The History of Elm Tree House, Wendlebury (Oxfordshire)

Elm Tree House, situated on Church Lane in the village of Wendlebury near Bicester, was built circa the early 17th century. It was officially recognised as a Grade II listed building in the 1980's.

In 1892, George Castle - a local auctioneer - hosted a sale of 'household furniture and effects' which had belonged to the recently deceased owner of the property, a Mrs Ann Tanner. Shortly after the auction, an advert appeared in the Bicester Herald newspaper:

"TO LET: At Wendlebury, Bicester, ELM TREE HOUSE containing six rooms, stable and coach-house with garden."

After further research, it transpires that Mrs Tanner was born as Ann Foster in the village in 1818 - the daughter of Richard King Foster and Ann Tredwell. She married John Tanner in 1847, and they went on to have at least 7 children. Ann lived in the village her entire life, and was buried just up the road from Elm Tree House in the cemetery of the church, in January 1892.

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