Edgeworth
house
This is my story
By Edgeworth House (Iona Ward – Birch)
I started life as 2 cottages that were in the grounds of Moorlands Farm on the
High Street in Arlesey. I think I was built in around 1822, but it’s such a long
time ago, and so much has changed, the exact date has slipped from my mind
and the historical records. Here are the facts of my life as I remember them…
Moorlands Farmhouse,
March 2014
In 1901 a man called Dr William John Shannon came to live in me. Dr
Shannon was born in 1860 in Loughbrickland, County Down, which is in
Ireland! He was a GP and eventually became the Chief Medical Officer
for the Biggleswade area. Dr Shannon married an American lady called
Elizabeth in 1902 and he converted the two cottages into one house and
added an impressive front façade. As a tribute to his wife, Dr Shannon
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February 2016
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added red terracotta bald eagles to the gateposts.
In 1904 Dr Shannon built stables in my garden to house his carriage.
There was also room for his groom and stable boy to live there, as well as a
hayloft above.
On the 3rd of January 1912 Dr Shannon die