Edenbridge - William 1793.

The Old Eden

The Star

The most obvious question about Edenbridge is where did the Mitchenalls live?

There are some easier and some more difficult answers; My grandfather Percy was born in Paradise Row, and this row of cottages is clearly identified on Pound Road (now Lingfield Road). His home was no 7 so should be the 7th - assuming you know from which end you are counting.

Where, though, did William (1793 - 1865) live? The census unfortunately does not use street numbers.

Instead, enumeration numbers are given to each household. In the 1861 census William is counted next to his son J0hn, in 1851 William was next door to Isaac Gascoigne. Isaac is an inn keeper, and other records record Isaac was the licensee of the Crown Inn. So William possibly lived next to the Crown in 1851?

In 1861 he has to have moved. William and John are enumerated as 58 and 59 High Street, the Star Inn is 56. Edward Leigh is enumerated as 60, and recorded at Lintots. At 61, Kezia (Mitchenall) lives with her husband Henry and 3 daughters.

So we might assume they were all in the same part illustrated in the 2005 plan above. There are now properties all along the High Street.

In 1873, however, there were fewer houses and none opposite The Star. Lintots is presumably the same building - it has historic connections. Lintots is on the opposite side of the High Street, near number 63 which is a Blacksmiths. The Mitchenalls must have at least one shop, as William is a Cordwainer and Grocer, John a Shoemaker and Henry Jeffreys a Fellmonger and Glove maker.

So, in 1873 in this area we have an Inn, a smithy, an ancient bungalow and (I presume) one, possibly three, shops. Which is which?

Looking back to 1861, The Old Eden was not a Public House.

(see Old Eden Pub's website) so doesn't help. The smithy beside it could be one of two enumeration addresses (53 or 63 are both Blacksmiths).

But if we look at 1871 although John has moved to Hever Lane and is a postman, sister Kezia remains in the High Street and is enumerated as 142. Lintots is 143, next door again. The Old House at Home (now a beerhouse set to become The Old Eden) is 139. William (1793) has died but Kezia's mother Mary Mitchenall (Winter) lives at 140 as a lodger.

The Star Inn, however, is now 152, between Lime Tree Place and 151, identified as the Old Vicarage. The vicarage is mapped next to the Star elsewhere, and is on the west side of the High Street.

So I deduce that it is most probable that William, John and Kezia were probably on the East side of the High Street, close to Lintots, and that 127 Edenbridge High Street was probably used by Henry Jeffrey. 127 is currently two shops. The Mitchenalls lived to one side of the Jeffreys. The Old Eden Pub which was originally three cottages, and I think Mary lived in one of these in 1871 census; 139 is the Old House at Home, 140 where Mary lives. In 1861 I think, as in the enumeration order, they lived the other side of Lintots, closer to the Star but on the opposite side of the road. This gives the picture below. It all depends how the enumeration was made in 1861.

But, of course, I am assuming the enumeration was house to house....Any better guesses?