Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 1/32

09/02/2008 Robert Hill. The use of capital letters has been minimised. Money is given in the form £/s./d. (pounds/shillings/pence) or s./d. where 12d. = 1s. & 20s. = £1.

Seagrave history 1760-1825

Setting the scene for the Seagrave enclosures of 1761.

Seagrave, in Leicestershire, is an exclusively agricultural parish of about 2500 acres lying about ten miles north of Leicester and bounded on the east side by the A46 Fosse Road. The manor boundary was probably co-incident with the parish boundary, as is usual. The manor boundary defined the civil jurisdiction of the manorial court leet; the parish boundary was ecclesiastical. Seagrave village lies near the irregular southern tip of the parish boundary (against Sileby parish). This southern tip, south of Swan Street and Butchers Lane, encloses a 100 acre block of land which seems to have anciently belonged to the lord of the manor and was part of his freehold farm (estimated as about 350 acres in 1353). The 100 acres was until recently known as Hall Farm, the name being a good indication that it was once the lord’s farm. Stephen de Segrave (d.1241) was probably the last lord of the manor to live in Seagrave until 1684. He held the lord’s farm and the manor. He controlled all the copyhold land through his local manorial court and inherited much of the freehold land from his father. He bought all the remaining freehold land in the manor (& parish), possibly to assist communal farming, and the family holding was still intact when John de Segrave died in 1353. From him the manor descended to the lords Berkeley by 1506. Leicester Abbey, overlord of two thirds of the manor from 1140, was dissolved in 1538. By 1594, there were numerous land ownerships in the parish. In 1684, George lord Berkeley sold the manor (lordship) & advowson to John Rogers, rector of Seagrave. In 1704, John Rogers sold the manor to Henry Dison. In 1720, Leonard Fosbrooke bought the manor (lordship) and 531 acres of fragmented lands in Seagrave from the heirs of Henry Dison and c.1750 increased his landholdings in Seagrave to about 1000 acres of mostly fragmented lands. These fragmented lands, in intermixed ownerships, were difficult to farm so, in 1760, Leonard Fosbrooke and the other landholders obtained a private Act of Parliament to enable them to surrender their intermixed lands and redistribute them in whole blocks. Anciently the rector received (as tithes) 10% of everything that was produced in the parish. In Seagrave the payment of tithes ceased after the enclosure awards of 1761, the church receiving one eighth part (12.5%) of all the land which was subject to tithes, as specified in the Seagrave enclosure act of 1760.

The Open fields before enclosure. Before 1761, Seagrave had five large open fields (without hedges or fences) to the west, east and north of the village and, further north, there were areas of permanent grazing known as the Watering Leys, the Slobbs, and the Hills, and further north, the Gorse, the Woulds, and the Plain. Two brooks run southwards through the parish, the Berry brook to the west of Berrycot Lane and Whisty brook well to the west of Fosse Road. The Berry brook meets the Whisty brook on the east side of the village and they continue south through Sileby parish as Sileby brook. Fishpool brook, which seems to be referred to as Walton brook in the documents, runs along the NW parish boundary where the Brink field adjoined Walton parish. There is no pre-enclosure map which shows the location of the open fields but the individual descriptions in the Seagrave enclosure awards of 1761 provide a clear picture of the situation at that time, as shown in the plan below. The Over field was to the north of the village with Berry brook as its east boundary, the line of Muckhill Lane as its west boundary, and the Gorse and Watering Leys to the north. The Brink field occupied all the land to the west of the village, and to the west of the Over field, as far as the parish boundary. The Ansley field lay to the NE of the village with Berry Brook as its west boundary, Whisty brook as its east boundary, and the Slobbs to the north. The Nether field Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 2/32 lay to the east of the village with Whisty brook as its west boundary, Sileby parish as its SW boundary, the Fosse Way as its east boundary, and the Hills as its north boundary.

The open fields were mainly arable and were farmed communally by the tenants of the manor. These open fields were divided into furlongs and each furlong divided into strips of an acre or less, there being thousands of strips and pieces as shown by a 1661 schedule, a 1718 schedule, and the various glebe terriers. The furlongs and strips were anciently laid out in a way which would drain the land (good drainage was essential for growing grain crops) and provide access for the plough teams. Each strip required a headland (a hade) at each end where the plough team could turn. Sometimes the headlands were also ploughed (after the strips had been ploughed) but a Seagrave terrier of 1661 (see later) classes them as ley grounds suggesting that they were left for grazing. There were always areas of permanent grass within the open fields which were never ploughed (called sicks), usually because they provided access and/or drainage and were unsuitable for growing corn.1 The sicks, which amounted to a significant area of land, were usually grazed communally along with the other large areas of grass, furze, heath and wold surrounding the arable land and already named above. The amount of arable land was not fixed; sometimes grazing land was converted permanently to arable to provide more food, sometimes it was converted back. Sometimes grazing land had to be ploughed and re-sown to restore.

Inefficient farming led to the Seagrave enclosure act of 1760. Each farm consisted mainly of many small strips of arable land scattered across the open fields which were farmed communally under a highly organised system set up in Saxon times and later Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 3/32 controlled by the manorial court; which controlled crop rotations, the division of labour, the stints for common grazing, and dealt with any offences or disputes. With each man holding many scattered strips, the arable land in the open fields could not be farmed efficiently. The grazing rights over the common grass and wolds were equally complex and together these areas accounted for 90% of the parish. A further complication is that the rector was entitled to 10% of everything that was produced (tithes). The Seagrave enclosure act of 1760 sought to put all these lands into the ‘melting pot’ and redistribute them to the existing owners such that each man had sole ownership of a single area of land around which a boundary could be drawn, and the rector would be given an area of land equivalent to his tithes. The only two areas which did not require re-organisation were the 100 acre block of freehold to the south of the present Swan Street and Butchers Lane (then in the sole ownership of Leonard Fosbrooke, the lord of the manor), and the ring of the village amounting to about 70 acres. The ring of the village already consisted of single ownerships because, before 1760, all the farm houses were in the village with their adjacent gardens, orchards, farm yards, and homesteads (a homestead is a productive piece of land that helps to support the family). The cottages were also in the village. Some single ownership enclosures on the edge of the village helped define the ring of the village.

The extent of the enclosure awards in 1761. Commissioners were appointed under the 1760 Act and surveyors were engaged to measure the land and work out a plan for apportionment. All the owners surrendered their strips and pieces of land and their grazing rights, and all this land was re-allocated under the enclosure awards of 1761 to the same owners in proportion to their previous holdings. As part of this process, the tithes payable to the rector were exchanged for land at the rate of 12.5%, the rector being awarded 378 acres in lieu of his existing glebe land, his grazing rights, and his tithes. In 1679, the glebe consisted of just 48 acres of arable, 5 acres of meadow on the Oldes, a close of about one acre, and common and pasture for 12 cows and 120 sheep.2

The commissioners appointed under the Seagrave enclosure act of 1760 were required to make a plan in consultation with the various owners and produce two copies of a written document which was to be deposited. The written document can be divided into three parts; (1) an explanation (see appendix 19); (2) a detailed statement of the amount of land awarded to each owner, where it was located, and which land or road was adjacent to it on each side (this is re- arranged as a table in appendix 20 and in the summary table below); and (3) a detailed statement about fences between the allotments, new public and private roads and ways, a new public water supply for cattle & animals, and apportionment of the costs (see appendix 21).

Seagrave enclosure awards map The boundaries that were laid out in 1761 soon became permanently marked with fences, hedges and ditches, changing the appearance of the old open fields towards what we see today. The field boundaries that were created in 1761 are therefore recorded on the 1884 Ordnance Survey. From the comprehensive information provided in part (2) of the Seagrave enclosure awards, it has been possible to re-construct a Seagrave enclosure awards map based on the 1884 Ordnance Survey (see appendix 17) and also a map of the open fields before enclosure (appendix 18). All the enclosure awards fit together extremely well with no spare or missing pieces.

The Seagrave enclosure awards dealt with 2230 acres of the total 2515 acres for the whole parish (as surveyed in 1884) for the same boundary.3 By estimate from the 1884 Ordnance Survey, the ring of the village was about 70 acres in 1761, the unitary block of lord’s farm was about 100 acres, and the roads were about 88 acres (total 2490 acres). The 88 acres for roads is the calculated amount for 1761 based on specified or estimated widths and lengths. The area of the roads is given as 63 acres in 1884; the difference may equate to the wide verges on two new Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 4/32 roads (see later). New rights of way had to be established (some public, some private) in order to give owners proper access to their land but none of these new ways were within the ring of the village. The Seagrave enclosure awards caused many ancient public sources of water to be left on private land, so a new watering pond was established by the roadside to the east of the village. Wide new verges were established alongside the roads to Walton and Thrussington to provide income from grazing; this income to help the poor of the parish and maintain the roads. A completely new road was established to Sileby (the c.1758 Sileby enclosure commissioners working map shows this superimposed across the existing field strips in Sileby parish) but only a short section of that new road is within Seagrave parish.

The 1760 Seagrave enclosure act. Enclosure was authorised by an act of Parliament in 1760 entitled ‘An act for dividing and inclosing several open fields, meadows, and commons, within the lordship and liberty of Seagrave, in the county of Leicester’.4 The following paraphrased notes will convey the essential elements.

Whereas within the lordship, township, or liberty of Seagrave there are several open fields and meadows known as the Brink field, Ansley field, Over field, and Nether field and the several commons called the Hills, the Playne, the Woulds, the Gorse, the Slobbs, and the Watering Leys. And whereas Leonard Fosbrooke esq. is lord of the manor of Seagrave and the reverend Richard Benskin is patron to and present rector of the rectory and parish church of Seagrave and in right of the said rectory is entitled to certain glebe lands lying with the said fields and meadows of Seagrave and also to all the rectorial and vicarial tithes arising within the said fields and commons [as already named], except to the tithes of hay arising from certain pieces of ground lying dispersed in the open fields called hades [headlands where the plough was turned] and slades [a term not found in other Seagrave documents] and for which hades & slades a rate of 3d per yardland [about 30 acres] has for time immemorial been paid to the rector in lieu of tithe-hay, and also of a certain piece of meadow anciently laid out in satisfaction for the tithes of hay arising in the Woulds meadow. May it be enacted that commissioners [named] be appointed and the fields surveyed to make a plan by survey and measurement and reduce the plan to writing in which the number of acres, roods and perches belonging to each and every proprietor is stated, which survey, measurement and plan shall be delivered to the said commissioners before 5th November 1760 or as soon after as convenient. Leonard Fosbrooke to be awarded a piece of land in lieu of his right to the soil of the several commons. By 5th August 1761, to allot to Richard Benskin and his successors as rectors so much land as the commissioners shall judge to be equal in value to one full eighth part of the whole lands and grounds within the said manor or lordship, the said meadow already laid out in lieu of tithe-hay being reckoned as part of the said eighth part, and such further land as is equal in value to the present glebe lands and the horse-gates, cow-gates, and sheep-commons belonging thereto [i.e. to the glebe lands]. The commissioners to set out roads, bridges, fords, causeways, sluices, cuts, drains, banks, and, likewise, such private ways, hedges, fences, bridges, fords, sluices, cuts, drains, banks, ditches, gates, and stiles in through or upon the said fields meadows and commons, but so that the public roads from Walton lordship through Seagrave to Thrussington lordship shall not be less than 40 yards in width. After making such new roads and ways it shall not be lawful for any person to use other roads or ways. The herbage and pasturage which shall grow on any part of the public roads to be vested in the commissioners on trust that one half benefit the poor of the parish who have no land (to be apportioned by a public meeting of freeholders) and the residue [other half] towards repair of the roads as directed by such of the surveyor(s) of the highways and the constable, church wardens, and overseers of the poor of Seagrave who shall attend a public meeting. Gates to be erected for keeping the half parts of the herbage separate. A book of accounts to be kept. Lammas or field closes may be kept by their existing owners if they have sufficient land allocation. And whereas there are several cottages standing upon the waste or common ground belonging to Leonard Fosbrooke and there are several small parcels of ground adjoining thereto, it shall and may be lawful for the said Leonard Fosbrooke to hold and enjoy the several cottages and lands adjoining Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 5/32

and these shall henceforth be deemed and taken as his freehold provided always that the said pieces of land shall not be deemed part of the lands to be allotted to him [i.e. the cottages & land are to be regarded as within the village]. Hedges and fences to be installed within 18 months and kept in good repair by the owners who the commissioners make responsible for them. The lord of the manor may cut timber within 6 months. Fallow fields to be ploughed as stated. Proprietors may borrow money to inclose. The expenses of this Act to be apportioned. Ring fences for the rector to be paid for by the landowners. Right of soil in the public roads to be vested in the lord of the manor.

Summary of Seagrave enclosure awards, 1761.5 Surname First name Title Item(s) Acres Notes [by author] Addleton Sarah 24 13 Benskin Richard rector 2-5 378 Browne William 36-39 56 Brownsword William 25-30 53 Brownsord Joseph 31-35 39 Chamberlain John, of 40-42 67 [Later of Seagrave (d.1784) Langar gent.] Chamberlain John, of 43-45 54 [his nephew, of Redhill, Ratcliffe Redhill on Soar.] Draycott Anthony 46-47 50 Feoffees* of Loughborough, The 64-65 62 Fisher Thomas 19-20. 53 Fosbrooke Leonard lord of the 1 10.4 for his right to the soil of the manor several Commons. Fosbrooke do. do. 6-11 466.8 for his lands under Settlement. Fosbrooke do. do. 12-18 384.25 for his late purchased lands. Gilbert Henry 48 57 Goodacre Francis 49-51 64 Groom John 52-54 19 Grundy John 62 32 Hallam John 56 22 Hand James 71 1.3 Hawley Robert 55 28 Hubbard William 72 0.4 Johnson Thomas 57-61 28 Kilby John 63 36 Lockwood Thomas 69 1.5 Mason Michael 66 33 North William 67 2.5 Parish Clerk, the 77 1 Smith Edward 69 1.4 Stableford William 68 0.3 Simpson John 70 4.3 Walton, the proprietors of, 78 1 Warner Ann 73 6.3 Warner Thomas 75-76 73 Wildbore John 74 12 Woodroffe John 21-23 119 Total 2229.5 Leonard Fosbrooke of Shardlow was thus awarded a total of 861.4 acres. *The Feoffees of Loughborough were the elected townsmen of Loughborough, also known as the Bridgemasters, who ran the town of Loughborough and in this case held charity lands in Seagrave which were given by John Hickling of Loughborough under his will dated 15 July 1677 - see Seagrave charities for more information.6 Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 6/32

An indication of the place of abode of those listed above may be obtained from the 1741 Poll Book list given in part 1, and the 1775 Poll Book list given below.

The 1760 Seagrave enclosure act and the 1761 Seagrave enclosure awards dealt only with intermixed lands (the strips of arable land in the open fields) and common grazing rights in the wolds beyond them, i.e. the Hills, the Plain, the Wolds, the Gorse, the Slobbs, and the Watering Leys as named in the Act. The Act did not deal with the freeholds within the ring of the village nor the 100 acre block of freehold to the south of the village (once part of the medieval lord’s farm) because these freeholds were in sole ownership.

In June 1761, Leonard Fosbrooke borrowed £1000 from Ann Alt (d.1783) of Loughborough, widow, to cover most of his enclosure award expenses, this sum being secured on items 6-11 in the table above, described in the Seagrave enclosure awards as lands awarded in lieu of his ‘lands under Settlement’, this 467 acres being in lieu of the 531 acres purchased by Leonard Fosbrooke in 1720 and first put into trust by him in 1724 as a marriage settlement.7 The mortgage from Ann Alt was repaid in 1798 to Ann Borrow of Derby, executrix of Ann Alt.8

The effect of the Seagrave enclosure awards In addition to the change in landscape through the planting of hedges for enclosing the new allotments, the Seagrave enclosure awards opened the way for farm houses and farm buildings to be established beyond the ring of the village. Because the old landholders had their landholdings, however large, in scattered strips in the open fields intermixed with the strips of other landowners, there is no reliable link between land ownerships before and after 1761 for any land outside the ring of the village (except the 100 acre block) even if the records seem to indicate one. The old strips were so small and numerous (in 1661 one holding of 121 acres had 474 pieces) that they were simply referred to by the name of the furlong (a large block of strips within a particular open field), or the adjacent sick (access), or any other adjacent neighbour or nearby landmark.9 Where the same name occurs in a land holding before and after 1761, it means more-or-less the same place but does not mean the same adjacent strips because the adjacent strips were in many different ownerships before 1761. The owners each knew where their numerous strips lay. A few parishes have surviving plans showing the location and ownership of such strips but there is no evidence that Seagrave had such a plan. Evidence of the old ‘ridge & furrow’ can still be seen in some fields. Because of the effects of the Seagrave enclosure awards, the history of the land to the west, north and east of the village has to be viewed as either before or after 1761.

Manorial court, rents and services were continued. The introduction (part 1) of the 1761 Seagrave enclosure awards states that Leonard Fosbrooke and his heirs would continue to enjoy all rents, services and courts, perquisites and profits of courts, and all other royalties and privileges, incident to the manor or lordship (see appendix 19). After the enclosures of 1761, Leonard Fosbrooke, lord of the manor, continued to hold his manorial court, which the freeholders and other inhabitants continued to attend. There are surviving court records for the period 1803-21, covered later.

1766. Estates inherited by Leonard Fosbrooke under his father’s will. The following schedule is extracted from the 1766 marriage settlement between Leonard Fosbrooke and Ann Winstanley and is a list of all the estates inherited for life by Leonard Fosbrooke (d.1801) from his father Leonard Fosbrooke (d.1762), being mainly freehold estates in Derbyshire & Leicestershire but also one leasehold estate and one copyhold estate.10 This shows the extent of Shardlow Hall, the main Fosbrooke home, and the premises at Ravenstone where Leonard Fosbrooke (d.1801) first lived with his wife Ann (d.1814). Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 7/32

1766 table A. The Schedule or particular whereunto the deed above written or hereunto annexed refers containing an account of all the freehold, leasehold and copyhold estates of the late Leonard Fosbrooke esquire deceased (except as in the said deed is excepted). Of what such estates consist The tenants names Rents p.a. £ s d Freehold estate at Shardlow in the county of Derby House and farm Leonard Fosbrooke esq. 121 0 0 A paddock ditto 36 0 0 A house and farm William Lown 63 0 0 A house and close Joseph Johnson 6 14 0 The like Joseph Johnson junior 6 0 0 A farm Robert Stone 19 4 0 A close William Bradbury 6 10 0 A house and land widow Simpkin 11 10 0 The like John Turner 12 0 0 The like John Simpkin 6 0 0 A close Tho. Hickinbotham 13 10 0 And 18 small cottages (total rents about) 4 0 0

Freehold estate at Aston in the county of Derby A house and farm William Wild 60 0 0

Freehold estate at Wilne in the county of Derby A house and farm widow Harrison 31 0 0 The like Thomas Berkin 21 8 0 A close John Chambers 13 10 0

Freehold estate at Castle Donington in the county of Leicester Land Thomas Trussell 6 0 0 ? land [stained] John Bakewell 4 16 0 A house and farm Bakewell & Trussell 50 0 0 A house and land John Hewball 6 0 0 Land Rev. Mr. John Dalby 3 0 0 Land George Brookes 9 10 0 A house and land Thomas Glover 3 10 0 A house Robert Radford 2 0 0 The like James Hodgson 3 10 0 The like Austin Martin 2 0 0 The like Thomas Sutton 3 0 0 The like Samuel Fallows 2 0 0 Land John Dole 2 0 0 The like Joseph Button 0 15 0 A house Thomas Stevenson 1 10 0 Land John Calladine 5 7 6 The like Thomas Toplis 1 5 0

Freehold estate at Diseworth in the county of Leicester A farm John Kirk 20 0 0 Arable land Joseph Stermer 11 0 0 The like John Tomlins 4 5 0 Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 8/32

Freehold estate at Seagrave in the county of Leicester Land William Hall 8 0 0 A house and farm James Wood 106 0 0 The like William Brex 70 0 0 A farm Thomas Rowe 19 8 0 A house and farm Thomas Harrison 18 10 0 The like Stephen Preston 21 0 0 The like Charles Wakelin 8 16 0 The like William Hubbert 2 0 0 The like William Boulter 5 0 0 Land Thomas Ward 14 15 0 A house Richard Burbage 4 0 0 [total] 277 9 0

Freehold at Raunston alias Ravenston in the counties of Leicester & Derby. The Manor house with the outhouses, Leonard Fosbrooke esq. 30 0 0 stables, gardens, courts, grove, orchard, fish ponds. House and farm Elizabeth Hextall 199 9 0 The like John Fielding 19 0 0 The like John Deakin 17 5 0 The like Thomas Pratt 85 7 6 The like Thomas Dobson 32 14 0 A house and land Joseph Swain 7 10 0 The like widow Jones 2 10 0 The like Joseph Turner 6 0 0 House and farm John Orton 38 0 0 The like Henry Burton 21 0 0 House and land William Osborne 18 0 0 Land John Salisbury 16 0 0 The like Thomas Varney 10 0 0 The like Richard Woodhouse 6 0 0 And 18 cottages (total rents about) 6 5 0

Leasehold estate at Diseworth in the county of Leicester House and farm John Kirk 40 10 0 House hall close & land Robert Lowter 26 0 0

Copyhold estate at Draycott in Derbyshire House & new inclosed farm Thomas Jowett 60 0 0 House & new inclosed land Thomas Boot 12 0 0 The like Thomas Walthers 3 0 0

Incomplete picture. The above table does not give a complete list of the Fosbrooke estates, as will be seen below. In 1766 Leonard Fosbrooke settled a jointure of £200 p.a. for life out of all the above premises to his wife Ann, and he also settled on her, at the same time, two farms in Seagrave in the table below.11 The farm listed below occupied by Matthew Whatoffe is not among those listed in 1766 table A (above), and the farm listed below occupied by William Hall at £88 p.a. is not the land listed above at £8 p.a. The Seagrave premises in both tables do not seem to account for all the Fosbrooke premises in Seagrave. The quantities are not stated in the table above and the rent per Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 9/32 acre for the two farms below is very different, but applying the lower rate below (£0.55/acre) to the Seagrave rent of £277 in 1766 table A (above) produces a crude estimate of only 500 acres for the Seagrave premises in 1766 table A. The whole Fosbrooke estate in Seagrave was 1000 acres in 1761 and the same in 1794 as shown later. There is further evidence (below) that the two 1766 tables do not include all the Fosbrooke premises in Seagrave.

1766 table B. Further Seagrave premises settled on Ann Fosbrooke.12 Matthew Whatoff, rent £110 p.a. a. r. p. Messuage Sow Furlong 14 0 9 Callis Close (ancient inclosure) 3 1 14 Little Barrows (ancient inclosure) 11 2 23 Corn Close (ancient inclosure) 8 3 20 Sow Furlong Close 3 1 35 Brink Close 10 2 10 Fatling Sick Close & Barrow Road 9 3 37 Walton Brook & Fatling Sick Close 9 0 0 Barrow Road to Walton Brook 34 0 0 Another 52 0 0 Another 32 2 9 Lord of the Manor's piece 10 1 28 Total area 199 3 25

William Hall, rent £88 p.a. a. r. p. Messuage Tompson Leys (ancient inclosure) 5 0 23 Lamb Close (ancient inclosure) 6 0 4 Hen Park (ancient inclosure) 3 3 0 Rough Close (ancient inclosure) 8 0 31 Near Sileby Brook Close 15 2 10 Far Sileby Brook Close 31 3 20 Barrow Meer Close & Muckhill Lamas Close 59 1 0 Total area 129 3 8

1768: Three farms in Seagrave to secure annuities to Henry Fosbrooke of Hoton. On 28 May 1768, Leonard Fosbrooke (d.1801) of Ravenstone, *Derbys., granted to John Davys the younger of Loughborough, in trust to secure an annuity of £40 to his brother Henry Fosbrooke of Hoton & Henry’s wife Ann, a farmhouse & farm in Seagrave occupied by James Wood at the rent of £108 p.a.13 This farm is listed in 1766 table A above. *The parish of Ravenstone was in the counties of Leicester & Derby in 1771 & 1871 but is now in Leics.14

On 15 June 1768, Leonard Fosbrooke of Ravenstone, Derbys., granted to his brother Henry Fosbrooke of Hoton for life, for securing annuities of £60 and £100 devised to Henry by their father’s will, a farmhouse & farm in Seagrave in the tenure of Matthew Whatoffe at a yearly rent of £110 and another farmhouse & farm in Seagrave in the tenure of Anthony Draycott the younger at a yearly rent of £108.15 The former is listed in 1766 table B, the latter is not listed in either of the 1766 tables.

1775: Seagrave landholders entitled to vote. Two surviving Leicestershire Poll books for 1775 list people owning land in the county and therefore entitled to vote, even if they lived outside the county. This is a useful indicator of the place of abode of the landowners listed in the 1761 Seagrave enclosure awards. The ‘red’ book Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 10/32 for 1775 has 26 names and gives the useful information in the table below. The other (green) volume by a different publisher has only 19 names and is just a list of names.

1775: Seagrave landowners in the Leics. Poll Book (red cover) p. 37.16 Freeholders Name Place of Abode description in whose tenure. Benskin, John, Cl[erk] Seagrave house & land his own, &c. Brownsword, William Seagrave house & land his own. Caunt, Richard Dalby on the Woulds land his own. Chamberlain, William Mountsorrel house & land Anthony Draycott. Chamberlain, John Seagrave land William Richards. Chamberlain, George Seagrave two houses & land his own, &c. Clare, James Seagrave land Thomas Johnson. Cradock, William, Gent. Loughborough land John Tomlinson. Draycott, Anthony Seagrave house & land his own. Fisher, Thomas, esq. Ravenston land ..... Marshall. Fosbrooke, Leonard, Shardlow, Derbyshire land Matthew Whatoff. esq. Goodacre, Francis Seagrave house & land his own. Groom, John Seagrave house & land his own. Hallam, George Croxton Kerrial land Jonathan Monk. Hand, James Ruddington, Notts. house & *land Robert Mills. Harriman, John Seagrave house & land his own. Hawley, Robert Bunney, Notts. land his own. Johnson, Thomas Seagrave house & land his own. Mason, Steward Walton on the Wolds land his own. North, William Seagrave house & land his own. Sharp, Richard Seagrave houses & land his own, &c. Sharp,Thomas Seagrave land his own. Simpson, John Seagrave house & land his own. Smith, John Hoby land John Harriman. Warner, Thomas Seagrave house & land his own. Wright, William Normanton on the house & land George Besson. Woulds

1786: Fosbrooke in cash crisis & threatened with arrest for debt.17 Under his father’s will, Leonard Fosbrooke (1735-1801) was ‘tenant for life’ of most of the family estate and therefore unable to freely sell land, much of which was in any case charged with mortgages, outstanding legacies or marriage settlements. By 10 March 1786 Leonard Fosbrooke had evidently been defaulting on interest payments for some time because a number of creditors had got together and were contemplating having him arrested. As noted earlier, this Leonard Fosbrooke’s father had wealthy John Gamble imprisoned for mortgage default c.1740. It is possible that Leonard Fosbrooke borrowed money to develop facilities at Shardlow after the Trent & Mersey canal was completed to Preston Lock in 1777. This completed the link between the ports of Liverpool on the NW coast and Hull on the NE coast and as a result Shardlow became an inland port and warehousing centre. In 1781, the ‘Cavendish Bridge Navigation’ was advertised for sale by Leonard Fosbrooke in the Derby Mercury; this included the extensive wharf and warehouses of the Cavendish Bridge Boat Co. at Shardlow, 4 houses, a smiths shop, a warehouses at Derby, another warehouse at Birmingham, land at Castle Donington, 6 Trent boats and 10 canal boats.18

In 1786, the creditors of Leonard Fosbrooke approved, and insisted on implementation, of Fosbrooke’s following proposal. He proposed to convey all the real estate which he held in fee simple (freehold) in Derbyshire & Leicestershire, except the Mansion House and 14 acres at Shardlow, to Clement Winstanley & Francis Hurt in trust to sell it to pay off certain debts in a specified order of priority.19 He also proposed to empower Clement Winstanley and Francis Hurt Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 11/32 to receive all the rents from the real estate that he held for life, in trust to pay firstly the interest due on the freehold properties intended to be sold, secondly £100 p.a. to Mrs. Fosbrooke (his mother, then apparently living at Kegworth or Keyworth) and £500 p.a. to himself, and lastly to repay debts in a specified priority. The following premises in Seagrave were among those which Leonard Fosbrooke held as tenant for life:

All those several Messuages Farms Closes Land & Premises with the appurtenances in Seagrave and then in the possession of the several persons hereinafter named as tenant thereof to the said Leonard Fosbrooke (that is to say) George Backwell [Bakewell], John Draycott, William Oldershaw, William Richards, Thomas Cooper, William Brex, Henry & Samuel Hulse, Thomas Rew, Thomas Harrison, John Simpson, Stephen Preston, William Boulton, William Addleton, Richard Sharpe, and John Boss their assigns or undertenants together with all outhouses edifices etc.

Leonard Fosbrooke moved to Chester. On 29 April 1794, the same Leonard Fosbrooke, formerly of Ravenstone, Derbys., but now of the city of Chester, granted to John Davys of Loughborough (in trust to secure the combined annuity of £160 devised to Henry by their father’s will) the farmhouse & farm in Seagrave in the tenure of James Wood at a yearly rent of £180.20 A deed of 5 May 1794 (see below) includes a messuage & 156 acres occupied by John Huss, formerly by James Wood, and another farm of 228 acres that had been in the tenure of Matthew Whatoffe (see table below). These quantities suggest some re-organisation of the farms.

1794: Fosbrooke land & dwellings at Seagrave.21 Tenant former tenant description a. r. p. dwellings George Bakewell Matthew farm & house 228 3 35 1 Whatoffe John Draycott farm & house 162 3 34 1 John Huss James Wood farm & house 155 3 34 1 William Richards William Henson farm & house 108 1 17 1 William Breaux farm & house 136 1 19 1 [Brex] Thomas Cooper Thomas Ward house & closes 23 0 22 1 Thomas Harrison house & closes 22 2 38 1 Stephen Preston house & closes 28 1 38 1 William Boulter house & closes 3 3 30 1 John Boss Wm. Addleton house & crofts 2 0 0 1 Henry & Sam. Hulse land at Walton Road 52 0 0 Thomas Row land from Barrow 48 1 32 Road to Walton Brook John Kendall John Simpson land 27 0 1 Richard Sharpe house 1 Ann Dennis Ann Hawkins house 1 various as below cottages 11 Total land area 1000 1 20 23

1794: Fosbrooke owned 23 dwellings & 38 acres in the village. 22 A deed dated 5 May 1794 lists various farm houses, lands, and cottages in Seagrave owned by Leonard Fosbrooke but gives brief details only as shown in the table below. To simplify the table, the names of those who occupied the 11 cottages are: John Lewin, John Wakelin the elder, John Wakelin the younger, William North the younger, William Benskin, Sarah Glover, John Green, Nathaniel Cox, Thomas Turner, John Harriman, & John Smith.23 The total land area of 1000 acres tells us that Fosbrooke owned 38 acres in the ring of the village Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 12/32 (about half the village) because he was awarded 862 acres in 1761 and owned the 100 acre block of lord’s farm and various property in the village; and the land tax assessments do not show any change in tax paid (44% of total) between 1773 & 1799.

1794: Fosbrooke estates re-organised. The purpose of the deed of 5 May 1794, inrolled in H.M. Court of King’s Bench, was to re- organise the extensive Fosbrooke estates (in Derbyshire & Leicestershire) by ending all tails male and remainders; making three common recoveries in the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster; and granting the Seagrave estate (listed in the table above) to the use of Leonard Fosbrooke the elder (d.1801) for his life, then to Ann his wife (d.1814) to secure £400 a year for her life, then to the use of Leonard Fosbrooke (b.1773, d.1830) the younger forever.24 Parts of the re-organised estates thereby freed from incumbrances (but not Seagrave) were to be used to repay mortgages and debts which had caused some cash flow problems in 1786. From the monies raised by the trustees, the £1000 borrowed from Ann Alt of Loughborough in 1761 towards enclosure award expenses was repaid in 1798 to her executrix Ann Borrow of Derby.25

Land tax redeemed 1799. Leonard Fosbrooke paid 44% of the total Seagrave land tax from 1773, the earliest year available. The land tax payable by Leonard Fosbrooke from 1780 onwards was £26/14s./4d. p.a. and the total land tax for Seagrave parish from 1780 onwards was £60 p.a. Redemption or purchase of land tax was authorised by Act of Parliament for the purpose of reducing the national debt. On 3 July 1799, Leonard Fosbrooke contracted to redeem the land tax on his estate by purchase of 16 lots of £61/14s./6d. Bank of England 3% Annuities, at specific dates between 1799 & 1803, to be transferred to the ‘Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt at the Bank of England’. 26 The total payments amount to £979/12s./2d. in Bank of England 3% Annuities, which in cash terms represents about 36 years purchase. The document confirms that the Fosbrooke estate was about 1000 acres in 1799. From the land tax records, we can be sure that the estate remained the same size (1000 acres) between 1773 & 1799. After the land tax was redeemed, the tax that would otherwise have been due continued to be stated by the assessors at the same amount as previously, but we know that the size of the estate reduced to 860 acres by 1813. Therefore, after redemption, the sum assessed should be taken as that applicable at redemption, not as a true current land tax assessment.

1799: Tenants on L. Fosbrooke’s Seagrave estate. 27 Leonard Fosbrooke’s contract for redeeming his land tax confirms that his estate in Seagrave was about 1000 acres in 1799 and it lists the tenants as John Draycott, George Bakewell, Thomas Sharpe, William Richards, Thomas Cooper, John Brex, Henry Hulse, Michael Mason, Thomas Row, Thomas Harrison, Joseph Collinton, Stephen Preston, William Boulton, John Boss, Richard Sharpe, Ann Dennis and others (re-arranged below in A-Z order):

Bakewell, George Hulse, Henry Boss, John Mason, Michael Boulton, William Preston, Stephen Brex, John Richards, William Collinton, Joseph Row, Thomas Cooper, Thomas Sharpe, Richard Dennis, Ann Sharpe, Thomas Draycott, John and others. Harrison, Thomas

Manor of Seagrave, courts held 1803-21 The lord of the manor held a local court at least once a year for the purpose of collecting the ancient freehold rents, electing local officials and dealing with any offences or disputes. These Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 13/32 courts were of medieval origin and one of the more important tasks was to record any changes of copyhold ownerships in the court rolls or books. In Seagrave, copyhold ownerships probably ceased at the enclosure awards of 1761, together with the need to agree and organise how the dispersed strips in the open fields would be farmed. Seagrave court documents have survived for the years 1803-21. Typical examples of the court notice and court minutes are given below for the year 1808.

1808 Seagrave court, notice to bailiff.28 Manor of Seagrave in the County of Leicester with its Members.

To Thomas Sharpe, bailiff of the said Manor.

These are to authorize and require you forthwith to give Notice to all those who owe suit and service at the Court Leet and Court Baron of Leonard Fosbrooke Esquire, Lord of the said Manor that the said Court will be held by Adjournment on Saturday the twenty first day of May Instant at the Hour of Ten in the fournoon [forenoon] of the same day at the House of Widow Cooper in Seagrave aforesaid. You are likewise to give Notice to the proper Officers to bring in a suit Roll fairly written of the Names of all the Inhabitants resiant [resident] within the said Manor And to the several Officers to bring in their Bills of Presentments, you are likewise to impannel or summon 24 or more sufficient Inhabitants within the said Manor to serve on the Jury And have you there this Precept Hereof fail not Given under my Hand and Seal the seventh day of May One thousand eight Hundred and eight. John Harrison, Steward there.

1808 Seagrave court minutes.29 Manor of Seagrave with its Members in the County of Leicester.

The View of Frank Pledge with the grand court baron of Leonard Fosbrook Esquire Lord of the said Manor held by adjournment at the house of widow Cooper in Seagrave aforesaid on Saturday the twenty first day of May One thousand eight hundred and Eight Before John Harrison, Steward there.

The Names of the Jury Anthony Draycott Junr. Foreman sw[orn] Edward Wells, Stephen Preston, Wm. Orton, John Pettifor, John Tomlinson, William Sharpe, Thos. Johnson, George Bakewell, William Wild, Wm. Ward, Thomas Betts, John Bakewell (all sworn).

We appoint Francis Goodacre to be constable for the year ensuing sw[orn]. We appoint William Orton to be Head borough for the year ensuing sw[orn]. We lay a pain of ten shillings upon Mr. Edw. Wells that he remove his Garden Wall against the High Road to range in a straight Line with the adjoining Fences - Paid. We lay a pain of five shillings upon David Monk that he remove his Garden Fence against the High Way to range in straight Line with a Stake or mark placed by us this day. Memorandum that Mr. Thos. Johnson one of the Jury paid an Acknowledgment of two pence which he agreed to pay as penalty for his permission to continue the Garden in front of the House belonging to him and occupied by his mother Ann Johnson against the Public Highway and he hereby recognises the Right of the Jury at any future Court to take away the same and also the barn standing on the same. We confirm all Pains and Bye Laws made at any Preceding Court. [The document is or appears to be signed by each of the Jury in the same order that their names appear above.]

The Notices of Court for the years 1803-1821 were all sent to the bailiff by John Harrison of Derby, steward of the manor.30 They were sent to Thomas Sharpe (butcher) as bailiff of the manor 1803-1817 and to Thomas Betts as bailiff 1818-1821. In 1810 Mr. Harrison’s covering letter sent with the Notice said that Rent Day would not be until Wednesday 23 May as he had to go to London and would not return before then, and that messrs. Bakewell should meet him at Mr. Fosbrooke’s house by 10 o’clock on that morning. The courts were held at the house of widow Cooper until 1815, and from 1816 at the White Swan Inn, the home of Richard Sharpe.

Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 14/32 List of inhabitants 1803-21 A list of freeholders and the rents they paid is given in appendix 23A (this also notes the changes 1804-21). A comprehensive A-Z name index for the court jury & other inhabitants summoned to the manorial court over the years 1803-21 will be found in appendix 23B.

1811 auction of the Fosbrooke estate at Seagrave A series of adverts appeared in the Leicester Journal from 15 March to 3 May 1811. The first set of adverts, from 15 March to 12 April, similar to that below, offered the Fosbrooke estate for sale by private contract, stating that the tenants were all under notice to quit at Lady Day next and that a plan of the estate could be seen at the solicitors’ office in Derby. The following advert, giving notice of an auction, was published 19 April to 3 May 1811.

Leicestershire Manor and Estate To be sold by auction, by Mr. Shaw (in ten lots). At the Three Crowns Inn, in Leicester, on Wednesday the 8th day of May next, precisely at Twelve o’clock at noon, (unless disposed of in the meantime by private contract) subject to such conditions as will be then produced. The Manor or Lordship of Seagrave, in the County of Leicester, with the chief rents and perquisites appertaining thereto, And a most desirable and very valuable Freehold Estate, situate within the Manor and Parish of Seagrave aforesaid, consisting of sundry Farm Houses, cottages, and upwards of 1000 acres of arable meadow and pasture land, divided into convenient Farms and let to respectable Tenants at will. The estate is moderately rated to the poor, is tythe free, and the land tax thereof is redeemed. It is well adapted for the preservation of game, is near to excellent coal and lime, and is situate in the centre of the Leicestershire Hunt; within six miles of the town of Loughborough, 8 of Leicester, 9 of Melton, and 15 of Nottingham Mr. Thomas Sharpe, of Seagrave, Butcher (one of the Tenants) will show the Estate; and a plan thereof may be immediately seen, and printed particulars of the several lots, [&] other information had at the office of Messrs. Harrison and Radford, Solicitors, in Derby, who are authorized to treat for the sale by private Contract, and at the chamber of Messrs. Baxters and Martin, Furnival’s Inn, London, where a plan of the estate may also be seen after the 20th day instant - Printed particulars may be obtained at the Three Crowns Inn, in Leicester, and at the principal inns in Loughborough, Melton, and Nottingham. Derby 13 April 1811.

Seagrave landholders in 1813. A list of Seagrave landholders, taken from the land tax assessment of 1813, will be found in a later section ‘ Lands not part of the main estate 1660-1910’. Leonard Fosbrooke was included in the 1813 assessment as having ‘sundry tenants’.

Fosbrooke Estate plan of c.1810 and list of premises in 1813 compared with the 1761 enclosure award.

A plan of the Fosbrooke estate in Seagrave c.1810 (appendix 22) is almost certainly that referred to in connection with the 1811 auction.31 It includes all the lands that were allotted to Leonard Fosbrooke by the 1761 Seagrave enclosure awards (961.4 acres), plus the 100 acre block of lord’s farm, plus numerous properties and land within the ring of the village amounting to about 39 acres. The Fosbrooke estate was thus 1000 acres from c.1750 until c.1810 when the estate plan was drawn but an 1813 list of the remaining premises (see later) shows that 20 village dwellings and 139 acres of land (including 25 acres in the village) had been sold between c1810 & 1813. Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 15/32 The 1810 Fosbrooke estate plan confirms much of the re-constructed Seagrave enclosure awards map, with which there is no conflict. The c.1810 plan of the Fosbrooke estate and a separate extract of the village are given in appendices 22A & 22B.

Important notes about the c.1810 plan (appendix 22A & 22B). The following points should be noted when comparing the c.1810 Fosbrooke estate plan with the 1761 enclosure awards and the re-constructed 1761 Seagrave enclosure awards map as follows. (1) The 100 acre block of freehold land which anciently belonged to the lord of the manor, later Hall Farm, was not fragmented and therefore was not touched by the 1761 enclosure awards. On the c.1810 plan, this is pieces 71-88 & 122-124 which amount to 99 acres. (2) The ‘ring of the village’ (about 70 acres) was not touched by the 1761 enclosure awards because it consisted of dwellings and gardens, yards & closes in individual ownerships. The Fosbrooke estate included about half of the land within the ring of the village (note that pieces 142 & 143, the Connery closes, were within the ring of the village).32 (3) The plan is dated c.1810 from the peoples names on it and these are the names of Fosbrooke’s various neighbours, not his tenants. The date seems to be confirmed by the auction advert of 1811 (details above). (4) All the numbered buildings and pieces of land belonged to the Fosbrooke estate. Other dwellings which are known to exist c.1810 are not shown on the plan. (5) The plan contains all the numbers 1 to 148 and the same numbers & areas are used in the surviving estate deeds from 1813 to 1866. (6) Outside the ring of the village, all the fields shown on the plan belonged to Fosbrooke, being 861.4 acres allotted in the 1761 Seagrave enclosure awards and another 99 acres which was anciently part of the lord’s farm. Of this 960 acres, 105 acres had been sold by 1813 (being nos. 26-7, 69, 70, 125-30 & 141-8), as is evident from an 1813 list, and the numbers of these are crossed through on the c.1810 plan (see later).33 (7) Referring to the village extract, the plan shows some clusters of buildings with a single number; each of these is assumed to be a dwelling plus a farm yard or ancillary building. For a building with a number or numbers, each number appears to mean a dwelling. A numbered piece without a building appears to be a close of land without a dwelling. (8) Only 3 of the village dwellings belonged to Fosbrooke in 1813, being nos. 93, 96, & 121 amounting to 4 acres in the village. Another 3 dwellings which belonged to Fosbrooke in 1813 were on the 100 acre block of ex-lord’s farm, being nos. 85-88 amounting to 4 acres. We know from the 1794 table (above) that the Fosbrooke estate had at least 23 dwellings in 1794.34 (9) Comparing the c.1810 plan & the 1813 document, Leonard Fosbrooke sold 20 village dwellings between c.1810 & 1813 (nos. 90, 91, 94, 99-108, 110, 113, 114, & 116-120) and he also sold 8 village closes (nos. 89, 95, 97, 98, 109, 111, 141 & 142). The other numbered premises on the village plan (south of Swan Street) are considered to be part of the ex-lord’s farm, not part of the village. The smaller village premises do not have a stated land area, however, Leonard Fosbrooke owned 39 acres in the village in 1794 but only 3 properties in the village in 1813 (which then amounted to 4 only acres, being nos. 93, 96, 121). Therefore, Leonard Fosbrooke disposed of 35 acres in the village (being the 20 cottages & 8 closes mentioned) plus the 105 acres outside the village.

The plan shows Fosbrooke’s 23 village properties of 1794. The deed dated 5 May 1794 (see table above) lists 23 dwellings belonging to the Fosbrooke estate as follows: 5 farm houses & farms; 5 houses with land of 2 to 28 acres; 2 houses without land; all occupied as shown in the table; and 11 cottages occupied by John Lewin, John Wakelin the elder, John Wakelin the younger, William North the younger, William Benskin, Sarah Glover, John Green, Nathaniel Cox, Thomas Turner, John Harriman, & John Smith.35 When John Rogers, rector, bought the manor and lordship in 1684 it included ten cottages occupied by Thomas Goodacre, Katherine Smith, William Lawrence, Richard Matthews, Anne Johnson, John Hoare, Alice Cramp, Elizabeth Besson, William Clarke, and Isabel Matthews.36 It appears that Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 16/32

Leonard Fosbrooke erected more cottages. Perhaps the ‘several cottages standing upon the waste or Common ground belonging to Leonard Fosbrooke’ mentioned in the 1760 Seagrave enclosure act (see beginning of this part) were some of them. The waste or common mentioned was probably along what is now Green Lane. The c.1810 plan shows that Leonard Fosbrooke had a cluster of 8 dwellings (99-106) there but only a few properties along King Street.

Dating the plan. The c.1810 plan was dated by comparing the names on it with other records before the 1811 auction came to light. The land tax assessments list Sarah Brownsord 1807-11 and Tunnicliffe from 1809 whilst the Seagrave chief rents include Sarah Brownsord & Tunnicliffe from 1807. 37 The plan contains all the numbers 1-148 but the 1813 mortgage deed & later deeds do not, so the plan was made before 1813. Some of the ‘missing’ land in 1813 was sold in 1811.38 The church and some adjoining owners are shown on the plan but it otherwise shows only Fosbrooke premises. The plan may well have been prepared early in 1811 for the auction, but as there is no date on the plan it would be misleading to add one.

Properties crossed through on the plan There is a note below the title of the c.1810 plan which states ‘The lands through the numbers of which a pen has been drawn are not part of the Estate. J.H.’ The pieces crossed through on the c.1810 plan are (main plan) 26-7, 69, 70, 142-148, 125-129 and probably 130 (on a fold); and (village extract) 90-92, 108-116, 119, 120, 122. These crossings out are not shown in the appendices (22A & B). Some properties that were sold are not crossed through on the plan.

Comparing the 1761 Fosbrooke enclosure awards, the c.1810 plan and an 1813 deed. The 1761 Seagrave enclosure awards gives the Fosbrooke land areas by blocks of fields, not field by field. There is a very good match between these 1761 land areas and the sum of the equivalent pieces of Fosbrooke land shown on the c.1810 plan, as can be seen by comparing columns 2 & 4 in the table below. The table goes a stage further by summarising which of the Fosbrooke pieces on the plan are included in the deed of 1813 and which are not.

Comparison of the 1761 Fosbrooke awards, the c.1810 plan and an 1813 deed.39 1761 Allot- 1761 Equivalent pieces Acres on Included in Missing from ment Nos. Acres on c.1810 plan plan 1813 deed. 1813 deed 1, 11, 12, 13 300.4 11-25, 28-35, 62-3 300.2 300.2 6 1.8 70 1.75 1.75 8 57 59-61* & 64-68 61* 61* 9 130.8 48-58 131.5 131.5 10 99.3 36-47 98.5 98.5 14 21.8 26-27 20.7 20.7 15 51.25 144-148 50.7 50.7 16 67 1-10 65.9 65.9 17 25.9 126-130 24.5 24.5 18 105.75 131-140 99.75 99.75 & 125 7 7 861.4 104.6 Near village 69, 141-3 9 0 9 In the village 103, 108-112, 115- 15.25 15.25 116 In the village 39 to 93, 96, 121. 3.75 3.75 In the village balance 19 unquantified 10 10 premises as below. Lord’s farm 99.2 71-88 & 122-124 99.2 99.2 1000 999 860 139 *No. 8 in the Seagrave enclosure awards included only 75% of piece 61 & this is accounted for.

Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 17/32 The Fosbrooke estate at Seagrave was 1000 acres in 1794 (see 1794 table above) and 1799 (per the land tax redemption certificate). All the pieces whose size is shown on the c.1810 plan amount to 990 acres, so it seems that 19 pieces for which the size is unknown amount to 10 acres. The 19 numbered pieces for which the size is unknown (89, 94, 95, 97-102, 104-107, 113, 114, 117-120) were all in the village with varying amounts of land and more-or-less account for the last 10 acres. Therefore, the c.1810 plan of the Fosbrooke estate accounts for the whole 1000 acres that comprised the estate in 1794. From the table above it can be seen that the sizes stated c.1810 closely match those stated in 1761 and the Fosbrooke pieces shown on the c.1810 plan (held by Leonard Fosbrooke d.1830) are exactly the same as those allotted to his grandfather in 1761 (see the re-constructed Seagrave enclosure awards map, appendix 17).

Leonard Fosbrooke (d.1762) was allotted 861.4 acres in the 1761 enclosure awards (in lieu of all his strips in the open fields and his common rights). This 861.4 acres was nominally outside the ring of the village and the above table accounts for it (column 2). In addition, Fosbrooke had the block of freehold lord’s farm (99 acres); therefore the land he owned within the ring of the village was about 39 acres since his total holding was 1000 acres (column 2).

The ‘ring of the village’ is estimated at 70 acres as shown elsewhere. The land within the ring of the village consisted essentially of all the un-numbered pieces on the re-constructed Seagrave enclosure awards map (appendix 17A). On that basis, pieces 69 & 141-3 (9 acres) were within the ring of the village and are shown in the table as part of Fosbrooke’s 39 acres in the village (made up of 9 + 15.25 + 3.75 + 10 acres, per column 4). There is a small discrepancy ( an acre) because the various amounts are taken from different documents.

Leonard Fosbrooke (d.1830) sold 140 acres c.1811. From above, Leonard Fosbrooke owned 1000 acres in Seagrave of which about 39 acres was within the ring of the village and all his property is numbered on the c.1810 plan as items 1-148. The 1813 schedule shows that he then owned just 3 premises (nos. 93, 96,121) in the village amounting to nearly 4 acres (plus 3 or 4 dwellings on the lord’s farm).40 Leonard Fosbrooke therefore sold about 35 acres within the ring of the village (20 dwellings and 8 closes). Between the making of the plan (c.1810) and 1813, Fosbrooke sold about 105 acres outside the village (last column). Fosbrooke therefore sold about 140 acres c.1811. The pieces sold outside the village (see the c.1810 plan) were Nos. 26, 27, 70, 125-130, & 143-148 ( 105 acres). The deeds for the pieces sold are not among the Fosbrooke papers because Fosbrooke received the cash and the purchaser received the deeds. Some property was sold by public auction held at the Three Crowns Inn in Leicester on 6 May 1811, but no list has been found.41 Private deeds show that Leonard Fosbrooke sold most of these pieces to Anthony Draycott by deeds dated 7 & 8 November 1811, being pieces 26, 27, 108-111, & 141-148 (some of which were within the ring of the village); and pieces 141-148 were later bought by Edward Wells in 1839.42 The private deeds show that Fosbrooke sold 91 acres to Anthony Draycott in 1811 (for £4853 16s.), of which 71 acres was outside the ring of the village (pieces 26, 27, & 144-8) and 20 acres within (pieces 108-111 & 141-3). The balance of the 140 acres sold by Fosbrooke c.1811 is made up of pieces 125-130 (31 acres) and 15-18 acres within the village (deeds not found).

Anthony Draycott farmed 400 acres in Seagrave. In 1813 most of the 99 acres that was the lord’s farm (the 100 acre block) was occupied by Anthony Draycott, farmer, as shown in the table below. This was part of 236 acres which he farmed as a tenant to Leonard Fosbrooke (see 1824 report later). In addition he farmed 50 acres of his own, allotted to Anthony Draycott in 1761, and up to 20 acres allotted to John Chamberlain of Redhill in 1761 (Nos. 46, 47 & 43 on the re-constructed enclosure awards map). With the 91 acres that he purchased in 1811 (above), he farmed almost 400 acres in Seagrave. Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 18/32

The 1813 deed (already mentioned) is a mortgage document which transferred 857 acres (fully specified piece by piece) to secure £4000 borrowed from Catherine Stanton.43 It states ‘And all other the messuages cottages lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever of the said Leonard Fosbrooke or of any other person or persons in trust for him situate lying and being in Seagrave aforesaid or within the fields liberties precincts or territories thereof’.44 There was thus no other Fosbrooke land in Seagrave in 1813; when Leonard Fosbrooke sold his Seagrave estate to Westminster Abbey in 1825, the total land area (again identified piece by piece) was 858 acres.45

1813 distribution of parts of the former lord’s farm (later Hall Farm). 1813 Description Quantity Farmer Farmer Occupier ref. no. a. r. p. 71 Near Barrow 9 1 4 A. Draycott 72 Middle Barrow 2 1 29 A. Draycott 73 Upper Cow close 5 3 35 A. Draycott 74 Far Barrow 8 3 15 A. Draycott 75 Meadow (1) 8 0 32 A. Draycott 76 Lower Cow close 6 1 29 A. Draycott 77 Coopers meadow 4 0 31 A. Draycott 78 Meadow (2) 4 1 17 T. Sharpe 79 Coopers Park 7 0 24 A. Draycott 80 Far Pond park 4 0 26 A. Draycott 81 The Park 10 3 1 T. Sharpe 82 The Garden 0 0 27 T. Sharpe 83 Home Park 7 3 16 A. Draycott 84 Near Pond Park 5 0 34 A. Draycott 85, 86 homestead 1 0 17 W. Phipps 87 pond & road 0 0 21 A. Draycott 88 Farm house 1 3 24 A. Draycott 123 The Little Park 3 2 39 T. Sharpe 124 The Dams 5 3 2 T. Sharpe total 97 2 23 71.3.0 24.3.6 1.0.17 122 sold 1 2 11 Lords farm total 99 0 34

Fosbrooke sold the Park Leys 25 acres c.1811 On 15 October 1811, Richard Smith sold to Wm. Smith for £153/12s./4d. the freehold of the eastern part (2a. 1r. 20p.) of a close called Middle Park Leys late in the occupation of Thomas Sharpe butcher containing 5a. 3r. 20p. (piece 128 on the c.1810 plan).46 Middle Park Leys is fully described in the document as the being the middle one of three inclosed closes in the Nether field called the Park Leys allotted to Leonard Fosbrooke the grandfather (d.1762) in 1761 (allotment 17), containing 25a. 3r. 22p. It is clear from the description that pieces 128 & 129 on the c.1810 plan were one close abutting Cossington boundary and that pieces 126 & 127 were the third close abutting the Old Inclosure of Seagrave (piece 124). These three closes, said to amount to 25a. 3r. 20p. in 1761, actually amounted to 24a. 1r. 3p. in 1813. The deed says that the other (western) part of Middle Park Leys (piece 128) was owned by Richard Smith, and that piece 129* had been sold by Leonard Fosbrooke the grandson (d.1830) to William Orton. Referring to the 1884 O.S., the piece being sold was 486, which had been occupied by Thomas Sharpe butcher, and Richard Smith owned pieces 488 & 489. Note that Richard Smith above was selling the freehold of the eastern part of Middle Park Leys, all of which belonged to him. This was conveyed to him 5 days earlier by Leonard Fosbrooke by a deed titled ‘Conveyance of a close in Seagrave together with an assignment of a term of 100 years to attend to inheritance’.47 There is no need to delve into that as the effect was clearly a freehold sale. This Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 19/32

earlier deed, after a similarly full description, says that Middle Leys Close 5a.3r. 22p. was bounded on one side by the other part of the same allotment [of three closes] sold by the said Leonard Fosbrooke to John Tomlinson and on the other side by other part of the allotment [of three closes] sold to by Leonard Fosbrooke to William Orton. We know from above that William Orton owned piece 129; the deed tells us that he owned pieces 129 & 130 (which were a single close in 1761) and that John Tomlinson owned the third close, being pieces 126 & 127 on the c.1810 plan. The deed does not tell us how long previously the sales to William Orton and John Tomlinson were made. The eastern part (2a. 1r. 20p.) of Middle Park Leys was conveyed with a dwelling and part of another dwelling by William Smith of Seagrave farmer on 25 November 1811 (more details given in the document).48 *A deed dated 10 October 1811 owned by Mrs. M. Smith of Seagrave (being the lease for a year belonging to a bargain & sale of 11 October 1811) shows that Leonard Fosbrooke & others sold to William Orton, with other premises, part of Near Park Leys containing 3a. 3r. 27p. then or late occupied by Thomas Sharpe, butcher. This is piece 129 on the c.1810 Fosbrooke Estate plan. Thomas Sharpe, butcher, had thus occupied pieces 128 & 129 on the estate plan.

Under the Seagrave enclosure awards of 1761, fragmented lands in the open fields were exchanged for equivalent areas of land to be held in single ownership, after deduction of 12.5% for tithes. In the case of the Park Leys closes, the 1718 schedule lists three lammas closes (which were subject to seasonal common rights) which amount to 24 acres and are almost certainly the same Park Leys closes above; the Middle Park Leys Close Lammas (5a. 1r. 0p.) before the enclosures of 1761 evidently becoming the Middle Park Leys close (5a. 3r. 20p.) afterwards (no longer subject to common rights) and being piece 128 on the c.1810 Fosbrooke Estate plan. The ‘Dams’ (5a. 3r. 0a.) is called the ‘old’ Seagrave inclosure in the 1761 enclosure awards (referred to in item 17) and this also remained a close afterwards, being piece 124 on c.1810 plan (5a. 3r. 2p.). The three Park Leys closes were among lands in the 1761 Seagrave enclosure awards (items 12-18) which were allotted to Leonard Fosbrooke in lieu of his late purchased lands. The Park Leys are shown on the 1910 survey as 5 closes amounting to 26.5 acres but two of the pieces are re-named as Park Hill and another as Mill Close.

Chief rents from Seagrave and lands elsewhere. The 1811 auction particulars and the 1824 survey & valuation (below) refer to the manor or lordship with the several chief rents belonging to it. Chief rents were ancient freehold rents usually payable to the overlord of the manor but Stephen de Segrave (d.1241) aquired all the Seagrave freeholds and lands elsewhere and Nicholas de Segrave (d.1295) was titled baron Segrave. Chief rents remained payable (as below) for freehold premises in Seagrave and for freehold premises outside the parish but belonging to the lordship. The chief rents were evidently not extinguished by the 1761 Seagrave enclosure awards.

John de Seagrave (d.1353) had 24 tenants who held freehold land in Seagrave and paid £4/13s./1d. p.a rent and another 12 people who held freehold land ‘out of town’ (lands in other parishes but belonging to the lordship of Segrave) who paid £5/13s./4d. in rent.49 The external lands were in Burton on the Wolds, Mountsorrel, Thrussington, Hoby, Barrow upon Soar, Rearsby, Grimstone, Walton on the Wolds & Cossington. Burton Grange at Burton on the Wolds then belonged to the Abbey of Garendon and the rent due to John de Segrave (d.1353) on the carucate of land there was 24s. 8d. ‘without suit of court’ but was apparently not collected as it is not included in the total of £5/13s./4d.

The 1613 rental included £2/16s./9d. in chief rents from Seagrave freeholds and a further £4/9s./8d. in chief rents from 15 freeholders in Barrow upon Soar, Quorndon, Burton on the Wolds, Queniborough, Ratcliffe on Wreake and Rearsby.50 These were payable to lord Berkeley in 1613 but after he sold the manor to John Rogers in 1684 they became payable to the lord of the manor. Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 20/32

In 1813 (52 years after the enclosure awards) the Seagrave chief rents (see below) amounted to £2/7s./4d. p.a. and the ‘out of town’ rents amounted to about £4 and were from 29 people in connection with lands at Burton Grange in Burton on the Wolds (x1), Grimston (x 8), Rearsby (x 3), Thrussington (x 4), Queniborough (1), Quorndon (1), Barrow upon Soar (x 9), Brooksby (x 1), and Ratcliffe on the Wreake (x 1); made up of £2/8s./2d. each Michaelmas and £1/12s./9d. each Lady Day but the rent of 24s. p.a. due from Burton Grange, from which 4s. land tax was to be deducted, does not appear in the total (paid) column in that or a number of later years. 51

1813 Seagrave chief rents (re-arranged A-Z for comparison)52 Persons Names £ s. d. Benskin, John, late Thomas Betts. 2 Betts, Thomas, late Anthony Draycott, for Gilberts 4 Bishop, Samuel, late William Holling. 1 0 Brownsord, Sarah, late William Brownsword 6 Brownsord, Sarah, late William, half Lady's Land 3 Bryan, Wm., late Edward Lacey with Ann Goodacre. 9 Chamberlin, John, esq. 6 Chamberlin, John, esq., half Lady's Land 3 Clare, James, [with] Brownsword & Lacey 5 4 Collington, Joseph, late Willam Ward 2 10 Draycott, Anthony junr., Old Estate 6 Draycott, Anthony senior 6 Draycott, Anthony senior, late Leesons 6 Draycott, Anthony, late William Ward 4 Flavel, Thomas, late William Cradock's 2 6 Goodacre, Francis, late Addletons 8 Goodacre, Francis, late Ann Goodacre 6 Goodacre, Francis, late William Cradock's 8 Goodacre, Francis, with Edward Lacey 3 Hallam, George 6 Harryman, Thomas 6 Johnson, Thomas 4 Johnson, Thomas 1 Loughborough Bridge [trustees] Land by Jane Sharpe 1 Mason, Steward, late Mary [Mason] 6 Sharpe, Thomas 6 Sharpe, Thomas, late Jane Sharpe 1 Sharpe, Thomas, late Jane Sharpe 1 Sharpe, Wm., late Kilby's. 2 6 Shepherd, William, late Thomas Ward. [Now] Wm. 1 0 Phipps; Fealty & dble Chief [entry fine]* Smith, Michael, late Thomas Betts, for Conery. 6 Tomlinson, John, late William Cradock's 4 10 Tunnicliffe, Abraham, late Brown 6 8 Tunnicliffe, Abraham, late Fisher esq. 6 Warner, Sarah 1 10 Warner, Sarah, late Warner 3 6 Wells, Edward, late William North 1 4 2 7 4 *This rent is more than usual for this holding because the new tenant paid a fine on entry; he also swore fealty (service to one’s lord). Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 21/32

The 1813 list of Seagrave chief rents names 25 people holding freehold land in Seagrave (see the table above). As owners of freehold land in Seagrave, nearly all of these names appear in the 1813 land tax assessment, which is the only land tax assessment which gives place of abode. The 1813 land tax list is given in a later section ‘Other land 1660-1910’. From this, it can be seen that William Bryans lived at Dalby, John Chamberlain lived at Redhill (Notts.), James Clare lived at Sileby, Thomas Flavell lived at Loughborough, George Goodacre lived at Keyham, George Hallam lived at Croxton by Belvoir, Stewart Mason lived at Walton, and Abraham Tunnicliffe lived at Sileby. Of the two names which do not appear as landowners in the 1813 land tax assessment, Samuel Bishop appears as a tenant of George Goodacre in 1813 and the Bridge Trustees (of Loughborough) appear in all the land tax assessments to 1810.

Fosbrooke mortgages 1813 & 1816. The Fosbrooke estate in Seagrave remained unchanged from 1813 in terms of the dwellings and the pieces & quantity of land it contained, as evidenced by lists & schedules in mortgages of 1813, 1816, 1825 & 1861.53 The piece numbers in all the documents are the same as those shown on the c.1810 Fosbrooke estate plan.54 By indentures dated 3 & 4 June 1813, Leonard Fosbrooke conveyed his Seagrave estate, then organised into four farms, to Catherine Stanton of Thelwall, Cheshire, spinster, to secure a mortgage of £4000.55 Certain terms of years and an annuity, all concerned with Fosbrooke family trusts, were excepted from this conveyance.56 By indentures dated 4 & 5 November 1816, Leonard Fosbrooke conveyed the same premises to Edward Degge Sitwell esq. of Stainsby House, Derbyshire, to secure a mortgage of £13,000 and the £4000 mortgage to Catherine Stanton was repaid as part of this.57 Both these mortgage deeds of 1813 & 1816 contain a detailed list of all the pieces of land which comprised the four farms and the individual pieces are the same as those in the schedule of 1825 when the premises were sold to Westminster Abbey. However, there was a re-organisation of the farms between 1813 & 1825 as shown by the following summary tables. All the pieces comprised in the 1813 & 1825 schedules are shown in the full list at the end of this section, with their crop or state in 1825.

Summary of the Fosbrooke estate in 181358 a. r. p. Rent Farm occupied by George Bakewell 229 0 1 £350 Farm occupied by John Bakewell 201 2 17 £300 Farm occupied by Anthony Draycott 170 0 31 £300 Farm occupied by Thomas Sharp 256 2 13 £450 Cottage occupied by John Benskin 1 0 17 £6 858 1 39 £1406

Summary of the Fosbrooke estate in 182559 a. r. p. Farm occupied by Mr. Wells 124 3 38 Farm occupied by Mrs. Draycott, widow 236 0 20 Farm occupied by Mr. John Stubbs 207 0 4 Farm occupied by Mr. Hunt 289 0 30 Cottage occupied by John Benskin 1 0 17 858 1 29

1823 advert for the sale of the manor of Seagrave.60 In September 1823, the Fosbrooke estate was again advertised for sale, this time in the Leicester Journal: Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 22/32

To be sold by private contract. The manor or lordship of Seagrave, in the county of Leicester, with the chief rents and perquisites appertaining thereto. Also a desirable and very valuable freehold estate situate within the manor and parish of Seagrave aforesaid comprising sundry farm houses and cottages and about 800 acres of arable meadow and pasture land divided into convenient farms, part in the hands of the proprietor and the rest let to respectable tenants at will. The estate is moderately rated to the poor, is tithe free, and the land tax is redeemed. There is excellent coal within 3 miles of the estate, lime under the greater part of it, and a lime kiln at work within the lordship. The estate is situate in the centre of the Leicestershire Hunt, within 6 miles of Loughborough, 8 of Leicester, 9 of Melton Mowbray, and 15 of Nottingham. The manorial rights extend over 2000 acres of land, which are well adapted to the preservation of game. The estate may be bought so as to produce to the purchaser £3 10s. per cent on his purchase money. Mr. George Cotton of Seagrave Lodge, the proprietor’s bailiff, will show the estate; and further information may be had on application (if by letter, post paid) to Messrs. Harrison & Frear, solicitors, in Derby, who are authorised to treat for the sale, and at whose office a plan of the estate may be seen. Information may likewise be had at the office of Mr. Samuel Taylor, 14 John Street, Bedford Row, London. Derby, 15 Sept. 1823.

1824: Two surveys & valuations of the Fosbrooke estate at Seagrave The first valuation in September 1824 was fairly brief and valued the estate at £35,000 based on a current rental income of £1215 and suggested that Westminster Abbey offer £33,000 for it as follows.

Valuation of the Fosbrooke estate in September 1824.61 Valuation of an Estate at Seagrave in the county of Leicester belonging to Leonard Fosbrooke esq. containing about 853 acres of Arable pasture and Meadow land, four Farm Houses and eight Cottages for the sum of 35,000 pounds. John Rowland

Two of the Farm Houses are in very good repair, and all the outbuildings to them. Mrs. Draycots Farm House in fair repair the outbuilding bad, and must come down. Mr. Stubbs house and buildings in fair repair, but being quite at one end of the Farm, I should recommend them to be taken down, and rebuilt upon the farm, It would save so much trouble and expence to the Tenant, the present Rent about £1215 10s. per year. I do not think of much alteration in the Rent. Land Tax redeemed. Very little timber on the Estate, the fences in general, good. The Cottages part of them in fair repair. I think two Cottages should be built on the Estate, and one small Barn. I consider about £1000 would make all the buildings complete. It is my opinion the Landlord should put the Gates into repair, and they must be done. The Poor Rates are low. The principal road through the Parish very good, the other roads bad, I should recommend to offer 33,000 pounds for it, tho’ I do not consider the price I have just put on it at all too much, any further information that may be wanted I can give, as I have a value of every field separate with the Numbers according to the map. Stanford Sept. 18th 1824 John Rowland.

The second and much more detailed survey & valuation of 1824, shows that most of the land and buildings were in a poor state. Note that most of the survey is in the form of a table with copious notes alongside many of the numbered pieces. The piece numbers (1 to 148), field names, sizes & crops are stated in the full table at the end of this section so it is much more useful here to simply list the piece numbers for each farm in the order given in the 1824 survey with the ‘observations’ that belong to them, with any further observations made on the group as a whole.

Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 23/32

October 1824 survey & valuation of the Fosbrooke estate.62 [Start of Oct. 1824 valuation] Particulars of an estate at Seagrave near Loughborough in the county of Leicester the property of Leonard Fosbrooke esq. The estate consists of the manor or lordship of Seagrave with the several chief rents and perquisites appurtenant thereto, with four farms, now in the occupation of Mr. Wells, Mr. Stubbs, Mrs. Draycott, and Mr. Hunt, who are all tenants at will. The estate is situate about five miles from Loughborough, about 9 miles from Leicester, eight from Melton Mowbray, and sixteen miles from Nottingham with good roads to each town where there are large fairs and good weekly markets. The country around is thickly inhabited and the towns adjacent very taken up and full of manufacturing classes of lace makers, stocking weavers and wool combers all of which are in a flourishing and improving condition. The estate is tythe free, land tax redeemed, and the living is in the gift of Emanuel College, Cambridge, the present incumbent is the Reverend Mr. Gutch who resides at Seagrave and is much liked by his parishioners. The Poor Rates are very moderate, about 4s in the pound [£]. The particulars of the several farms, lands, and premises are as follows, vizt:

The farm in the occupation of Mr. Wells consists of a good farm house (lately repaired) but not inhabited by the tenant, at present vacant, who is living in his own house and holds a farm of his own with this which is not an advisable arrangement, but he has only taken to this farm at Lady day [March 25) last, the former tenant having [gone] broke and the farm occupied [not literally] by Mr. Fosbrooke ‘til Mr. Wells took it. Mr. Fosbrooke only held it in his own hands one year. The outbuildings are a very good barn, with stables, cowhouses, pigsties, and cart hovels, situate in the village with only 1 rood and 19 perches of land comprized in the homestead; all good buildings, newly put up and in good repair. The lands let with this homestead are: 121 (The Homestead, yards etc.). See above. 123 (Little Park). This is very good land. The piece lying betwixt this and the Road and also betwixt this and the aforesaid Homestead, has been sold off from this estate and is now being dug for lime stone, upon which a Lime Kiln is erected and Works in use. The stone lies very deep and the beds of stone very thin and will not turn to much account; the expense of getting the stone and the distance the coals lie off are obstacles to the owner making much profit from these Works. 82 & 81 (Garden & Park adjoining). The greater part of this is very good land, a little too near the clay on the brow of the hill. 78 & 124 (Meadow & Dams). Part of these two grounds are banky, the lower parts are rushy and wet but are very improveable. Total 25a. 0r. 25p. Annual value £55/15s./0d. Group observation on above: This is all the land which lies at home, other lands which adjoined to these, and connecting with the remainder of this farm, are sold off. 133, 134, 135, 140, 139, 138, 137, 136, 131, 132. Total [for Wells’ farm] 124a. 3r. 38p. Annual value £153/1s./0d. Group observation: These grounds lie all adjoining together but at too great a distance from the Homestead to be cultivated at the best advantage to the farmer. They consist of poor cold clay land, very expensive to cultivate under the plough. If the farm buildings which have been put up at the village had been put up here about in the centre, with a double cottage for trusty servants, these lands might be improved at much less expense and be more valuable to rent.

The farm in the occupation of Mrs. Draycott, a widow, in whose family, or that of her late husband, this farm has continued for many years. It consists of a very old and indifferent farm house, of brick and thatched, and the outbuildings comprising a barn, a stable for six horses, cowhouses, nag stable, all of brick and thatch, very old and bad, most of them too far gone to uphold. A cow hovel with pigsties detached old and bad. The lands held with these building, part of which lie very convenient for occupation but the other part lies very inconvenient, they are as follows, viz: 88 & 87. The farm homestead, yards, garden, and orchard. Total 2a. 0r. 5p. Annual value £5. See above. 84 & 80, 83, 79 (The Parks; Home Park; The Parks). This is very good land. These consist of good pasture land, very slovenly managed, no ditches and the fences in a sad state. 77 & 75 (Meadows). These meadows lie well to be improved by flooding them, but want draining first. 76 (Lower Close). This is cold poor land full of lammock and coarse bad grasses. 74 (Far Barrows). Part of this is in tillage, it should be laid down again. Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 24/32

72, 73, 71 (72, Middle Barrows; 73 Upper Cow Close; 71, Near Barrows). These lands lie all adjoining together and near to the Homestead and are very useful good land. 36, 37, 38, 39, 42, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47. These lands lie more than a mile from the Homestead to the first ground with no buildings whatever upon them. The greatest part being under the plough, the expense of getting manure from the Homestead is very great. Most of the ploughed pieces have about one fifth or one sixth left in grass not broken up which is slovenly work. The lands are very improveable if drained and dressed well with lime and manure. But the lands should first have all the ditches & water courses cleansed out, the bushes and brambles grubbed up and the whole of the wet and gally places drained and the land made healthy to receive the manure and lime, otherwise it will be throwing money away to little purpose but for a temporary improvement instead of a permanent one. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 1, 5, 2, 3, 4 (Gorse Closes & watering Closes). These lands lie more than 1 mile and a half from the Homestead with no buildings whatever upon them. They consist of some better land and under good management they would improve. The pasture pieces [2, 3, 5] have all been mowed this year which without manuring them is bad management. They are rather wet and want draining and some of the ploughed land is very heavy and middling land. Total of Mrs. Draycott’s farm 236a. 0r. 20p. Annual value £326/18s./6d.

There is a cottage and ground just by Mrs. Draycott’s farm homestead in the village rented by John Benskin, built of brick and slated, in but middling repair together with the garden and orchard, vizt: 85 & 86 (John Benskin’s cottage, garden, orchard). Total 1a. 0r. 17p. Annual value £5. See above.

The farm in the occupation of Mr. Stubbs who became a tenant at Lady day 1823 [March 25] consists of a pretty good farm house and outbuildings of brick, part slated and part thatched. The thatch of the barn wants repairing very much, but inconveniently situated for the occupation of the lands, some of which lie very distant from the Homestead, almost as much so as those of the last farm. The particulars are as follows, vizt: 96, 93 (Farm house, outbuildings, yards etc., Home croft & garden). See comments above. The Home croft & garden (2a. 2r. 22p.) is noted as very good land. 68 (South Furlong). This is rushy and wet, but it is a good piece of land and the tenant is dressing it & will much improve it. 67, 66, 65, 64, 61, 62, 63, 60, 59. No observations. 56, 57, 58, 53, 52, 54, 51, 48, 49, 50, 55. The lands lie all adjoining together and if they were drained, well limed and dressed, and a good fold yard with sheds and a cottage put up where the old barn now stands these lands might be a good deal improved. They lie extremely well to be drained. Pieces 49, 50 & 55 should be laid down to pasture. Total of Mr. Stubbs farm: 207a. 0r. 4p. Annual value £254/10s./0d.

The farm in the occupation of Mr. Hunt, who entered upon it at Lady Day last [presumably 25 March 1824] and consists of a newly built farm house and outbuildings of brick and slate very well arranged but wanting some little repair where the wet beats through and the chimneys suck very badly and the water comes in the cellar for want of proper drains round the house being made and kept open. These buildings are very well placed for the occupation of the lands and all those three grounds opposite and below the house should be laid down to grass and part of them might be much improved by the wash from the yards at home. There is a small meadow inclosed out of these which is managed in that manner and is a very valuable little piece of meadow but that is all there is of that description of land upon this farm which is a great drawback to the value of it, as the tenant must be driven to mow his upland pastures which is very impoverishing to them as they lie high and much exposed to the cold winds. The land is also of a cold wet quality, very late in spring before any grass comes, so that they must when mowed be mowed very late in the summer and in consequence are very much chilled and starved through the winter. The particulars of the lands which lie all adjoining are as follows, vizt: 34, 33, 32, 31, 30 (Farm Homestead; Barn Close & meadow; etc.). These buildings stand upon very high ground and for want of timber trees, of which there is not even one planted, much exposed to the winds and for want of some trees to break off the high winds. It is very bleak and cold for the stock in the winter and so are the grounds. 29, 24, 23, 22, 21, 18. No observations. 17 (Barn Hill). Here is an old barn but there are no sheds or fold yard. 12, 14 (Four Acres; Pingles). There is a small bit of inclosed ground about 2 acres lying betwixt these two belonging to Mr. Brownsord. 16.19, 20 (great close, Finchard Hays, Bush Close). No observations. 25, 28 (Big Falling Sick close; Upper Stain Leys). Parts of these two pieces have been ploughed up and laid down again but the herbage of those parts are very bad; they should be dressed with manure. Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 25/32

35 (Muck hill Gate Close). No observations. Total of Mr. Hunt’s farm: 289a. 0r. 30p. Annual value £337/8s./6d.

Summary. Total area 858a. 1r. 29p. Total annual value £1077/7s./0d.

A parcel of poor miserable cottages put up on the waste, not worth the keeping in repair, the most part being built of such poor materials. Total for cottages: 0a. 3r. 0p. Annual value £10.

Calculations (for the valuation). There being scarcely any timber upon this estate, not enough for the repairs of the present buildings much less for the purpose of erecting some new buildings on the distant lands; no value is put upon timber but a deduction of 7.5% to keep the buildings in repair. Clear net annual value £1006/4s./0d. Which at 30 years purchase, which at the present price of the funds, and from the situation and contiguity to populous and manufacturing towns it is fully worth, comes to £30,186.

Further observations In almost all the arable fields or lands at present under the culture of the plough, there are considerable plots of greensweard land, some containing an acre in a plot and some two or three acres and sometimes there are two or three separate plots of greensweard in the same ground with ploughed land between; and in almost all the pieces of pasture land (except those lying on the south west of the village of Seagrave) there are parts of them which have been broken up from time to time and laid down again (after over cropping them with corn, in a very impoverished state. Nearly the whole of the estate lies upon a cold soil. The farm buildings are not very well arranged for making the most of the straw and litter for manure, much is wasted, nor are they (except Mr. Hunt’s) well situated for the occupation of the lands, particularly the arable lands which are of the most consequence in lying near to the Homesteads. Many of the fences, particularly those on Mrs. Draycott’s farm, have great gaps in them, and scarcely any of the ditches deep enough or scoured out to let off the surface water after heavy rains and in wet seasons, which to land like the greater part of this does much injury. All the farms are in want of meadow land (except Mrs. Draycott’s) to mow for hay, the consequence of this is, that the upland pasture lands are much too frequently mown, and as it appears from the state and herbage of these lands that they are never or very seldom indeed ever dunged, they do not improve as they otherwise would do. The land is all upon a clay and very cold and wet and very tenacious, but if the greater part was underground, drained with tile draining under the directions of a skilful hand which would cost from £1000 to £1300 and then the tenants encouraged to lay on lime (which might be made on the estate there being good lime stone but expensive to get) the ploughed lands would not only work much easier but get dry much sooner and the corn might be got in earlier in the season and the harvesting of it earlier also. And the pasture lands would admit of stock being turned out in the spring much earlier and might remain longer in the autumn without poaching and injuring the ground which they must now do if suffered to be out, and that they must be, as there are no good sheds etc. convenient for them in the yards.

There is no timber worth noticing in the hedge rows, nor is there enough to keep the buildings in repair or any succession to look to hereafter.

The tenantry upon this estate have been very much changed from time to time for the last 40 years, except the Draycott family, who have been upon the estate for upwards of 50 years. The consequence is that they do not or have not for a length of time felt settled and of course the land has not been fairly treated by them. There are two of the tenants Mr. Stubbs and Mr. Hunt who appear industrious good farmers and who would if they could be on a certainty and assisted in some of the most expensive of the operations required to be done to this estate to bring it up into good condition, set to work in good earnest to do so - such as liming the arable lands and of buying manure for the grass lands, particularly those which have been recently laid down and such as should be laid down. These matters and operations, that is, the underground draining, putting up some additional or removing Mr. Stubb’s homestead, altogether, up to the distant lands, opening and cleansing out all the main water courses and ditches, planting a sufficiency of timber about the grounds for shelter to the buildings etc. and as a resource for the future repair of the buildings, the tenant being put under strict covenants not to break up the pasture lands, and confidence restored again amongst them, this estate could be then a very eligible property to buy as an investment. At present it requires much to be done - yet there is no doubt if the outlay of money that will be required to put the estate into a train of improvement that good return might be looked to in a few years. Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 26/32

The wide green lane passing thro’ the middle of the estate which is 120 feet wide is a very great nuisance as it is let every year to the highest bidder and stocked hard with cattle and sheep to the great injury of any new laid quick hedge and a great annoyance to the farmers stock in all the grounds adjoining the said lane on each side thereof. Oct. 1824. Tho. Fulljames, Hasfieldbourn, Nr. Gloucester. [End of Oct. 1824 valuation]

Sold to Westminster Abbey in 1825 for £33,000 after two valuations. In September 1824, Leonard Fosbrooke’s estate at Seagrave was valued at £35,000 and comprised 4 farmhouses, 8 cottages and 853 acres of land (details above).63 The more detailed survey and valuation, made in October 1824 (details above) valued the estate at £30,000 based on 30 years purchase and gave the total area as 858 acres.64 Following Articles of Agreement dated 22 January 1825, the Dean & Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster, purchased the Fosbrooke estate at Seagrave as a land investment by indentures dated 1 & 2 August 1825.65 The reason for this purchase is quite interesting. Various Acts of Parliament passed between 1805 & 1814 were concerned with improving the streets & places near Westminster Hall and the two houses of Parliament; in 1814-15 an Act was passed for enlarging & improving the west end of Cheapside in the city of London, also St. Martins le Grand, St. Ann’s Lane & Foster Lane and for providing a site for a new Post Office between St. Martins le Grand & Foster Lane, London.66 Under one or other of these Acts, commissioners were empowered to purchase the freehold of certain lands belonging to the Dean & Chapter of Westmister, the proceeds to be invested in the Bank of England and held under the Court of Chancery to the credit of the Dean & Chapter and to be invested in other suitable lands.67 In 1825, the Dean & Chapter contracted to purchase the Fosbrooke estate at Seagrave for £33,000 subject to approval by the Court of Chancery, which was duly obtained after Mr. Shalford, a Master of the Court, confirmed that it was a proper investment and that Leonard Fosbrooke could prove a sufficient title to the premises.68 Various deeds were executed on 2 August 1825 to complete the purchase and the outstanding mortgage of £13,000 to E. D. Sitwell, for which all interest had been paid to date, was settled at the same time, he receiving £13,000 and L. Fosbrooke the balance of £20,000.69

Four Fosbrooke farms in 1825 with all fields, sizes & crops listed. The schedule to the 1825 indentures identifies the four farms and a cottage comprising the Fosbrooke estate; the numbers of all the pieces and their size correspond with the c.1810 plan already discussed above; the crop then growing on each piece is stated; two plans identify the four farms but the larger c.1810 plan (appendix 22A & 22B) gives much more detail.70

Master list of Fosbrooke estate pieces 1 to 148. The following table is a reference list of all the pieces (1-148) shown on the c.1810 plan. The information from the 1825 schedule is in columns 2-5. Column 6 shows that exactly the same pieces had made up the estate in 1813. For pieces sold by auction in 1811, the size of the larger pieces is stated on the c.1810 Fosbrooke estate plan and this has enabled 14 pieces to be identified from private deeds (see note below table).

Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 27/32

Notes to the following table. All of pieces 1 -148 are shown on the c.1810 plan, WAM Map 12749. The missing items were sold by Fosbrooke before 1813. Columns 2-5 (1825) are from WAM Lease Bk. 60 f.146v to f.147v. Column 6 (1813) is from WAM CC 145583/1 and shows the occupier in 1813. The key to the 1813 occupiers is: GB = Geo. Bakewell; JB = Jn. Bakewell; AD = Ant. Draycott; TS = Thos. Sharpe; WP = Wm. Phipps. Field areas: a. = acres; r. = roods; p. = perches.

Complete list of Fosbrooke’s Seagrave premises giving field names, sizes & crops. Plan Name of parcel Quantity State in 1825 1825 1813 No. A. r. p. farmer farmer 1 Watering Closes 4. 2. 17. wheat Draycott GB 2 Watering Closes 3. 2. 1. pasture Draycott GB 3 Watering Closes 5. 1. 6. pasture Draycott GB 4 Watering Closes 6. 1. 13. barley Draycott GB 5 Watering Closes 7. 2. 21. pasture Draycott GB 6 Watering Closes 5. 0. 21. wheat Draycott GB 7 Gorse Closes 9. 0. 25. oats Draycott GB 8 Gorse Closes 8. 2. 34. oats Draycott GB 9 Gorse Closes 6. 2. 10. ley Draycott GB 10 Gorse Closes 9. 0. 1. fallow Draycott GB 11 Gorse Close 10. 2. 21. Ley now for wheat Hunt GB 12 Four acres 4. 2. 9. clover Hunt GB 13 Seven acres 9. 1. 20. clover Hunt GB 14 Pingles 6. 0. 26. fallow Hunt GB 15 Far Hill 16. 1. 24. Ley now for wheat Hunt GB 16 Great Close 29. 0. 15. pasture Hunt GB 17 Barn hill 16. 2. 26. oats and barley Hunt GB 18 Walton Brook Close 13. 1. 17. pasture Hunt GB 19 Finchard Hays 19. 1. 12. pasture Hunt GB 20 Bush Close 12. 1. 6. pasture Hunt JB 21 Coal Pit Leys 14. 2. 28. pasture Hunt JB 22 Nether Coal Pit Nook 8. 0. 3. turnips etc. Hunt JB 23 Upper Coal Pit Nook 7. 3. 23. Ley & now for Hunt JB wheat 24 Little falling Sick Close 2. 1. 32. pasture Hunt JB 25 Big Falling Sick Close 17. 1. 39. pasture Hunt JB 26 *Muckle Gate Close 9.0.6 27 *Melver Close 11.2.16 28 Upper Stain Leys 13. 3. 34. pasture Hunt JB 29 Lower Stain Leys 16. 0. 14. wheat Hunt JB 30 Big Close, now in two 24. 0. 4. wheat and ley Hunt JB 31 Bottom Close next Lane 11. 0. 26. wheat Hunt JB 32 Top Close next lane 8. 3. 32 & 12. 3. 32. clover Hunt JB Meadow out of ditto 4. 0. 0. 33 barn close 12. 0. 22. meadow & pasture Hunt JB 34 Farm Homestead 0. 1. 31. pasture Hunt JB 35 Muckhill Gate Close 10. 0. 6. clover Hunt JB 36 Great Close in pasture 16. 2. 24. [pasture] Draycott AD 37 Near Muckell Gate Close 4. 3. 17. fallow Draycott AD 38 Far ditto 4. 3. 13. ley Draycott AD 39 Bush Close 7. 0. 3. Fallow and grass Draycott AD 40 Big piece 12. 3. 37. pasture Draycott AD 41 Little meadow 0. 3. 3. meadow Draycott AD 42 Michael Tops Close 3. 2. 29. fallow & grass Draycott AD Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 28/32

43 Bottom Close 5. 3. 6. fallow Draycott AD 44 Lower Waltonbrook furlong 6. 2. 25. beans Draycott AD 45 Upper ditto 11. 3. 24. beans Draycott AD 46 Near Seagrave Close 13. 2. 13. pasture Draycott AD 47 Far ditto 9. 2. 37. pasture Draycott AD 48 Long Lands 15. 0. 13. clover Stubbs TS 49 Woodroffes Close 7. 0. 5. wheat Stubbs TS 50 Far Brook Close 9. 3. 26. vetches etc. Stubbs TS 51 Bush Close 18. 0. 6 wheat Stubbs TS 52 Barn Furlong 11. 3. 36. wheat Stubbs TS 53 Barn Close Barn and fold yard 4. 1. 38. pasture Stubbs TS 54 Far meadow 10. 3. 1. pasture Stubbs TS 55 Middle Brook Close 11. 1. 17 fallow Stubbs TS 56 Near Brook 17. 3. 11. pasture Stubbs TS 57 Near Meadow 8. 0. 24. pasture Stubbs TS 58 Windmill Close 16. 3. 28. peas and beans Stubbs TS 60, Muckhill Gate Closes now in 10. 1. 0. wheat Stubbs JB 59 one [map: 59 = 5.2.16; 60 = 4.2.24.] 61 Melber Close 8. 1. 2. pasture Stubbs JB 62 Far Hovel Close 5. 0. 31 clover Stubbs JB 63 Near Hovel Close 5. 3. 6. pasture Stubbs JB 64 Far Melber Sick 8. 1. 38. wheat Stubbs JB 65 Near Melber Sick 7. 2. 6. fallow Stubbs GB 66 Bonsick 6. 3. 6. New laid Stubbs GB 67 Brinkhill 5. 0. 13. New laid Stubbs GB 68 South furlong 14. 2. 32. pasture Stubbs GB 69 70 1. 2. 33. 71 Near Barrows 9. 1. 4. pasture Draycott AD 72 Middle Barrows 2. 1. 29. meadow Draycott AD 73 Upper Cow Close 5. 3. 35 pasture Draycott AD 74 Far Barrows 8. 3. 15. arable & meadow Draycott AD 75 [The Meadow in 1813] 8. 0. 32 meadow Draycott AD 76 Lower Close [Lower Cow Close 6. 1. 29. pasture Draycott AD 1813] 77 [Coopers meadow in 1813] 4. 0. 31 meadow Draycott AD 78 Meadow 4. 1. 17. meadow Wells TS 79 The Parks [Coopers Park in 7. 0. 24. pasture Draycott AD 1813] 80 & The Parks 80 = 4.0.26; and 84 9. 1. 20. pasture Draycott AD 84 = 5.0.34. [80 was called the Far Pond Park in 1813] 83 Home Park 7. 3. 16. pasture Draycott AD 81 & Garden and Park adjoining; 81 10. 3. 28. pasture Wells TS 82 = 10.3.1 & 82 = 0.0.27. 85 & Cottage & garden; 85 = 1.0.7 & 1. 0. 17. [* incorrectly listed Benskin Phipps 86* 86 = 0.0.10 [86 = 2 pieces on as 66 in the map.] schedule] 87 & farm homestead, yards, 2. 0. 5. Draycott AD 88 garden, orchard [map: 88 = 1.3.24, thus 87 = 0.0.21.] 89 90 0. 2. 37 Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 29/32

91 0. 1. 4 92 1. 1. 5. 93 Home Croft and Garden 2. 2. 22. pasture Stubbs GB 94 95 96 The farmhouse outbuildings 0. 3. 3. Stubbs GB yard etc. 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 0. 2. 31 + cottage 104 105 106 107 108 *farmhouse & homestead 2. 1. 19 109 *close 4. 3. 36 110 *messuage & orchard 1. 0. 27 111 *close 2. 0. 5. 112 1. 3. 3. 113 114 115 1. 0. 4. 116 1. 1. 0. 117 118 119 120 121 The Homestead yard etc. 0. 1. 19. Wells TS 122 1. 2. 11. 123 Little Park 3. 2. 39. pasture Wells TS 124 Dams 5. 3. 2. ditto Wells TS 125 6. 3. 22 126 6. 2. 10 127 4. 3. 39 128 5. 3. 20 129 3. 3. 27 130 3. 0. 18 131 Big Cossington Sick 12. 2. 28. fallow Wells TS 132 Close above Windmill Close 11. 3. 1. wheat Wells TS 133 Near Windmill Close new laid 11. 2. 20. pasture Wells TS pasture 134 Far Windmill Close 12. 1. 28. fallow Wells TS 135 Horse Bush Close 11. 1. 33. pasture Wells TS 136 Little Cossington Sick 4. 1. 33. beans Wells TS 137 Little Foss Close 4. 0. 8. wheat Wells TS 138 Foss Pingle 4. 1. 11. turnips Wells TS 139 Near Foss Close 12. 3. 19. fallow Wells TS 140 Far Foss Close (lately laid) 14. 0. 32. Wells TS Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 30/32

141 *Weldon’s Croft 1. 1. 29 142 *Lower Coneries 4. 0. 2.

143 *Upper Coneries 3. 3. 32 144 *Berry Brook Close 7. 2. 28 145 *Berry Brook Close 8. 2. 29. 146 *Berry Brook Close 9. 1. 3. 147 *Berry Brook Close 8. 0. 3. 148 *Berry Brook Close 17. 0. 1. *Field name identified from private deeds of Well’s farm, being lands sold by L. Fosbrooke in 1811 to Anthony Draycott, much of which was bought by Edward Wells in 1839.

Crops in 1825 vs 1801 The 1825 schedule of the Fosbrooke estate is the earliest which notes the cultivation of the land. This shows that about 334 acres (39%) of the estate was arable land; and of the 334 acres of arable land, 81 acres (24%) was fallow and 35 acres (10%) was in ley and about to be sown for wheat.71 This seems to indicate a three year crop rotation.

1825 Summary or arable & Acres fallow Wheat 121 Turnips 12 Beans, peas, & vetches 45 Oats & barley 40 Ley & now for wheat 35 Fallow 81 Total arable & fallow 334 Total size of estate 858

The 1801 crop returns for the whole parish, which omit fallow, show 531 acres under crop. The total farm land adds up to 2470 acres in the 1851 census but that figure is too high. The total parish was 2515 acres in 1885, of which 63 acres was roads and the farm yards, houses and gardens may have accounted for tens of acres. Assuming the available farm land was 2400 acres, then 22% of this land was under crop in 1801 and an unknown amount in fallow. Ignoring the fallow in 1825, 253 acres or 30% of the Fosbrooke estate was under crop & ley in 1825. The 1801 crop returns for Seagrave parish were (in acres) wheat 268.5, barley 28.5, oats 135, peas 21, beans 74, turnips 2.5, total 531.5.72

Population of Seagrave 1801-1821. The population of Seagrave in 1801 was 301, in 1811 it was 365, and in 1821 it was 424.73

Other lands not part of the main estate 1760-1825 These are covered in a later section ‘Other land 1660-1910’.

Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 31/32 Abbreviations used in the notes below: WAM Westminster Abbey Muniments Leics. R.O. Leicester, Leics. & Rutland Record Office. Men of ‘Men of Property: Seagrave’s Lords of the Manor 1670-1870’ by Henry Sterling Property (thesis 1990). Copies at Leics. R.O. and Loughborough Library.

1 Unable to find a clear and concise published definition of ‘sick’, the author has spent some time studying the sicks at Laxton, Notts., before arriving at this definition. 2 Leics. R.O. 1D41/2/573. 3 1885 Ordnance Survey, Area Book & Book of Reference, copy at Leicester University: Local History 942 LEI/5/ORD (Seagrave parish pamphlet which gives a summary and lists of symbols & abbreviations etc.). 4 WAM CC 145580/13. 5 The main source document at Leics. R.O. is L914.2 SEA, being a printed transcript by Rev. Clough c.1940 of the original written document EN/A/278/1 which is also at Leics. Record Office. 6 Elizabethan Loughborough p. 38-40 (1992) by Anne Richmond; Leics. R.O. L914.2 LOU. 7 WAM CC 145580/12 & 145580/9 (a copy). WAM CC 145589/4 (1783 probate of Ann Alt). 8 WAM CC 145580/36. 9 WAM CC 145578/3 10 WAM CC 145580/26 sheet 12. 11 WAM CC 145580/26 sheets 2-5. 12 WAM CC 145580/26 sheets 2-5. 13 WAM CC 145580/27. 14 1766 table A above. John Prior’s map of Leics. 1777 (from ‘Leicestershire in 1771’ p. 20). Ashby-de-la-Zouch Poor Law Union in 1881 (from Kelly’s 1881 directory) which included Ravenstone in counties Derby & Leicester. 15 WAM CC 145580/29. 16 Leics. R.O. L324. 17 Leics. R.O. DE2782/59 p. 25-26 and WAM CC 145580/35. 18 Derby Mercury, 11 May 1781. 19 Clement Winstanley is described as brother-in-law and Francis Hurt as a prominent Derbyshire landowner in ‘Men of Property’ p. 18. 20 WAM CC 145580/31. 21 WAM CC 145580/34. 22 WAM CC 145580/34. Leics. R.O. DE2782/59 p. 31-33 is an Abstract but contains several property errors. 23 WAM CC 145580/34. Leics. R.O. DE2782/59 p. 31-33 is an Abstract but contains several property errors. 24 WAM CC 145580/34. WAM CC 145580/35 is the agreement which explains that the estates are being re- organised so that part can be used to repay mortgages & debts listed in a schedule of 1786. WAM CC 145579/32 is the contrived court case. 25 WAM CC 145580/36. 26 WAM CC 145586. 27 WAM CC 145586. 28 WAM CC 145594 no. 7/4. 29 WAM CC 145594 no. 7/5. 30 WAM CC 145594 nos. 1/1, 2/1, 3/4, 5, 6/3, 7/4, 8/5, 9/4, 10/2, 11/4, 12/3, 13/1, 14/1, 15/3, 16/3, 17/1, 18/4, 19/1, 20/3, 31 The plans in appendix 22 are improved versions of photographs of the original plan: WAM Map 12749. The photographs are at Leics. R.O. P320. 32 Seagrave enclosure awards (appendix 20) nos. 17 SW and no. 27 NW. 33 WAM CC 145583/2. 34 Leics. R.O. DE2782/59 p. 31-33. Also WAM CC 145583/2. 35 Leics. R.O. DE2782/59 p. 31-33. 36 WAM CC 145578/18. 37 WAM CC 145594. 38 Leics. R.O. DE2782/55 & DE2782/58. 39 WAM Map 12749 & WAM CC 145583/2 (1813 mortgage deed). 40 WAM Map 12749 & WAM CC 145583/2 (1813 mortgage deed). 41 Leics. R.O. DE2782/61. 42 Deeds belonging to Mr. Christopher Wells of Hawley Fields Farm. 43 WAM CC 145583/2. Seagrave 1760-1825, p. 32/32

44 WAM CC 145583/1. 45 WAM Lease Book 60: f.145v, f.146, f. 146v, f.147, f.147v. 46 Leics. R.O. DE2782/55. 47 Leics. R.O. DE2782/58. 48 Leics. R.O. DE2782/56. 49 Briitish Library Harl. MS 4748 f. 45v. to f. 46. 50 Berkeley Castle Muniments GBU 26. 51 WAM CC 145594 no. 12/4 = Leics. R.O. DE6958, MF3/270 & DVD/1497. 52 WAM CC 145594 no. 12/4 = Leics. R.O. DE6958, MF3/269 & DVD/1496. 53 WAM CC 145582/3 (1813); WAM CC 145584/2 (1816); WAM Lease Book 60: f.145v, f.146, f. 146v, f.147, f.147v. (1825); WAM CC 114641 (1861). 54 WAM map 12749. 55 WAM CC 145583/1 (main); WAM CC 145583/2; WAM CC 145583/1/2 (bond). 56 WAM CC 145583/1 & WAM CC 145582. 57 WAM CC 145584/2 (main); WAM CC 145584/1. 58 WAM CC 145583/2. 59 WAM Lease Book 60: f.145v, f.146, f. 146v, f.147, f.147v. 60 Leicester Journal 26 Sept. 1823, p. 3, col. 4 bottom. 61 WAM CC 145818. Not on microfilm, copy at Leics. R.O. P320. 62 WAM CC 145585. 63 WAM CC 145818. 64 WAM CC 145585. 65 WAM CC 145587. WAM CC 114646/2. 66 WAM CC 114646/2. 67 WAM CC 114646/2. 68 WAM CC 114646/2. 69 WAM Lease Book 60: f.145v, f.146, f. 146v, f.147, f.147v. (main document; photographs of these five folios and a colour plan, f. 151, are at Leics. R.O. P320). WAM CC 1455881/1 & 2 (Sitwell & Fosbrooke to Dean & Chapter). WAM CC 145590 (conveys three terms of 500 years & a term of 400years). WAM CC 145593 (conveys a 500 year term subsequent to marriage settlement of 1724 and the enclosure of 1761). WAM CC 114646/2 (1825 -54 Abstract). 70 WAM Lease Book 60: f.145v, f.146, f. 146v, f.147, f.147v. (document); f. 151 (coloured plan). WAM CC145588/2 (a larger plan of 1825 which can be seen on microfilm 3, Leics. Record Office DE6958). WAM Map 12749 (c.1810 plan). WAM CC 114646/2 (abstract). 71 From 1825 schedule in WAM CC 114646/2. Men of Property, p. 43, gives a different picture from the same source because it omits the fallow (81 acres) & the vetches and treats the ‘ley & now for wheat’ as wheat. 72 The Leicestershire Crop Returns of 1801, from Leics. Arch. Society vol. 24, p.150-1. 73 Victoria County History of Leics., vol. 3, p. 197.