The development known as Cotswold Close in Sibford Ferris was built in the mid 1950s after the completion of the homes in Shepherd’s Close in the Gower. Similarly, the houses were built on land previously used as an orchard, and sold by the Lamb family to the local council for housing development.
Once again, I was fortunate to be able to talk to an original resident whose familymoved from Horley to come and live in Sibford Ferris in the spring of 1957. The close comprised eight pairs of 3- bedroomed semi-detached houses and 3 pairs of semidetached bungalows. Two additional pairs of bungalows were built a little later in the early 1960s at the same time as the two pairs of semi-detached houses facing onto the Hook Norton Road which replaced the former condemned cottages.
The modern brick-built houses comprised three first floor bedrooms and a bathroom connected to the newly laid mains drainage. The rear entrance comprised an enclosed lobby with two doors – one into the coal shed and the other into the wash house where the copper was kept. The sitting room had an enclosed coal burning stove which also heated the water in the hot water storage tank. Without any controls, this water could boil causing bubbling noises, steam and clanking pipes! Hot water had to be run off to cool the system.
These new family homes brought children to the village who walked across the valley and attended the village primary school ensuring the number of children on roll remained viable. The local council retained an area of land at the top of the Close which, as car ownership increased, was used for parking as no provision had been made in the plans for cars or garaging. Much later, in the mid 1980s and led by Bernie Jones (a Cotswold Close resident) and after local fundraising, a play area was built and opened in 1990 for the younger children to enjoy. This amenity is currently managed by Sibford Ferris Parish Council and has recently undergone a major upgrade. It is still a valued community asset for our younger village children.
Maureen Hicks
