Reference
HT1/17
Title
Leases of Property in Well Street, Bedford, belonging to the Parish of St. Paul, Bedford, leased to the Trustees of the Bedford Charity from 1841 - 1871
Date free text
1782 - 1841
Production date
From: 1782 To: 1841
Scope and Content
Note: This property, together with other houses in the Market Square, Mill Street, Silver Street, Castle Lane, and elsewhere in Bedford, belonged to the Churchwardens of St. Paul's, Bedford, and the income from rents etc. was applied towards the repair of the Church. Presumably these properties were given to the Church in mediaeval times, and consequently there are no title deeds. The 1708 glebe terrier (ABE 2) states that ''The deeds are not to be found, but the Right is indisputable by the enjoyment & possession for a course of many years if not ages'', and that ''The leases are in the Churchwardens Chest''. There are terriers for St. Paul's parish for the years 1708, 1724, 1749, 1822 and 1828, and the details relating to the Well Street property are as follows: (FAC35/3)
1708 an house in Well Street held by James Dockerill, Weaver, one pound ten shillings a year.
1724 The Donations given towards ye repairs of ye Church are certain little houses, ye rents whereof amount in whole as given in by ye Churchwardens to fourteen pounds nine shillings & six pence.
1749 [no details]
1822 There are several small houses given as donations towards the repair of the Church, the rents whereof in the whole amount to thirteen pounds nine shillings
1828 ... an annual Rent of five pounds for a House and Garden let on Lease for seven years to John Frohock in Well Street, expires in 1833.
The parish records of St. Paul, Bedford, also include leases and other papers concerning the Well Street property which cover the period 1782 to 1908, and the relevant items are abstracted within this series
Level of description
series