The Wiseman family first appear in 1609 at West Hall, where the late William Wiseman of Great Baddow bequeathed the Lordship, Manor and West Hall to his son and heir, William Wiseman.
William Wiseman has long been considered an ancestor of the later Wiseman family of Paglesham. The 1671 Hearth Tax includes the names William and John, possibly children of William Wiseman of Great Baddow, so it is possible the Wiseman’s were living in Paglesham at that time.
The Chase was originally known as Marine Cottage. The house was lived in by James Wiseman (1800 to 1851) and his wife Ruth Foster Turner (1793 to 1862).
After the death of James Wiseman, Ruth continued the oyster business and then upon her death in 1862 left it to their son James Foster Turner Wiseman (JFTW) and daughter Jane Wiseman.
JFTW spent a great deal of money making many improvements on the house and by 1860 it was extensively enlarged. It was then called Paglesham Chase.
James Wiseman was largely responsible for much of the building and road changes in the village. His wealth was generated from the oyster beds and he also farmed 700 acres in Stambridge and 600 acres in Paglesham at South Hall, Stannetts and land around East End.
In 1863 the valuation of the farm and cottages amounted to £5,330, an enormous sum in those times. The land was valued at £60.00 an acre, so was actually only worth £40.00. The cottages were tumbling down, and not worth much, plus there was a large outstanding mortgage of £400.00. Despite this, James continued spending and improving the house including spending £1,200 – £1,500 on furniture alone. His cousin, Fred Wiseman, often wondered where the money came from to support the lavish lifestyle and expenditure.
Changes and improvements included;
• 1864 brick walls and greenhouses built
• 1867 a WC was built in the house, had a high-header tank placed on top of the house to supply a huge fountain on the lawn in front of the drawing room window
• 1868 he removed the barns, outbuildings etc, and replanted an orchard and shrubbery. Until 1940 there was an orchard behind the cottage and stables and a nuttery in the big hayfield
• 1869 he built 8 new cottages, known as Boarded Row
• 1870 he enlarged the kitchen and built an upstairs room over the scullery for a nursery
• 1871 he built a stable block (Waterside Farm) for 6 horses and was contemplating building 6 or 8 cottages in the field going down to Well House, known as Shop Row
• 1872 he built a brick wall across the cottage garden in line with his fence, and at right angles to give privacy to the garden. This also helped to keep his sheep from escaping
• 1873 James drove a carriage and four (a four horse pulled carriage)
• 1873 the cottages near Waterside Gate (cottages near Marsh House) were pulled down to make a new road costing £400.00
• By 1883 the church was in poor repair, and the two churchwardens, James Foster Turner Wiseman and Zachery Pettit took charge to restore the roof, with new stonework on the windows and repair of the tower. Money came from subscriptions and donations, but the majority was paid by Wiseman and Pettit. The cost totalling £1,240. Their initials, JFTW and ZP were cut into the weathervane, which is kept in the church
• By 1903 The Chase had 9 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and a billiard room. The gardens were extensive, including a fountain, kitchen garden, glasshouses, stables with a harness room and a coachman’s cottage
JFTW was a renowned sportsman and considered one of the best in Essex. He hunted over South East Essex, played for Milton Hall Cricket Club against an all-England XI. Shooting was his passion and he would spend one to two months away in Holland. He would often send his yacht across, and travel by rail or steamboat. He shot all over the local area, mainly birds, most of which are now protected today. There was a rookery at The Chase, and there were Rook Shoots on 12 May and after, when the young were leaving their nests. He pursued a large hawk for three years, before he finally shot it, but it turned out to be a Peregrine falcon. He claimed to have shot 6,679 birds and animals between 1853 to 1871. In October 1872 he shot a Glossy Ibis, that he then had stuffed; later being sold with other items in 1891.
He took up painting at age 50, and was said to be a fairly accomplished artist. He was a keen writer, having some poems and books published, with some etchings. He wrote ‘The Paglesham Oyster’ in 1870 and other fictional stories. He contributed to the historical ‘Isoline; A Tale of Hadleigh Castle’ – 85 pages long. He wrote ‘A legend of Paglesham’ referring to the hollow ‘Smugglers’ Elm’s which stood at Pound Pond until the 1970s.
“ …. Three pollard elms are still standing
When there climb up one, and look down its cavernous trunk,
Or descend if a man of good mettle and spunk,
You may – mind I don’t say you will
– chance to find
Some “Schnapps” or cigars, left by
smugglers behind,
If you don’t ‘tis no matter – go then without fail
Some half-mile on to the pub – Plough and Sail”
JFTW married Annie Clark and had 8 children. She died in 1889, and by then James was not well himself. He decided to leave Paglesham and let the house to Arthur Nicholls in 1890. He sold many of his possessions in 1891, including 5,000 books, prints and original sets of Hogarths, Constable, Van Dyck and Lely paintings, plus a substantial cellar of wine. James left for Nottingham and remarried and had another son. He died there in 1903, aged 67 years.
By this time he owned most of the land and village, having built 3 rows of cottages.
He was buried in Paglesham churchyard.
The whole estate was sold off in 1903, mostly purchased by Arthur Nicholls, who owned it up to 1948. During the Second World War, the house suffered severe bomb damage, and many repairs had to be undertaken to the roof, chimney stacks, internal walls, outbuildings, the stables, chauffeur’s cottage and garages.
In 1945 Arthur Nicholls had leased the house to Mr Ingram, who owned Airborn Industries, and The Chase was made into a residential hotel and country club.
An advert describing the merits of the hotel include ‘The Chase sitting in the middle of 55 acres of its own farmland, encompassed by 6 acres of its own pleasure gardens and orchards’. There were 11 bedrooms, bathroom, hall, reception office, a comfortable lounge, dining room and restaurant. Excellent domestic accommodation, and a well-stocked library. There was “Smokey Joe’s “ described as an intriguing cellar bar, with oyster bar and where a game of darts could be enjoyed.
However, by 1948 the house went to auction, consisting of the residential hotel, grounds, cottage and outbuildings, 7 acres and with vacant possession of 26 freehold cottages and a freehold agricultural holding.
Plans to convert the estate into two private dwellings followed. Mr Derrick Wood, a local prominent Councillor and his wife Daphne, and Mr David William Jennings shared the property.
During these years the wine cellar became well-known as a jazz club, where local musician Digby Fairweather would practice there, and in the summer room with other jazz players. There are paintings on the walls of musicians, still visible today.
Mr John Osborne, a local well-known artist also lived at The Chase.
Sadly, the house was struck by lightning in 1980 and reduced to a shell.
Rebuilding started again and today the house is back as it started, a beautiful private family home with acreage, ornamental ponds and extensive gardens.
