“There was a Poor House,
Froyle, (Workhouse Cottages), in 1806, and now called Brecklands.
Meetings of the Overseers were held alternately at the Hen &
Chicken and Anchor, and occasionally at the Poor House. The Poor
House was converted to cottages in about 1835. Several meetings
were held at the Checkers, (or Chequers), at Well.” (Tom Knight 1933)
“A substantial red brick
Poor House was built in Lower Froyle in 1806. It was converted
to cottages in 1835 when Froyle, with 20 other parishes, came
into the Alton Union. Until recently they were known as Workhouse
Cottages, but the name has been changed to Brecklands. When a
Poor House the Overseers of the Poor met here in turn with the
Hen & Chicken and the Anchor.” (Froyle
W.I.Scrapbook 1952)
However, according to “Hampshire
Treasures Survey”, published by Hampshire County Council
in 1982, things are slightly different:-
“Brecklands, Lower Froyle.
Two storeys. Red brick with brick cornice. Hipped tiled roof.
Casement windows. Originally a Workhouse until Alton Workhouse
was built in 1793.”
 This would date it before 1793 -
more research is needed. We are certain it was there in 1814
as the first edition of the Ordnance Survey, dated August 14th
1814 shows the Workhouse complex.
The Tithe map of 1847 (the picture on
the right is a small extract from it) shows clearly that Workhouse
Cottages was a much bigger place than it is now with the present ‘Brecklands’ (coloured green) being the North
Wing of a much larger building. The blue coloured block could well
have been the “Workhouse
Cottages” mentioned
below. Certainly by 1871 the accomodation had been greatly reduced
in size.The Census
tells the story:-
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