Sea Horse House (Gresham House). Higher Sea Lane.Charmouth

The Lane was originally called "Rockett's Lane". One of the first names in the Church Register is that of Solomon Rockett, son of Thomas, who was baptised in 1664.Mary Rockett who died in 1742 is the last of the family mentioned.  It would seem that the family lived in a property which could well be the one referred to in the reference book to a lost map of the village which shows that in 1783, William Lock has a cottage with 16 perches of land in Rocket Lane. In 1796 the land, south of Charmouth House was described as being "waste of Charmouth Manor" and on it was a cottage and two garden plots called "Thomas' Plot". The cottage had been erected by William Locke - a labourer. The deeds of the house record that Locke sold it to Uriah Dare of Wootton Fitzpaine for £42, subject to an annual rent of I/- to the Lord of the Manor, on 6th. February 1796.
On 25th March 1801 the Rev. John Lucy of Charlecote, Warwick, purchased from Uriah Dare a close of meadow called "Thomas`s Plot" with the dwelling house and offices lately built thereon by Uriah Dare for £1,000. Also Uriah Dare agreed to build before 29th.September next a stable of four stalls, coach house for two carriages and pig house for two pigs. In default of finishing the said stables on or before 29th.September Uriah Dare agreed to pay £500.
The Rev.J.Lucy sold the property, then called " Sea House" to John Robins of Clerkenwell, Middlesex for £1,000. Miss Robins and her sister (no doubt daughters of John) inherited it and in turn left it to their nephew James Robert Spiller. He sold it in August 1883 to Henry Dyne who conveyed it to Walter Salisbury - a ware­house apprentice - of Gresham Street London.
Salisbury had married on 31st.March 1877 Elizabeth Holly - daughter of George Holly, who ran the Coach and Horses and later owned the adjacent Charmouth House which he ran as a Hotel. The name of the house was changed to "Gresham House" as Salisbury had come from Gresham Street. For many years they ran a boarding house called "Sea Horse Hotel". The entrance to the yard used to be in the west wall opposite "Victoria Cottage"
The 1891 Census shows Elizabeth Salisbury, aged 39, living there as a Lodging House Keeper. She is living with her brother, George Holly who is described as a gardener. Both have spent their lives in the village. The house is substantial with 9 rooms. The Census 20 years later reveals them both still living at Gresham House