Gerbestone – The home of Lloyd & Griselda Fox
The following is an excerpt from a booklet about Gerbestone Manor written by Griselda Fox; the full booklet can be found here.
IN 1924 WE BOUGHT GERBESTONE. It was indeed an adventure, but one which has proved invaluable to us and all our family, and although my husband, Lloyd Howard Fox, had lived all his life in the area of Wellington, Somerset, he had never explored the narrow lane leading down to this farm house, for it was then just a farm house, much of which was in ruins. It stood in the middle of an orchard with chicken-houses and wash-houses in its courtyard and except for the mullion windows and the porch on its eastern front, at first glance it had little to link its old stone walls with its architectural interest or the history of the families that had lived here. This farm was for sale, so as we were looking for somewhere to live away from the railway we explored Gerbestone Manor and immediately fell in love with it, its position looking up at the Blackdown Hills and its peaceful charm. The chance of restoring it appealed to us immediately, so two days later, with the help of Lloyd’s father, we bought it and realised how very lucky we were. We then set to work to restore it with the help of our architect — Hubert Lidbetter..