The Building of Bellfields
Carol Brown’s history of Bellfields & Slyfield
It’s really exciting that at last we have ‘Bellfields & Slyfield Pages’ popping through our letterboxes and I am pleased that I can share my passion for history with you all, especially the history of where we live!
As the Millennium approached Sally Thornberry, a much respected Local Councillor and past Mayor, asked me to oversee an oral history project. She wanted to record the memories and stories of those people who had lived on the estate in Bellfields for many years before they all disappeared.
Many had lived here from the very beginning of what would become the prime social housing estate of the South East. Sally’s jaw nearly hit the floor when I suggested that we actually turned this into a book. But with a grant from Guildford Borough Council, The Bellfields History Group was formed and Bellfields Remembered was published.
The Stoke Hill Estate was purchased by Guildford Borough Council in 1944, ready for building new houses as soon as the war was over. Although Stoke Hill House has long gone there are still traces to be found, as can be seen in the image (top right). On Woking Road and Riverside parts of the boundary wall can still be seen.
Integral to the history of Bellfields is the Paynter Family. They owned Stoke Hill House and both Samuel and his son, Francis, were Rectors of Stoke Church. But not to be forgotten is Julia Mary Ann ‘Fanny’ Paynter.
Many myths and stories surround Fanny. One is that she sold the land to the council, but she did not own the land. It belonged to the Paynter Family Trust and it was they who sold the estate. She died just one week before her 100th birthday in May 1939.
I will share these stories here, along with stories of local people, the history of our estate and images I have collected over the years.
I would love to hear any stories or history that you would like to share as there is a plan to update Bellfields Remembered and reprint the book. Please contact me, Carol Brown, at browne@ntlworld.com or come to the Bellfields History Tent on July 13th for the Fun Day on the Green.
