The Story of Millbrook, Broadwath

It is thought Millbrook, as it is now known, was built in about 1870, as part 

of the Broadwath Estate. It was designed to house horses, agricultural 

equipment, horse feed and to provide accommodation for the farm 

ploughman The early maps suggest it was built after 1850, but before 1888, 

on land belonging to Peter Dixon.

It continued to be agricultural buildings, probably belonging to Broadwath 

Estate, until it was purchased by the Ministry of Agriculture as part of the 

Land Settlement Association. This scheme was established in 1934 during

the industrial depression. The Association was tasked by the government 

to devise and develop a scheme to help unemployed industrial workers 

become self- supporting smallholders.

The idea of land settlement in Britain was initially conceived as a means of 

providing opportunities for returning soldiers after the First World War.

However, in the 1930s it was the long-term unemployed men of special 

areas of Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland and South Wales that were

of concern.

There were many estates all over the country. Each estate had a 

headquarters – the Estate Service Depot or ESD. This was controlled by an 

estate manager, supported by an Advisory Committee of local people with

relevant knowledge and experience. For Broadwath the estate office was 

established in the cottage which had been occupied by the farm ploughman. 

The last person to occupy the post of ploughman left the job to work on the 

railways (probably in 1936). 

 

The office was part of what is now No.1 Millbrook, in the part of the 

building closest to the beck. It consisted of two rooms, each with a 

fireplace. The room nearest the beck was divided into two parts, this is 

where the land settlement tenants would come to order seed, hay, straw etc 

and to arrange for jobs to be done on their land. The principle was that the 

office would provide whatever was needed by the tenants (they had to buy 

from the office) the cost of this was added to the tenants account. When the 

crop was ready it had to be sold through the office and the revenue received 

was credited to the tenant’s account. The tenant also received a weekly 

allowance. At the end of the year the account was settled.

Part of what is now The Courtyard was a social club for the smallholders.

By 1970, the scheme had run its course and was starting to be dismantled, 

the office closed and Millbrook was abandoned. For the next few years 

local smallholder Keith Broughton used the building for pig rearing. 

Eventually the buildings were sold off for re-development to a local builder 

Mr English, who developed The Courtyard. He then sold Millbrook to 

another builder, Sam Bellingham, who in 1975 began developing 

Millbrook for housing.

No. 5 Millbrook, was completed in 1976 and sold to Graham and Jill 

Schlanker. In 1977, No. 4 was completed and bought by Jim and Lesley 

Prescott. In 1978 No. 2 was completed followed by No. 1. Sam 

Bellingham’s plan was to complete No 3 for himself, but financial 

problems meant he had to sell it.

There have been many families occupying the five properties and it would 

be interesting to know if anyone remembers their names.

If anyone has any more information or corrections to the above please 

contact Jim Prescott at No.1

Written by Jim Prescott