Reference
S/AM74
Title
Clapham: enclosure agreement, 1667. Decree in Chancery
Plaintiffs: William Boteler, George Francklyn, William Francklyn, Charles Mordaunt, George Negus, Edward Gale, John Negus senior, Charles Stoakes, William Stoakes, Edward Islopp and Robert Tole.
Defendant: Richard Taylor, esquire
Date free text
22 Jun 1667
Production date
From: 1667 To: 1667
Scope and Content
Recites
18 May 1667: plaintiffs exhibited a Bill of Complaint v. Taylor:
they were seized of lands in Clapham, Taylor being lord of the manor; 2 parties came to an agreement re enclosure in May aforesaid, that Taylor as owner of commons, should hold and enclose Ley field and that Plaintiffs should have in lieu thereof and of their common rights therein common in the new common lying on the south side of Hall wood alias Cawdwell wood and opening into the 3 seasons of arable land in Clapham field, and that the defendant who had formerly common without number in all the commonable places of Clapham where the others had but stinted commons should be excluded from common in the new common and the other commonable places except for 3 beasts or bullocks for every 20 acres of land he should hold in the common field of Clapham; that Taylor should ditch, fence and quick from the penn next Lay field to the further side of Crow Hill next Peartree field and to make and set up 3 gates, 1 on Lay field baulk at the West Slake (?) side joining Bushy baulk, and the third at the upper end of Cookslade; and that the cottages in Clapham should have and enjoy the common lying between Clapham town and the field of Oakley by the river from Lady Day to harvest; that the farmers of Clapham should not keep their cattle there during that time, and that the plaintiffs should have common for 24 sheep and 3 beasts for every 20 acres of land in common fields; cottagers not to put cattle on the common after Lady Day until 3rd May following nor on the stubble field of Clapham until harvest is brought home; and that defendant should hold New field adjoining Echo close and also parcels between Bedford field and the town of Clapham, and in Windmill field and Woodcroft in Clapham, and that plaintiffs and cottagers should not have common in those fields; and agreed that the defendant having exchanged with several of the plaintiffs land in Peartree field for their land in Windmill field and the field between Bedford and Clapham, defendant should enjoy Windmill field and lands between Bedford field and Clapham and should enclose them, and the plaintiffs be excluded therefrom holding instead Peartree field; and also that the defendant having made other exchanges of lands in the 2 other great fields of Clapham called Gravel field and Caroll field and in New field and Woodcroft, he be permitted to enclose as before stated; and that agreement should be ratified by Court.
Defendant being lord of the manor "seemeth to decline the performance of the agreement"; court ordered ratification of the agreement.
Seal on tag, 3 fragments, 2 loose fragments
Level of description
item