THE JOLLY FARMERS, SOHAM PREVIOUSLY A BEER HOUSE
Soham Mere and Cotes Green
The old Jolly Farmer public house was a fen pub located at Soham Cotes near Ely in Cambridgeshire, England. Previously known as Cotes Green, a small triangular settlement about a mile northwest of Soham where the original tracks to Barway and Ely divided, on the edge of what was Soham Mere. The name ‘Cotes’ is derived from the term ‘Cots’ or ‘Cottages’, which was often used to refer to a small un-named rural settlement.​
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Soham Mere was a large and shallow lake, to the west of Soham, described in 1794 as the largest in England, and was renowned for its abundance of fish and eels, but also facilitated Soham as a seaport town connected to the sea at Kings Lynn via the Great Ouse River.
1698 map showing 'Cots' between Soham & Barway
​​The earliest reference to Soham Mere is from the Liber Eliensis, relating to King Cnut (1016-1035) having crossed it on a winter visit to the monks at Ely for the Feast of Purification. Cotes Green lay next to the river inlet to Soham Mere, through which trading vessels would have passed, heading to the seaport of Kings Lynn. For this reason, the sparsely spread ‘cottages’ surrounding it would have been inhabited not only by farmers and farm labourers but also fishers and eel catchers. Broomstick Cottage, the oldest surviving dwelling in Soham Cotes, dates from c.1620 and is believed locally to have once been a fisherman’s cottage. The mere was eventually drained between 1670 and 1750 and turned into agricultural land.
The area of land which became known as Cotes Green had been owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, the private estate of the British sovereign, since 1399, however in 1626 King Charles I sold it, along with the rest of Soham Manor, to Edward and Robert Ramsey, who were at the time acting for Sir Robert Heath, who subsequently transferred the title to his eldest son Edward Heath upon his marriage in 1636. ​
​The earliest reference in the public record to the name ‘Cotes Green’, then an area of common land, dates to a series of detailed manorial maps from the 1650’s, commissioned by Thomas Chicheley from surveyor William Palmer. Chicheley, who had inherited Wimpole Hall and its estate, purchased the Manor of Soham & Fordham in 1654 from Edward Heath, who had been forced to mortgage and eventually sell the lands as a result of the heavy fines levied against him because of his royalist allegiance during the civil wars leading up to commonwealth period (1649-1660). Chicheley, an elected politician, had at the time been “disabled from sitting” (in parliament), because of his own strong royalist allegiance. He purchased the Manor of Soham & Fordham via an intermediary to avoid bringing attention on himself at a time when he was treated with great suspicion.
Palmers Maps were completed in 1656 and are the first to show Cotes Green surrounded by various named plots of land and a few dwellings. In 1658 Chicheley expanded his land holdings by some 500 acres through a series of enclosures of waste and common land which included the Cotes Green. This led to the encroachment of dwellings onto the green itself, with the farmhouse and outbuildings that would become the Jolly Farmers being one of the first, sometime before 1720.
1656 Soham and Barway manorial map
A rural community based around agriculture, fishing & eel catching, and along with much of the surrounding area it was initially owned by the Manor of Soham and Fordham and divided up into smaller plots of land that were leased to various gentleman farmers, who in many cases rented them to small farmers or labourers. After Chicheley’s death in 1690 the Manor passed through the hands of various owners, and with each, an increasing amount of it was sold off as freehold.
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1656 Soham and Barway manorial map
The Farmhouse
The earliest record of the farmhouse and plot of land that would later be called the Jolly Farmers was in 1720. It comes from a reference in a ‘deed of release’ document dated the 9th of June 1752, in which it states that a lease for the 1 acre of land and building (messuages), along with other parcels of land in Redlands fields, was purchased on the 17th Day of March 1720 by Mr Robert Fletcher of Henney in the Parish of Soham from Mr William Bentley, of St Michaels Alley, in the City of London, peri-wig maker. The 1752 release document relates to Robert Fletcher having transferred the lease to John Helder and John Clack to be held in trust upon the marriage of his son John Fletcher to John Helder’s daughter Alice on the 10th of May 1752. At the time the house and land was being rented to a tenant farmer named Thomas Hazelwood.
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In 1778 it was being rented out to tenant farmer Henry Crow, however a legal dispute over the lease broke out between John Fletcher and his son-in-law Charles Wedge & his wife Elizabeth, the resulting court case on the 21st May 1779 found for Charles and Elizabeth determining that Fletcher must assign the lease to them for the rest of their natural lives. What happened after that is uncertain, because by 1798, the lease had been consolidated into a larger Copyhold (a type of lease) held in four equal parts by John Fletcher’s son John Fletcher Jnr, William Bullman, John Clack and John Hatch, all of whom were related in some way by marriage. (John Hatch was married to William Bullman’s daughter Sarah, and John Fletcher’s sister, also Sarah, was married to William Bullman’s son William jnr).
Alehouse Act 1828 & Beerhouse Act 1830
From the ‘Earnings of Agricultural Labourers in England and Wales 1860’, Frederick Purdey
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“During harvest time, most farmers allow a liberal, and in some cases an unlimited, supply of beer or cider to all their labourers, in addition to their pay; or increased pay is given specifically in lieu of drink – the practice of giving beer is by no means general in this district [Cambridgeshire]; though it is allowed during harvest in some of the unions*, where the men have from two to four quarts [4 – 8 pints] daily, the women and children, half that quantity [2 – 4 pints]”
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* Unions, or Poor Law Unions, were administrative units established under the Poor Law Amendments Act 1834, and comprised of multiple parishes that came together to provide for the poor collectively.
Up until the mid-19th century, it was common for farmers to brew beer for their own consumption as well as for their labourers. These beers would have typically been ‘small beers’ with an ABV of between 2% and 4%. While exact statistics are hard to come by, historical records from the 17th and 18th century periods suggest that a significant majority of farmers engaged in homebrewing. Beer is calorific (even a ‘small beer’ typically contains between 140 – 180 kcal per pint), and was a staple of the rural diet, providing a safe and nutritious alternative to potable water that was not always readily available. Brewing on farms was not only a practical necessity but also a social and cultural practice embedded in rural life.
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The passing of the Alehouse act in 1828, and subsequently the Beerhouse act in 1830 enabled any ratepayer to sell beer on payment of a simple licence costing two guineas, without the need to apply to the local magistrates for a full license. The intention was to increase competition between brewers, lower prices and encourage people to drink beer instead of strong spirits by restricting Beerhouses to just selling Beer. For many farmers who were already brewing beer, it gave an opportunity to make some extra money to supplement their farming income.
The Beerhouse
On the 8th of May 1838 John Hatch & John Fletcher purchased and consolidated the four-part shares of the Copyhold into two parts. John Fletcher already held the then late William Bullman’s share as a trustee of his estate. The farmhouse and its lands were at some point before 1841 rented to James Herrington and his wife Susan. Census returns record James Herrington as a ‘Farmer’ (1841) and then ‘Agricultural Labourer’ (1851).
The Cotes, 1845 tythe map
On John Hatch’s death on the 19th of October 1849, his share of the farmhouse and land transferred to his wife Sarah and on the 23rd day of August 1852 John Fletcher (by now the 3rd John Fletcher and great grandson of the original Robert Fletcher) surrendered his Copyhold share to Sarah, who now held the entirety of the farmhouse and land in her own right as a mixture of Copyhold and Freehold.
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In 1853 James Herrington is listed in Kelly’s directory as ‘Beer Retailer’, which is the earliest reference of beer being sold from the farmhouse that would become the Jolly Farmers.
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Archaeological evidence exists of beer having been brewed at the farmhouse, so it is reasonable to suggest that Herrington and his wife, were themselves brewing and took advantage of the Beerhouse Act to start retailing their beer as a way of earning extra money.
The last will and testiment of John Hatch
At some point between 1853 and 1859 the Herringtons moved out and Sarah Hatch subsequently rented what was now designated a Beer House on contemporary maps to Robert Martin (also known as Palmer) who is listed in the 1859 Kelly's Directory as 'Beer Retailer and Farmer, Coates’.
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It is uncertain if Robert Martin Palmer was brewing beer himself at that time, however he would have eventually been forced into buying beer in. Despite the good intentions of the Beerhouse act, the large regional breweries as part of a broader strategy to dominate the market and limit competition, entered in to exclusive or preferential contracts with maltsters and hop farms, effectively controlling the supply of malted barley and hops. This eventually led to a consolidation of the brewing industry during the 19th century and created an environment where brewer-farmers were compelled to buying in beer rather than brewing it themselves.
The Public House
The 1861 Census has Robert Martin (Palmer) and his wife Rebecca resident at the ‘Jolly Farmers’ in The Cotes, as ’Publican & Farmer of 9 acres’. This is the first time the name ‘Jolly Farmers’ appears in the public record.
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The acre of land on which the Jolly Farmer stands was still held by Sarah Hatch as Copyhold of the Manor of Soham and Fordham parcel of the Duchy of Lancaster until the 9th of August 1864 when it was enfranchised (converted to freehold) by deed poll under the official seal of the ‘The Copyhold Commissioners’.
1961 Census
After the property’s owner Sarah Hatch died on the 8th of July 1865, it was put up for auction on the 22nd of September 1865, described as
“A well-accustomed PUBLIC HOUSE, known by the sign of the Jolly Farmers, with convenient Farm Buildings, Arable Land, Cottage and Garden, containing altogether 4a. 1r. 14p."
(14 Acres, 1 Rood, 14 Perches is an old imperial measurement of land which equates to 1.76 Hectares).
Jolly Farmers Public House Auctioned 22nd Sep 1865
Whether the property actually sold at auction is unknown, however, conveyance documents dated 15th February 1866, show Robert Martin Palmer purchasing the property (now freehold) from the trustees of the estate of the late Sarah Hatch with a grant of a mortgage dated the 17th February 1866 from Mary Ann (Marianne) Bullman, the late Sarah Hatch's sister.
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Robert Martin Palmer’s change in status from ‘Beer Retailer’ to ‘Publican’ and the auction documents advertising the Jolly Farmers as a ‘Public House’, suggests that at some point between 1859 and 1861 Robert upgraded the Jolly Farmers license from a Beerhouse to a fully licensed Public House. However, subsequent Petty Session records show it only ever being licensed as a ‘Beerhouse (on)’ (licensed to sell only beer for consumption on the premises). The lack of distinction between a ‘Beerhouse’ and a ‘Public House’ was due to the public perception that anywhere that you could go and drink beer was a Pub, rather than the legal distinction for licensing purposes.
Destroyed by Fire
Early on the morning of the 7th of March 1883, a fire, believed to have started in a chimney stack, completely destroyed the Jolly Farmers. Unfortunate, considering Robert had only just finished paying off the mortgage the previous year, and it being ‘but lightly insured’. Within a couple of years, it had been rebuilt in the style of a Georgian box farmhouse, slightly to the south of the original building but with specific additions for a public house, including a roadside Veranda and above ground cellar. The late 19th Century re-build still forms the basis of the current extended building. The original farmhouse foundations were discovered in 2014 during groundworks to lay a new utilities trench.
Newspaper cutting from The Bury and Norwich Post and Suffolk Herald, 13th Mar 1883
Jolly Farmer BH, Soham Cotes 1880s
Jolly Farmers Beer House on 1888 ordinance survey map
During this period, the ownership changed hands several times. On the 4th of May 1931, A&B Hall merged with another local brewer, Cutlack & Harlock to form Hall, Cutlack & Harlock, who were themselves acquired by East Anglian Breweries Ltd on the 27th of October 1950.
The post-war period saw a downturn in the pub trade resulting in the consolidation of breweries and the closures of thousands of Public Houses.
The Jolly Farmer started its life as a Farmhouse sometime before 1720, and like many at the time its tenant farmer, or more likely his wife, brewed beer for their family and labourers. When one of its tenant farmers, through the 1830 Beerhouse Act, saw an opportunity to sell the beer they were already brewing, it evolved into a Beer House, and then a Public House, (although only ever being legally a Beerhouse). Destroyed by fire and rebuilt, it was only ever a small rural Pub, and like so many others, succumbed to the economics of a changing world.
Sold to large Brewery
Robert along with his first wife Rebecca, and later with his second wife Margaretta ran the Jolly Farmer until 1892 when the license was transferred to Arthur & Bertram Hall, Brewers of Ely, who installed their own publican Daniel Elvish. At the age of 75 and after nearly 40 years, Robert sold the Jolly Farmer with its land and outbuildings to A&B Hall on the 9th of November 1895 for the sum of £800.
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Between 1892 and 1905, the Jolly Farmer saw three different publicans and on the 24th of October 1905, Henry Edwards and his wife Elizabeth moved in, and between them would be custodians for the next 43 years. When Henry died in 1923, Elizabeth went on to run the Jolly Farmers herself until her death on the 14th January 1948 at the age of 73. On the 3rd of February 1948, the license was transferred to David (Tom) Palmer and his wife Elsie, who held it until 1954, shortly before it closed and was sold.
Back to residential
On the 25th of April 1955 East Anglian Breweries Ltd surrendered the Jolly Farmer's license, and on the 24th of November 1955 it was sold as a private residence for the sum of £900.
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After an interval of 150 years beer is being brewed again at the Jolly Farmer, The Cotes, Soham currently non-comercially.
Jolly Farmers Soham letter to Licencing Justices, Newmarket 25th April 1955, ceasing sale of intoxicants
Jolly Farmer, The Cotes, Soham, Cambridge
List of tenants & license holders
Before 1752 - Thomas Hazlewood - Tenant Before 1778 - Henry Crow - Tenant Before 1841 - James Herrington - Tenant & Licensee 1859 - Robert Martin Palmer - Tenant & Licensee 1892 - Daniel Elvish - Tenant & Licensee Before 1901 - William Hills - Tenant & Licensee 1901 - Samual Seal - Tenant & Licensee 1905 - Henry Edwards - Tenant & Licensee 1923 - Elizabeth Edwards (Henry’s widow) - Tenant & Licensee 1948 - David Thomas Palmer - Tenant & Licensee 1954 - Thomas Jones - Tenant & Licensee
List of known lease, copy or free holders
Before 1720 - William Bentley 1720 - Robert Fletcher 1752 - John Helder & John Clack [held in trust] 1752 - John Fletcher 1779 - Charles & Elizabeth Wedge (nee Fletcher) 1798 - John Fletcher jnr, William Bullman, John Clack & John Hatch 1838 - John Hatch & John Fletcher jnr 1852 - Sarah Hatch 1866 - Robert Martin Palmer 1895 - Arthur & Bertram Hall Ltd 1931 - Hall, Cutlack & Harlock Ltd 1950 - East Anglian Breweries Ltd
JOLLY FARMER STORIES &
OLD PHOTOS
Memories
Although the Jolly Farmer closed in 1955, a local farmer now in his 90's remembered drinking there as a young lad after working on the fields, still with horses. He described it as very small and ‘basic’ with the tap room furnished with simple trestle tables and bench chairs, with a roadside veranda where people used to sit outside and drink because of the lack of room inside.
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Another local farmer who lived next door as a child, remembers himself and his brother jumping over the ditch between the properties and waiting for the school bus under the Pub's veranda.
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Ray Palmer, who sadly passed a few years ago, lived opposite the Jolly Farmer and was related to its last landlord and landlady, and remembered working there as a barmaid shorty before it closed.
Unknown photo found at the Jolly Farmer The Cotes Soham
April 1954 Elsie and Tom Palmer. Photos provided by Ray Palmer
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Do you have any information or photos? Do contact us
BREWING ACTIVITY AT THE
JOLLY FARMER
Remnants of brewing activity
When the barns at the rear of the property were demolished to make way for an extension in 2013, the remains of the old brewhouse itself were discovered in the centre barn section. The base, on which the outline of two vessels could clearly be seen, along with a lead gas pipe, were excavated, suggested a very basic but typical layout. With the rough diameter of the bases, but not knowing the height it is difficult to estimate the capacity, though the main boiling copper is likely to have been around 40 gallons, which was the typical size used in early 19th century farmhouse brewing.
During ground works in 2008 to lay land drains and utilities, two large waste dumps were found containing broken bottles, clay pipes and other pub detritus. Some of the bottles were still in one piece dating back to when it was owned by Arthur & Bertrum Hall.
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We are currently non-commerically growing our own hops for craft beer making, and using honey from our own beehives to make mead.
