HN10/356/DB7

Notes made by H. Trustram Eve of J.R. Eve & Son, surveyors and valuers of 2 St. Paul's Square, Bedford... 'to accompany case for opinion of counsel': - Duke of Bedford is owner of Chenies Estate through which runs a trout stream known as the 'Chess'. - Duke is owner of the land on both sides, except where Mr. Clutterbuck is owner. - The stream is carefully preserved for fishing and is full of fine trout, the fishing being retained by His grace for himself and his friends but none of it is let to a third party. - The land is let to agricultural tenants on both side of the stream. - I attended the assessment committee in support of the notice of objection and took up the ground that the assessment was contrary to law. - Some little time ago, His grace objected to the assessment of the woods when the whole Union was valued by Messrs. Michael Faraday & Rodgers and I acted on that occasion and succeeded in getting a very considerable reduction which the Assessment Committee are very sore about. - When the Union valuation was made this assessment stood at £30 gross and £25 rateable and nothing has transpired since to increase its value to £200 gross and £100 rateable. - If the stream throughout the Parish of Chenies is a 'hereditament' and capable of separate beneficial occupation by His Grace, then I fear that the Assessment Committee are right and under the Agricultural Rates Act 1896 it would be rated at full rates because it is not land within the definition of that Act. - The total length of the stream is about 2 1/2 miles so that the price works out at £40 per mile, but in working our this mileage rate, it must borne in mind that the Parish Boundary extends to the middle of the stream in certain cases which amounts to about 22 chains and the other half of the stream should be assessed to the adjoining Parish, although in fact it is not.

19 Sep 1907

From: 1907 To: 1907

item

Eve, Herbert Trustram,
Clutterbuck, Thomas,
Faraday, Michael,
Faraday & Rodgers

J.R. & Son Eve, River Chess, streams, fishing, fishing rights, trout, Agricultural Rates Act 1896