There was a side road leading to the Rev. G. H. Thompson’s house, with post and chain fence down the left-hand side a considerable distance, and fir and other trees; this road also led to the house belonging to and occupied by Mr. James Rowe, which had upwards of thirty-one acres of land attached to it. A large pond, called Page Green Pond, was on the green opposite the house. At the end of the green, and facing the High-road, a large house stood, occupied by Mr. Spartelle, whose grounds extended some distance down the lane. The Earlsmead Board School is now built on this site. At the top of Page Green, on the east side of the High-road, there stood a remarkably handsome clump of seven trees, planted in a circular form, and called the Seven Sisters. In the middle there stood a walnut tree, which it is said never increased in size, though it continued annually to bear leaves. The prevailing opinion in Bedwell’s time (the Rev. William Bedwell was Vicar of Tottenham from 1607 to 1632) was that someone had suffered martyrdom on this spot, but of this there is no authentic account, nor is there anything satisfactory as to the original planting of these trees to be met with, but it appears they were at their full growth in Bedwell’s time, and may be considered to be in 1818 upwards of 300 years old. The walnut tree was not cut down On the north side of Page Green there was a white house, with verandah and creepers all over, in the occupation of Mr. Rowcroft; it had a very large hall. At that time many of the good old houses had large halls, almost like rooms. The grounds were very pretty, extending at the back of Grove Place-gardens as far as the Bull Inn. About the centre of the beautiful garden there was a high mound, and grotto, overlooking a lovely lake. Many were the invitations I received to play in that garden when I was a little child, but my mother never allowed me to go; she had an idea I should run up the mound and fall into the lake. I was very pleased when she at last consented. There was a shady walk, planted with trees, all round the meadow; it was about here that years ago there was a hermit’s cell and the Chapel of St. Anne. Next to this house there were two semi-detached white-fronted houses (one of which was occupied by Miss Coare, one of the Society of Friends), then a stretch of fields on both sides to the end of the lane. Returning to the High-road; at the corner stood a large, white house, and garden, adjoining the row of houses called Grove-place, which were built at the beginning of last |