L31/290

Vellum bound Account-book. Household, garden etc.

1707-1709

From: 1706 To: 1709

At front: 'Mr Nevile begun this book and ended 23 Aug. 1707.' '23 Aug.1707 Jn. Allen took the house account (I entered the 2 Feb. before)', followed by various calculations as to his service, the last 31 yrs., 2 Feb. 1737/8. (Nevile) The headings usual in the latter part of 289 continue; i.e., regular ones (the weekly bill, the garden bill); and special ones, indicating work being done at the moment in grounds or house. Levelling from the hill continues (9,12,15,19,31,34,37) and in the walks (156). Gravel is carried (61) and laid in the walks (7,12,23,154,156,159); and there are palisades in the front walk (46), also work in Highpasture walk (154) The areas referred to are much the same; a wall is pulled down in Chapel Garden (163); 'the piers' (where?) are pulled down, and a foundation laid for the pedestals (13,156) and for the stone piers in the great garden (20). Old park is occasionally mentioned (160), and there is much work in new orchard from Nov. 1706 to March 1707 (103-51,207). Work in the nursery continues (38,41,45,61). There are some mentions of the warren (e.g.53, 55, 63), and the walks to it are planted with quick (140). There is also the wilderness (68,72,151), which appears to be by the millpond; other work by the millpond (75,83,154,161,164,167). The summer house (171) is wainscotted (174). The waterhouse (181-223); the melonry for orange trees (181); Thos. Bishop made the town gates (7,13, 16,20,39); rails are planed for the terrace (69); wall (191); posts, rails, palisades (69,79). Water is still causing work. Little canals are made for my lady's ducks (7,10,12,16,19,23,27), apparently by the new orchard (79), see also 69,80. Sluices for the new canals are mentioned (29,31) and bridges (33). The brook is scoured (216,220). There are various references to drains: in the new orchard (118); in Lime Walk (149) - the great drain; and there are brick drains across the walks (137,139,143). There are troughs in connection with the spring, horsepond, millpond and great canal (171). Planting of trees continues (99,103,108,111,123,130,134,137,139); on p.108 the place is given as Cainho hill. The trees are bushed (68,72,75) and fenced (e.g. 123,134); and watered (183); perhaps the watercarts (167) are for this. Roots are stocked on Cainho hill (14,18,22) and in old park (160), 1706. House: some examples are: new closet (69,72); hanging the furnace in the kitchen (69); dressers & shelves in kitchen (70); pulling down brewhouse (76-81); setting up frames for the brewing vessels (80); building a chimney and hanging the great copper (81); new brewhouse (84-106). The post seems to come or go Sun., Wed., Fri. (47). (Allen) For the household Allen's method is much the same: that is, he has a weekly detailed entry called 'the house bill', in which as before the butcher's bill appears as a single inclusive item; then some wages (with v.brief vertical entry of what the men were doing), e.g. 'these with the teams' '3 a-mowing', '38 haymaking', sometimes even 'several matters'; thus it is much more difficult to see what is going on in the park; finally he has a section 'Money paid as followeth'- items of interest usually seem to come here. The fiddler is paid 2s.6d. by my lady's order (363).

380 pages

Badly damp damaged, handle with extreme care.

item

Lucas,
Nevile, William,
Bishop, Thomas,
Allen, John,
Crew, Jemima,
Grey, Jemima

household accounts, Vellum, general gardens, books, gravel, private chapels, other aspects building trade, gardening, stone, private parks, orchard, market gardening nurseries, warrens, flora, MILLS, ponds, summer house, water, private buildings & land, oranges, trees, canal, ducks, general bridges, brooks, general drainage, springs, horses, fencing, carts, brewhouses, chimneys, postal service, butcher, estate wages, mowing, hay, musicians, Wrest, Wrest Park, Cainhoe