Star Orchard (tm 68)
This is an ongoing research project. Star Orchard sits to the East of Saxham Street on the corner of the junction with Debenham/Dedman Lane. It seems to have been sometimes referred to as Star House or cottage
Historically its nearest neighbours were Fir Tree Farm (The Firs), Stowupland Town Farm and Doles farm.
Now its nearest neighbour is Sweet Apples.
From the tithe apportionments of 1840 the owner was John Stedman, and the occupier of the house and garden (1r 38p) was Edmund Robinson. Edmund was also named as the occupier of an adjacent garden (tm 69 of 1r 16p). Whilst the road piece (tm 67 of 7p) was owned and occupied by John Stedman
In 1844 following the death of John Stedman the freehold of the property was to be sold by auction. It was a double tenement occupied by Edmund Robinson and George Alexander. It was offered with 3 pieces of arable land totalling 9 acres.
In 1979 the property was advetised for sale at £7,600
The Diss Express, 3rd December 1937 announced the wedding of Eva Wilson of Star House, Saxham Street to Mr Frank Charles Crack from stowmarket. It explained that Eva was the adopted daughter of Mr & Mrs A Green.
1927 the funeral of Emma Forsdike, (b 1861 in Onehouse) wife of Mr Frederick Forsdike ( b 1861 in Stowupland) of Star Cottage. Frederick was a horseman on a farm .
By 1901 they had 7 children: Maude (b 1881), Charles (b. 1883), Cyril (b. 1887 worked as a cattleman), Blanche (b.1891), Elsie (b. 1895), Martha (b. 1899) and Gertrude (b. 1901).
In 1911 theirson Charles (b 1883) is still living at home in Saxham Street).
In the tithe record was this tm 51 (Bogs Field), home to Mary Clarke et al.
The house is thought to date from the 17 cnetury or earlier,being one storey with attics. It has a thatched roof and ‘axial chimney of early C17 or late C16 buff narrow bricks but its front elevation is described as having ‘false mid C20 half timbering.’
