Aspley House

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Along the road through the village may be seen a wayside calvary which, inscribed I.N.R.I, the Latin initials for Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, was re-erected in 1983. Originally it had been given by Mrs. Villiers Downes, of Aspley House, as a memorial to those from the village who fell during World War One, and as an additional village memorial an extension was made to the parish hall, which had been built in 1902 for £1,700. As for Aspley House, this had been built in 1695, and with the death of Mrs. Villiers Downes it was with a genuine regret that, since it had been in the family for many years, the executors decided to sell off the Aspley House estate. Much of the furniture and effects were duly sold off in the London auction rooms, and a Chippendale suite, of six chairs and two seats, fetched £740 when sold at Sotheby’s. However, since the reserve had not been reached the house remained initially unsold, although three villas belonging to the estate were purchased by one of the tenants. During World War Two Aspley House became a school for the evacuated children from a Walthamstow school, and after the war it then reverted to private occupation.  

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