Chelsfield Grange, known locally simply as "The Grange" appears to be an 18th century brick farmhouse with a Georgian style extension on the side. However, behind the facade of the older part of the house is a rustic timber-framed building that has undergone many major structural changes since possibly the 15th or early 16th century century.
The houses in Orchard Road and Grange Drive were built in the 1950s and 1930s respectively on land that once belonged to The Grange. On the second floor of The Grange there is an old "apple loft" for the produce from the old orchards, which are clearly shown on the old maps.
The house was once "Grange Grammar School". The 1881 census shows 47 people living at the school, including 37 boys, the headmaster, his wife and several children, three masters and two servants. At that time there we more outbuildings. The adjacent Orchard Cottage was the school chapel and formerly the stables/coachhouse.
This is an Osgood postcard of The Grange probably taken around 1910. Despite the horse chestnut tree, which is much smaller than nowadays, you can make out the house with its Georgian porch to the left and eighteenth century windows on the older part to the right.
Note that the location is referred to as Chelsfield Valley rather than Pratt's Bottom.
Click here for photos of the WI Fetes in the garden from 1947/49
© 2004 Tony Lavelle