400 years of history at Northycote Farm and Country Park

Underhill Lane, Bushbury, Wolverhampton  WV10 7JF

Over many years, Alex Chatwin, a member of The Friends of Northycote Farm a local historian, has researched the history of the Parish of Bushbury and its inhabitants.

In 1991 he turned his attention to Northycote Farm, built about 1600, which has seen extensive renovations.  He set himself the task of finding out all he could about the house and the people who had lived there.  He discovered it had been the home of a Catholic branch of the Underhill family until 1791, so for the first 200 years its history was largely that of the Underhill family.  It proved a very difficult task, as Catholic baptisms and marriages were not recorded in the Bushbury Parish register, as presumably they took place either in their own home, or in a concealed chapel.  Records were not kept at that time as there was much persecution of Catholics.

Since their inception in 1993, the Friends of Northycote Farm have been aware of the need for a history booklet.

• The above extract was taken from the booklet "Northycote Farm and Country Park - 400 Years of History".  The booklet can be purchased for £1 from the Farm.