The History of Hartsfield Manor.

 

Hartsfield Manor was built in the 1860's by Arthur Woodriff Jaffray as a family home.

While Hartsfield was being built he rented Betchworth House in the village but unfortunately died in 1864 before the house was completed. He left a young widow who later gave birth to his daughter Mary Arthur Jaffrey. Although it has not been possible to discover the exact date of Hartsfield's completion, we know that by 1874 the house was  occupied by Arthur Jaffrey's widow and her new husband, Captain James Gordon Moir.

The Moirs had six children, three of whom remained in the village and were known by many Betchworth villagers.

 

An extract from the memoirs of Mr James Young, a coal merchant from Betchworth reads: Hartsfield Manor was beautifully kept with the lake clean for swimming and bathing. I can remember seeing two young men diving away from Hartsfield they had a dog cart with tandem horses, they were the Princes of the Teck family, brothers of Queen Mary.

One happy memory of Hartsfield was of the coachman's daughter, who was thought to be the prettiest girl in the village.

 

Mrs Higford was succeeded by the Lloyds who moved to Hartsfield from Broome Park. Then life here was terminated by the second world War and the house was taken over by the Canadian Army and was used as a hospital. After the war it was run for a time as a hotel and later was bought by Midland Bank as a staff training College. Internally many changes were made and several buildings were added.

 

The Venue