Muckenhill

The available history of Mucknell is somewhat patchy, that is at least, the history which is available via Google. At some point, it became merged in the manor of Stoulton and followed the same descent.

A tree-ring analysis of samples from three timbers in the farmhouse showed that "the (probably) two trees represented were felled in the late spring or very early summer of 1439". The rest of the farmhouse was a mix of more modern building and had little heritage merit; when it was demolished, we preserved these 15th century crooks.  The tree-ring analysis gives somemore of the history: "In 1625 the Manor of Stoulton was sold to Samuel Sandys of Ombersley. Due to his involvement in the Civil War, Sandys mortgaged the property to the Somers family of Worcester, who subsequently acquired the freehold before 1716. It was bequeathed in that year to by John Somers to his two sisters, one of whom, Mary Cocks, inherited the whole. It was in the hands of her grandson, Sir Charles Cocks by 1781, at which time the estate covered about two thirds of the parish and was worth about £1050 per annum."

In Kelly's directory for 1900, 1904 and 1908, one Frank Smithin is listed as a Farmer at Muckenhill, Stoulton. Frank Smithin (1867-1916) was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth. He was born at Wadborough in 1867; registered at Pershore in the June quarter. At the 1891 census, aged 23, he was at home at Wadborough Farm. At the 1901 census he was living at Hill Farm, Stoulton. He died, aged 49, on the 17th June 1916; registered at Pershore in the June quarter. There is a memorial at Stoulton. Some time after this, Muckenhill Farm was put up for sale. According to the auction folder, the farmhouse had a well, six bedrooms, a servant's room, two store rooms, an American range and two furnaces. The farm was 198 acres in size, for which rental was £107 15s 0d.

Mucknell itself was a working farm and potato chipping business until 2004. By 2008, when we bought it, much of the land had been sold off and the farm buildings were derelict.

Various suggestions have been made about the root meaning of Mucknell. The one which finds most favour with us is "hill with a large [Anglo-Saxon: muckle] view".