The Slaugham Archive
Tilgate Forest Cottage, Pease PottageThe impressive but strangely-named Tilgate Forest Cottage (aka Tilgate Cottage) was built as a country residence but for the last half century has been used for commercial purposes. It has been used by British Caledonian and BAA for training purposes, Crawley Forest School, and is now destined to be a detention centre for refugees due to its proximity to Gatwick Airport.
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Picture added on 19 June 2012 at 16:03
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Roads - Pease Pottage
Roads - Pease Pottage
This house was owned by my family and was also run as a hotel after the second world war by my grandmother, Catherine Dorothy Ferguson-Lees. At that time it was called The Tilgate Forest Hotel.
Added by Penny McLaren on 10 February 2013
A local newspaper has re-printed a report of a burglary at this house in 1894 and the incident was investigated by PC Anscombe from Handcross. The report can be viewed by clicking on Open Document above. I am intrigued how precisely, in 1894, he "went in pursuit of the men"!
Businessman, Francis Luscombe (44), lived at the house with his wife and four female domestic staff according to census records.
Does anyone have any information on PC Anscombe?
Any information as to the identity of the villains should be directed to the "Cold Case" team at Crawley police station.
Businessman, Francis Luscombe (44), lived at the house with his wife and four female domestic staff according to census records.
Does anyone have any information on PC Anscombe?
Any information as to the identity of the villains should be directed to the "Cold Case" team at Crawley police station.
Added by David Pearce on 14 July 2013
This was also home to the well-known Goddard family.
Son, John 'Jumbo', was extremely famous for his fabulous cars kept in England at the Donington Collection and at his homes in Sydney. He was also a great sailor and boat owner and collected clocks, books, engines etc.
He made a fortune in diamond mining in Africa, and spent the summers either in England or Australia - he hated winters and was extremely colourful.
He died in 1983 but is not forgotten.
Son, John 'Jumbo', was extremely famous for his fabulous cars kept in England at the Donington Collection and at his homes in Sydney. He was also a great sailor and boat owner and collected clocks, books, engines etc.
He made a fortune in diamond mining in Africa, and spent the summers either in England or Australia - he hated winters and was extremely colourful.
He died in 1983 but is not forgotten.
Added by Les Hughes on 15 January 2015
When I was 15-years-old l lived in Barcelona with my parents who had made acquaintance with the Batterbee family. They had a hotel in Pease Pottage named Tilgate Forest Hotel.
As i learned English, the family invited me to come and visit them. So in 1956 I had the opportunity to live with this wonderful family in this wonderful hotel for half a year.
Although I am now 80-years-old I will never forget this time and the wonderful English people.
Please excuse my English which is not so good any more.
As i learned English, the family invited me to come and visit them. So in 1956 I had the opportunity to live with this wonderful family in this wonderful hotel for half a year.
Although I am now 80-years-old I will never forget this time and the wonderful English people.
Please excuse my English which is not so good any more.
Added by Maud Kraus (Kempen, Germany) on 18 August 2019
As at December 2021 this landmark Pease Pottage property has been lost to the demolition excavators.
Throughout the years it has been known variously as Tilgate Forest Cottage, Tilgate Forest Hotel and Tilgate Cottage. Now it is a pile of rubble.
With easy access to the M23 motorway and Gatwick airport the site is to be developed to provide factory units. Artistic impressions of how they will look from both the ground and the air are available by clicking on Links at the top of the page and selecting "Factory units to rent at Pease Pottage".
A recent photograph of the site can be viewed by selecting Large Version.
Throughout the years it has been known variously as Tilgate Forest Cottage, Tilgate Forest Hotel and Tilgate Cottage. Now it is a pile of rubble.
With easy access to the M23 motorway and Gatwick airport the site is to be developed to provide factory units. Artistic impressions of how they will look from both the ground and the air are available by clicking on Links at the top of the page and selecting "Factory units to rent at Pease Pottage".
A recent photograph of the site can be viewed by selecting Large Version.
Added by David Pearce on 26 December 2021
So sad to lose another historic building.
Added by Penny (Canada) on 27 December 2021
This was demolished just last year and I suspect the old gardener's house behind it will go next as it is derelict.
The ground behind Tilgate Forest Row was cleared a couple of years ago.
The whole site is now destined to be commercial buildings.
The ground behind Tilgate Forest Row was cleared a couple of years ago.
The whole site is now destined to be commercial buildings.
Added by John Fuller Stephens on 26 January 2022
I think the old gardener's house was where Arthur Parsons and his family lived.
Arthur had a small market garden and also bred turkeys. Many local boys and men worked just before Christmas killing and plucking, and my elder brother was one. His tales were enough to convince me that the job was not for me!
One of the rituals at turkey time was the drinking of Arthur's homemade cider. He had a big old press and I think he had about ten barrels, all full and waiting to be tapped in rotation.
The cider itself was a still, crystal-clear white wine colour and very dry. When I first tried it I thought it was going to take the skin off my teeth! But perseverance is a great thing, and I did get used to it, although it was always to be treated with the utmost respect.
I don't know how strong it was, and I don't suppose Arthur did either!
Arthur had a small market garden and also bred turkeys. Many local boys and men worked just before Christmas killing and plucking, and my elder brother was one. His tales were enough to convince me that the job was not for me!
One of the rituals at turkey time was the drinking of Arthur's homemade cider. He had a big old press and I think he had about ten barrels, all full and waiting to be tapped in rotation.
The cider itself was a still, crystal-clear white wine colour and very dry. When I first tried it I thought it was going to take the skin off my teeth! But perseverance is a great thing, and I did get used to it, although it was always to be treated with the utmost respect.
I don't know how strong it was, and I don't suppose Arthur did either!
Added by Peter Cooper on 27 January 2022
My mother was a private nurse here in about 1935. Her patient was a lady in her 70s who lived with her mother who was in her mid-90s.
What were their names? My mother did tell me but I have forgotten.
My mother died in 2015, aged 105!
What were their names? My mother did tell me but I have forgotten.
My mother died in 2015, aged 105!
Added by Marian Townsend on 06 June 2023