Ashwell Road Land to South - Steeple Morden History

Ashwell Road Land to the South

This is the block of land on the south side of Ashwell Road, bounded by Station Road on the east, a large arable field now Briers Farms Ltd. (previously St John’s College) on the south and the West Brook (boundary with Guilden Morden) on the west and, of course, Ashwell Road on the north.

Until the Enclosure of the open field lands, which began in 1807 and was completed finally in 1816, all this land was comprised of strips of arable land split between many different owners and lying in what was known as Church Field. At Enclosure these strips were combined together and the fields newly created were allotted to owners to replace the strips and other rights lost. Just three owners shared the allotments on this block of land.

Allotment to Sarah Janeway

15a 2r 12p in Church Field freehold, in lieu of freehold open field lands. Adjoining north Ashwell Road, east Odsey Way Road, south and east allotment to Pearce Janeway, south allotment to Thomas Pain, west Guilden Morden.

Allotments to Pearce Janeway

1a 0r 36p in Church Field copyhold of Rectory Manor, in lieu of copyhold land and right of common. Adjoining north allotment to Sarah Janeway, east Odsey Way Road, south allotment to Pearce Janeway, west allotment to Sarah Janeway.

0a 3r 3p in Church Field copyhold of Steeple Morden Manor, in lieu of copyhold open field land. Adjoining north allotment to Pearce Janeway, east Odsey Way Road, south allotment to Thomas Pain, west allotment to Sarah Janeway.

Allotments to Thomas Pain

9a 2r 9p in Church Field freehold, in lieu of freehold open field lands and rights of common. Adjoining north allotments to Pearce Janeway and Sarah Janeway, east Odsey Way Road, south allotment to Thomas Pain, south and west Guilden Morden.

4a 0r 13p in Church Field copyhold of Steeple Morden Manor, in lieu of copyhold open field lands. Adjoining north allotment to Thomas Pain, east Odsey Way Road, south allotment to St John’s College, west Guilden Morden

Enclosure Map 1816

North is at the top and unfortunately the text on the map is configured the opposite way. A rotated copy is below, plus a larger copy of this image

Tithe Map 1839

Owners and occupiers with extent of land added to map. Cottages erected since Enclosure owned by William Pain, later known as the New Housen

Land immediately south of Ashwell Road as lotted for Mabbott's Sale 1841

With names of purchasers and prices paid

Tithe Map as revised in 1927

Note that the plots are unchanged from the Mabbott Sale in 1841, except that E K & H Fordham have sold a small plot from their holding to Melbourn RDC for the erection of 4 Council Houses. They sold a another plot to South Cambridgeshire Rural District Council on 11 June 1947 for a further 4 Council Houses.

PAGE IN COURSE OF PREPARATION

THIS IS AN EXTRACT FROM A TRANSCRIPT OF THE 1841 SALE PARTICULARS AND BELOW IS A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT

Auction Sale on behalf of the Trustees of John Mabbott (died 1825)
Held by Cockett and Nash of Royston on 29 June 1841 at The Bell Public House, Steeple Morden

Lots 1 and 2 are Two Trees in Hay Street and what was then associated adjoining land, Lot 3 is the plot of land on the corner of North Brook End and Bogs Gap, which today accommodates Ringdale and four other houses, Lots 4 to 8 are a block of land running the entire south-side of Ashwell Road, adjoining Station Road on the east, sub-divided for sale.

Names of Purchasers and prices paid are manuscript notations on the Particulars (this is the auctioneer’s sale copy.

Mr Titchmarsh was buying as agent for William Elbourn.

Lot 4 Part of an Allotment of Highly Valuable Arable Land

In Mill Field: bounded by the road from Morden to Ashwell, north; and the road from Morden to Odsey, East; containing, by admeasurement 4a 0r 0p
Freehold Apportioned Land-tax [blank]
Sold to Mr Cooper for £280

Lot 5 Another Plot of the Same Allotment
Bounded by the road to Ashwell, north; containing, by admeasurement 4a 0r 0p
The Purchaser is to make and maintain the fence next Lot 4
Freehold Apportioned Land-tax [blank]
Sold to Titchmarsh for £290

Lot 6 Another Plot of the Same Allotment
Containing, by admeasurement 4a 0r 0p
The Purchaser is to make and maintain the fence next Lot 5
Freehold Apportioned land-tax [blank]
Sold to Kitchiner for £250

Lot 7 Another Plot of the Same Allotment
Containing, by admeasurement 3a 2r 12p
The Purchaser to make and maintain the fence next Lot 6
Sold to Wm Pain for £200

Lot 8 A Plot of Land
Having its frontage next the Odsey Road; by admeasurement 1a 3r 39p
1a 0r 36p is Copyhold of the Rectory Manor; the remainder is Copyhold of Steeple Morden, Browis and Odsey
Land-tax [blank] Quit-rent [blank] The Purchaser is to make and maintain the fences, north and west
Sold to Christmas for £75

Conditions of Sale [Edited Excerpt as to Title]
11 The vendor shall not be obliged to deduce or deliver any title to Lot 8 earlier than the surrender of William Bray Theobalds, in 1801, and the purchaser of Lot 2 shall accept the title of that lot, as deduced through the late Mr Joseph Dickason, and his Trustees; and require no other conveyance, but a surrender from the said trustees.

Click here to view the full transcript of the sale particulars

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