Circa . .

We are not sure of the exact age of our house.
It was converted from a stable and adjoining coachman's cottage in the 1950s so the papers only go back that far. We know it cannot be before 1897 because that was when the land was sold by a nearby mansion for our stable and the property it served to be built. It appears in the 1901 census so it was definitely built by then. I have been in touch with the Surrey History Society and they were unable to help.
Outside our back door (which was the front door of the coachman's cottage) we found a mark in the soft brick. We think it says "HB anno 99". Was this scratched by the first coachman (or his wife, or his children)? Was it put there by the builder? We'll never know, but it was sufficiently interesting for us to have a centenary party in 1999!