TO Hurworth, where our attention is drawn to Strawberry Cottage, on the easternmost edge of the village. It was until recently surrounded by farm out-buildings, but those now appear to have cleared and rumours are circulating about what may be its next chapter.

We’d love to know more about one-storey Strawberry Cottage with its attractive arched windows. On Darlington’s listed building schedule, where it is a Grade II, it is described as “an early 19th Century ornamental cottage”.

For many decades it belonged to the Crisp family of market gardeners, whose forefather, John, came up from Malvern, Worcestershire, in the 1840s to be a gentleman’s servant at the Old Hall, on Hurworth Green. As he improved himself, he moved into Strawberry Cottage, married his own servant’s twin sister and had 11 children, many of whom went to work in the gardens and greenhouses which stretched right down to Neasham.

The Northern Echo: ORNAMENTAL ARCHES: Strawberry Cottage at the east of Hurworth dates from the early 19th Century

ORNAMENTAL ARCHES: Strawberry Cottage at the east of Hurworth dates from the early 19th Century

Much of the produce was sold on Darlington and Stockton markets. To reach Stockton market was a two-day job. The afternoon before the market saw the cart loaded and hauled by the horses up Neasham bank (or Dibdale Road). They were so exhausted that the cart was parked overnight, the horses were taken back to Strawberry Cottage for a sleep and the journey to market was resumed the following morning.

In the 1950s, one of the Crisps liked to refresh himself plentifully in the pubs around Darlington Market Place at the end of a day’s trading. He would then tumble intoxicated into his cart. Feeling him land, his horse would set off on auto-pilot and safely deliver him back to Strawberry Cottage.

Are there any other tales we should know about?