A little history Swan House being situated on an important medieval crossroads, the main road from Hereford to Worcester, it occupied an important site in the centre of the village. It was known in the 1787 Land Tax assessment as The Swan, where the proprietor was the Widow Hodges, so there is a possibility that it was once a cider house - our investigations are continuing! English Heritage states that Swan House probably dates from the late 17th century and could have been remodelled from brick and timber on a stone base. The lower room, now called the Cider Store, could be centuries older. According to the census over the centuries it was a farm, bakers, shoemakers, shop and post office. A fascinating connection with World War 1 hero Harold Joyner and the infamous incident of the E13 submarine in Danish neutral waters just adds further interest. Prior to our arrival, Swan House had just closed from being the village shop, bakery and post office but the rest of the house had remained unoccupied for over 30 years. With no water, drainage and pre-war electricity it was very sad but sound and the moment we saw it we knew that it was the place for us! Years and years of hard work later we’re very happy to welcome you to our home. Taken from the ancient local rhyme Lusty Tarrington, lively Stoke, |