Brightling - Little Sprays [P8/1]
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BRIGHTLING - LITTLE SPRAYS [P8/1] Tenement called Reeds & Hoadland. DETAILS OF PROPERTY <1653-1842+ Ho, Bn + c.36a. Described in a deed of 1653 as a messuage + 38 acres called Reeds & Hoadlands in Brightling & Dallington [3] Described in a deed of 1746 as a messuage, barn, malthouse + 38a called Reeds & Hoadlands [3]. The Tithe award of 1839 describes that part in Brightling parish as comprising a house, buildings + 19a.3r.39p. called Little Sprays als Sindens Farm [4] + 15a. in Dallington parish [5]. Total = 34a.3r.39p. DETAILS OF HOUSE 17th C? House built The house has not been viewed internally, but it appears to be of 17th century or earlier origin, extended later. 1662-5 House assessed @ 2 flues Thomas Sheather was assessed in hearth tax at 2 flues for this property [8]. DETAILS OF BARN 17th C Barn built. Barn surveyed by ROHAS in 1979. It is a three bay structure, set at right angles & in front of the house, dates from the 17th century - for details see ROHAS Report No. 464. POOR RATE ASSESSMENT 1663 £6 <for that part in Brightling Parish only> [7]. LAND TAX ASSESSMENTS - BRIGHTLING [1] 1702-1725 £6. 1735-1765 £7:5:0 1775-1839 £7. LAND TAX ASSESSMENTS - DALLINGTON [2] 1711-1840 £2. Called 'late Fowles' or 'Fowles Field'. DETAILS OF OWNERSHIP <1605-1605+ John Cressy [9] <1653-1653+ Anne Pilcher, spinster In 1653 she barred an entail on the property [3]. <1671-1727 Gyls Watts, Gent. Watts was already the owner by 1671 [6]. He was of Battle in 1725 when he made a settlement of this farm (with other property) on self for life with remainder to his wife Jane (only daughter & heir of James Relfe of Battle, Gent., dec.) [3]. Two years later, in 1727, they sold the property for #300 [3]. 1727-1727+ John Fowle, Gent. Of Battle in 1727 when he purchased the property [3]. He died in possession [3]. <1746-1746 John Fowle, yeoman. Eldest son & heir of John. He conveyed the property in 1746 for £223:15:0 [3]. 1746-1746+ Jos Weller, Gent. Of Dallington in 1746 when he acquired the property, which was to be settled upon his brother (in-law?), Joseph Store of Warbleton, mercer, with remainder to Mary Botcher (nee Dawe) and Martha Dawe, his nieces [3]. <1777-1778 J P Botcher, Gent. Of Jamaica in 1777 when he appointed attorneys to sell the property. John Phillip Botcher was the son of Richard & Mary Botcher, who had inherited both moieties, Mary's sister, Martha, having died at Southwark in 1756 [3]. The property was sold in 1778 for £390 [3]. 1778-1812 Jas Spray, yeoman Of Brightling. He was already the tenant of this property in 1778 when he purchased it [3]. The following year he mortgaged the farm for £244 & this was later assigned & re-assigned, the last in 1808 to Lord Ashburnham [3]. Spray had died holding the property. 1812-1813 John Spray Of Brightling in 1813 when he sold the property for £1100 [3]. John was the natural son of James Spray's daughter, Elizabeth Hack, widow, and inherited the property under the terms of James Spray's will made 30/2/1800, proved 9/5/1812 [3]. 1813-1839+ ASHBURNHAM ESTATE [4,5] Purchased by Lord Ashburnham in 1813 [3]. DETAILS OF TENANCY <1653-1653+ Anth Hyland [3] <1663-1666+ Thos Sheather, hurbandman Parson Lord thought that this land was farmed by Richard Thomas of Great Sprays, Penhurst, but having sued Thomas for his tithes he discovered that Sheather, not Thomas farmed the land. Almost certainly Lord was confused as to the location of this detached part of Brightling parish & thought that the Brightling part was the adjacent piece of land, which did indeed form a detached part of Great Sprays [7]. Sheather paid the hearth tax for this property under Brightling parish [8]. <1702-1702+ Andw Freeman [1] <1707-1707+ Mrs Freeman, widow [1] <1711-1714+ Robt Bull [2] <1715-1715+ Laur Leonard [1,2] <1725-1725+ Sam Medhurst [1,3] <1734-1734+ Mrs Fowle, widow [2] <1735-1735+ Mr Fowle Owner occupier [1] <1745-1755+ Will Spray [2] In 1745 the Brightling land tax was paid by Joseph Weller, outdweller, of Dallington [1]. His heirs were assessed for the property in the Brightling land tax of 1755 [1]. <1765-1805+ Jas Spray [1,2] He became the owner [3] and continued as tenant, though from 1795 he was classed as a Brightling outdweller [1]. <1812-1815+ John Spray Owner occupier [1,2]. <1825-1825+ Manser Stephen Manser was assessed for the property in the Brightling land tax in 1825 [1]. James Manser is given as the tenant for the Dallington land tax in 1825 [2]. <1839-1839 Will Sinden [1] 1839-1842+ John Vigor [4,5] SOURCES Marked [] at the end of each entry 1. ESRO Brightling Land Tax 2. ESRO Dallington Land Tax 3. ESRO ASH L1166-1174 & L1605-1612 - Title Deeds. 4. ESRO TDE 144 - Brightling. 5. ESRO TDE 146 - Dallington 6. ESRO XA 15/1 - Abutment to Penhurst Demesne 7. ESRO PAR 254/6/7 - Lord's Tithe Book. 8. ESRO XA 5/2 - Hearth Tax. 9. ROHAS Abutment to Giffords - see P13/28. BRIGHTLING - HOLLY TREE COTTAGE [P8/2] Leasehold wasteland property held of the Rape of Hastings by <renewed?> lease of 1729, being Tenement No 288. DETAILS OF PROPERTY <1788-1839+ Cot + waste. Described in the wayside survey of 1788 as a cottage & garden (0a.0r.30p). Shown on a map of 1833 as a cottage + 0a.1r.06p [6]. Same description in a survey of 1836, being plot 423 [5]. Described in the tithe map of 1839 as a house and garden (0a.1r.06p.) [4]. DETAILS OF HOUSE House surveyed by ROHAS in 1977. For further details see ROHAS Report No 255. c.1640 House Built House built c.1640. It is a 2 bay cottage with an end timber chimney & very low first floor walls. The roof was thatched. 1662-1665 House had 1 flue Not located on hearth tax. c.1690 House extended House extended by 1 bay with new two flue chimney added. LAND TAX ASSESSMENTS This property appears not to be assessed in land tax. DETAILS OF OWNERSHIP <1718 Kemp Described as 'late Kemp's' in 1718 [7]. <1718-1725+ John Leadbetter Leadbetter also held another wayside immediately to the north of this [7]. In the rental of 1718 it states, regarding this property, 'John Leadbetter is charged in the old roll for a cottage in Brightling late Kemps - he pays nothing and won't own <ie acknowledge> it [7]. <1788-1788+ Will Sims, collier Of Brightling in 1788. By 1788 the wayside rent collectors had overcome the disputes of 1788 by saying that this property formed part of the renewed lease of 1729, with an apportioned rent of 4d p.a. [1] <1801-1806+ Rich Buss, collier He held by new lease granted to him in 1801 [3]. <1836-1839+ BRIGHTLING ESTATE [4,5] DETAILS OF TENANCY <1839-1839+ Will Cook + John Relf [4]. SOURCES Marked [] at the end of each entry 1. ESRO CHR/18/1 - Wastland survey, 1788, T.288. 2. ESRO AMS 6106, T.288 - Map of 1780 relating to above. 3. ESRO CHR/18/7 - Wayside rental of 1806. 4. ESRO TDE 144 - Brightling. 5. ESRO SAS/RF/15/10 + ACC 2300 - map and schedule of Brightling Estate - 1836. 6. ESRO A 2452 - Map of 1833. 7. ESRO AMS 5735/53 - Wayside rental of 1718-1725. 8. ESRO AMS 5887 - Wayside rental of 1732. BRIGHTLING - KEEPERS COTTAGE [P8/3] Assart hold of the manor of Burwash called Bakers quitrent 2/7d + Colliers quitrent 5/- [M36/82 and 83]. This became part of Brightling Park (P8/49) in 1739/40. DETAILS OF PROPERTY <1605-1605+ 100a. land Described in a court roll of 1605 as 3 pieces of land adjoining, in Brightling, called Scoryers, Bakers and Netherdown (100a.). Abuts:- N,E = lands called Jacklett; N = Freelands of John Freeman; E = highway Brightling to Depeford Bridge; S = watercourse running between Great Jackletts and Depeford Bridge; S,E = freelands of Michael Hawkins [10]. <1629-1629+ ? + 100a. Described in a court roll of 1629 as a half tenement called Ellis Land, being 3 pieces of land called Scoviers, Bakers and Nethersdown (100a.) [9]. For the later history of Nethersdown see P8/55, and of Ellis Land see P8/15. <1673-1739 Ho + c.70a. Described in a manorial rental of 1673 a messuage and 30 acres called Colliers held of Burwash Manor at quitrent of 5/- [1]. Also lands called Bakers also held of Burwash manor at quitrent of 2/7d [1]. A 1726 rental/survey of Burwash manor gives the property as a Messuage, barn and 12a. called Bakers, quitrent 2/7d, also land called Colliers als Scorys, quitrent 2/5d [2], but in a copy of court roll of 1725 it is called a messuage, barn, garden, orchard + several pieces of land (12a.) called Bakers + other lands called Colliers als Scorreys (10a.) [7]. The acreages given in these later manorial documents seem to be a major underestimate, for in an agreement for the sale of the property in 1739 it is described as land called Stones Land, being two tenements, a barn, + 70a. of land and wood - this excluded Nethersdown, for which see P8/55, and Ellis Land, for which see P8/15 [7]. It is possible that the 1739 deed includes lands not held of Burwash manor and therefore not included in the descriptions given above [7]. 1739-1840+ MERGED See P8/49 [7].