall, and close to the village centre.

It is the principal older house of the village, the nucleus of which is late 17th century, or early 18th. 

In 1562, there was a house on this site known as ‘Goffs’ (or ‘Goughs’), almost certainly this was a family name, which the village later took its name from.

 

This page was added on 19/07/2013.

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  • What ever happened to the Goff Family, wikipedia mentions they owned most of the land in Goffs Oak now there is no mention of where they went.

    By Steven (20/09/2021)
  • Does anyone know the name of the book or the surname of the author?
    My family lived in the attic for a while.

    By Helen Wiggins (26/09/2020)
  • Yes, davo Walsh, the 1861 UK Census shows that Richard G. Welford with wife Jane Welford and Ellen Williams (step dau.), Henrietta Welford (23), only son Richard Welford (21) and servants lived at Oak House. Richard G. Welford was a Barrister. Their son, Richard, was also studying law but in 1863 decided to go to Australia with his best friend Edward Decimus Harries from Solva, Wales. Sadly, in 1872 Richard was attacked by aboriginals and died on his property in the Barcoo District of Queensland, Australia.

    By Miriam (28/08/2019)
  • david, No the pub is around the corner on newgate street

    By jason (04/08/2018)
  • Many thanks, Mary. I’m sure some of the readers here would be interested in a copy of the book, if you have more details about it.

    By Nicholas Blatchley (09/05/2018)
  • The fletchers lived here for many years and still work locally in the forestry industry.
    Queenie was the lady who owned Goffs Oak House and there is now a book (2016) with the history. This book was written by her grand daughter Anita. Well worth a read.

    By Mary (03/05/2018)
  • Do you know about a house at the same time as you have mentioned here Mike, called Geoffs Oak Villa ?

    By Paul Castelow (18/03/2018)
  • I was born in Goff’s Oak in 1940, and my grandfather owned the Smithy Garage.Goff’s Oak House was owned at that time by Bert and Queenie Fletcher, and remained as such until around 1956-59. ( I was not in Goff’s Oak at that time ) When I was 14 I used to go shooting with my dad,my uncle Tim and uncle Bert.
    Fond memories.

    By Michael Hansen (13/09/2017)
  • I believe my cousins, Richard G Welford and his wife Jane Welford are living here in 1861 census, at Goffs Oak House. They are an interesting bunch. It looks to my untrained eye, cycling through yesterday, that this is now the pub, the Goffs Oak? Can anyone clarify?

    By davo Walsh (02/07/2017)
  • The house was occupied at the time of the 1901 and 1911 censuses, by the Cuningham family and their servants. William Martin Cuningham was a Scottish born civil engineer who had spent some time in Russia, as his three elder daughters had all been born in St Petersburg. The youngest daughter, Vera Irene Walpole Martin Cuningham was born in 1897 at Goffs Oak.
    The family left Goffs Oak and Vera went on to become a stage designer and artist. She lead a “colourful” life, never marrying, and died in 1955 in Hampstead.
    Portraits of her by Matthew Smith are in the Corporation of London collection.

    By Mick Coe (28/06/2016)