Badgers - former Foxley Farm House
Scroll down to find out more. Click on images or Home to return back.
1901 Ordnance Survey Map
The entrance to Foxley Farmyard was by the side of the house up a short lane, and a barn on the other side.In 1931 the farm and the adjacent cottages were bought by E. Washer, a speculative builder. He pulled down the barn by the entrance and built Waverley . The farm buildings in the yard were converted into a bungalow without completely destroying the cow sheds. One Sunday morning at about 9.30 the bungalow caught fire and had to be rebuilt.
The cottage below is several hundred years old. The low wall in front is quite modern and the porch used to stand out over the pavement, In 1872 it was occupied by Isaac Hunter, a fisherman and expert collector of fossils. He was the younger brother of Robert, of whom were descended from a laird, who came to the neighbourhood and married a girl of humble birth, was a powerful oarsman, since his challenge to row against any man living between Westbay and Lyme was never challenged.On one occasion he is said to rowed or drifted as far as Plymouth, and on another as far as Cowes, where he was mobbed by the local fishermen and forced to bring himself and his boat back by rail. Another story is told that Isaac and Harold, his son, and Harry Hodges, after a day in West Bay, returned to Charmouth in a rowing boat, Isaac and Harry went to in the bottom of the boat and left Harold to do the rowing. Off Cains Folly Harold decided that he had had enough and rowed to the shore, He then shoved the boat off with the other two in the bottom and walked home, When they were mystified by the absence of Harold and were relieved to find safely at home, Isaac's history is not complete without an account of his famous dream. One stormy night in November 1872, when the rain was beating against the window he dreamt someone was interfering with his lobster pots, which were on a reef, towards Golden Cap and below Westhay Farm, The dream was so vivid that he decided to go down and investigate, but his wife sent him back to bed again. However the dream kept recurring and in spite of the wind and rain he made his way to the beach accompanied by one of his sons. Here he met the coastguard who warned it was useless for him to attempt walking along the beach, But he was determined to try and with great difficulty they managed to make their way, and as they turned round part of the cliff jutting the sea and, more or less, in the neighbourhood of his lobster pots, they saw a beaten by the waves. It was and difficult to see clearly, but they clambered up the cliff to the farm, where they woke the farmer and his men, together they managed to rescue the crew of the boat. It was a small French boat and only one hand, the cabin boy, was lost. All the crew have drowned if Isaac had not come to rescue. In gratitude they presented with a silver watch with the following inscription: "In memory of his gallant conduct in saving the lives of three French sailors wrecked at Westhay on the night of 24th November, 1872." The next cottage is equally old, The ceiling in the back room is low and supported by ancient oak and an oven was discovered under the modern staircase. It is an old farm and at one a dairy let to two brothers,who lived at Lamberts Castle. At another time it was a beer house. A carrier Pidgeon was accustomed to stop here on his way from Honiton to Dorchester for a drink. His granddaughter Bessie Goslin, the wife of Harry Stamp. Curiously enough there was another carrier living this time named William Pidgeon, who died in 1875 aged 50, but no relation. He worked between Axminster and Charmouth and his stable on the Axminster Road opposite Lilly Farm, His family lived in Lyme Hill and his wife in the operation on Joe Taylor. In 1930 the cottage was occupied by Sirl, who paid 5/- a week and sub-let the front room to the local Commissioner of Births and Deaths for 2/6. In 1931 it purchased by Edward Washer when Foxley Farm sold, During the 1939-45 War it was owned by H. Brocklehurst, a retired engineer, who added the entrance porch and gave it the name "Badgers". Until 1968 it was a bookshop called Badgers Bookshop
