Historic Maps and Commons
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Historic Maps and Chiltern Commons See http://www.chilternsaonb.org/about-chilterns/chilterns-commons-project/training- workshop-materials.html Researching the history of your common Topics • Ordnance Survey Maps • County and Estate maps • Tithe Maps and Apportionments • Enclosure Maps and Awards • Photographs • Where to find resources • Using County Archives Where to start - questions to ask • Is your common at its full historic extent? Is there a large area of rough grass, scrub and woodland • Has it reduced in size? Is there a small green; an open area of grass; are there allotments or a playing or sports field • Has it disappeared altogether? • Has your parish moved................? Use Ordnance Survey maps as your first source of information ORDNANCE SURVEY 1:25,000 maps Showing Russell’s Water Common on the parish boundary Stokenchurch showing some straight roads (orange), small open areas in the village centre, allottments. ORDNANCE SURVEY Historic maps Surveyors Drawings 1789 - c1840 2”to mile 1st edition Ordnance Survey 1805- 1874 1” to a mile (1:63 360) Compare with part of the modern map of Stokenchurch Ordnance Survey 1850-1880 1st ed. 6” to 1 mile (1:10560) The common is shown clearly with rough grassland and scrub in comparison with either fields or woodland. Compare with the modern map. 1860- 1870 25” to a mile (1:2,500) Part of Cadmore End Common (1881) This shows much more detail including brick kilns and pits or ponds COUNTY MAPS Date from late 18th and early 19th centuries Buckinghamshire 1770 Thomas Jefferys Buckinghamshire 1824 Arthur Bryant Hertfordshire 1820 Arthur Bryant Bedfordshire 1794 John Carey NB Older maps tend to lack topographical detail Oxfordshire 1797 Richard Davis This clearly shows the roads, village, commons, farms, fields and woods – but there are some discrepancies with other maps of a similar period. ESTATE MAPS • Maps made for land owners at various dates • Less easily accessible than other types, often held by owners • Fairly accurate; more detail than county maps • West Wycombe Estate Maps 1698 & 1767. Used in “Archaeology of Downley Common” 2007 Downley Common 1767 TITHE MAPS AND APPORTIONMENTS c1840 Tithes were originally payment in kind to the Church of a tenth of produce. It gradually became monetary payment but this varied across the country. In some places the process of enclosure prior to 1840, resulted in tithe payments being extinguished. By the early 19th century the system was in disarray with resentment from Non-conformists, town dwellers and others who did not want to pay money to the established church. The Tithe Commutation Act 1836 resulted in Surveys and Valuations of 75% of parishes in England and Wales Information from Tithe documents – maps and apportionments • Habitation pattern alongside common • Ponds on commons and named in the Apportionment • Field names: Common Field, Allotment, Brickmasters • Road layout: compare with today and with changes during later enclosure • Land owner/occupiers names for further research Part of Stokenchurch Tithe Map 1842 showing vegetation (an unusual example). Tracing of Stokenchurch Tithe Map (Taken from a tracing made at Oxfordshire History Centre) A plastic cover was provided to prevent damage to the original document. The tracing was then photocopied over a blank sheet of paper. Common woodland Some woodland was used “in common” with people having certain rights, for example rights of estover – to pick up fallen wood within the woodland. Below are some descriptions taken from the Tithe Apportionments Bix Freedom Scrubbs Wood; Common Nettlebed Common Beechwood and Furze Stokenchurch East Wood Uninclosed common Dell’s Common Pasture and Wood Eastwood - Uninclosed common as shown on Stokenchurch Tithe Map The woodland merges into the more open common of scrub and heath used for grazing. ENCLOSURE OF COMMONS Early Enclosure In some places, (more likely where the village centres were below the escarpment ), enclosure of commons took place prior to 1840. Tithes were often extinguished at the same time as early enclosure therefore there was no need for a Tithe Survey and no Tithe Map and Apportionment is available. Some useful detail MAY possibly be found on the Enclosure map Parliamentary Enclosure • Most Chilterns common land enclosed under the 1845 (General Enclosure Act). • Enclosure Maps show numbered plots for enclosure; new roads; ponds; allotments for the labouring poor and for recreation. • Enclosure Awards record roads to be laid out or stopped up; ponds; plot number and land owner. Allotments for individuals, the labouring poor, for recreation Stokenchurch Enclosure Map 1861 (with new layout coloured green.) Clues to remnant or lost commons • Late 19th century and later housing relating to site of previous common land • Victorian school buildings; Non-Conformist chapels; Ponds (remaining or new); Allotments, Sports field and green spaces in village centre • Road names e.g. New Road; Common Road Example of previous extent of Stokenchurch commons showing changes resulting from Enclosure. Field work • Remnant vegetation: Bracken, gorse, woodland plants such as bluebells, dog’s mercury or wood anemone • Enclosure hedges: straight lines; hawthorn; little ground flora • Old hedges (non-enclosure): mixed hedge species; old stumps or evidence of hedge laying; varied ground flora including woodland plants SOURCES OF INFORMATION Parish • Parish Council minutes from 1896 Managing allotments, roads, ponds. May refer to Enclosure Map and Award • Vestry minutes – prior to 1896 as above BUT may be at Record Offices or Archives Archives - what’s available • Original Maps and printed OS maps • Original documents e.g. Vestry records; Parish council records Local regulations and infringements; Land management related • Census 1841-1911 • Newspapers • Books - general and local • Journals: eg Records of Bucks; Oxonensia County Archives • Oxfordshire History Centre - Cowley, Oxford 01865 398200 • Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies - Aylesbury 01296 382587 • Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies- Hertford 0300 123 4049 Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service - Bedford 01234 228833 Practical tips for visiting Archives CARN Readers Ticket is required. It is available at Archives FREE and is valid for 4 years. You will need to take 2 passport photographs and some identification e.g. drivers licence to obtain the CARN. It can be used at most Record Offices. Take pencils, rubber, pencil sharpener, large notebook, tracing paper, camera, reading glasses, mid distance glasses.... Lunch and drink – very important as it is tiring searching for information! Ask staff for advice and help • Explain what you are looking for • Ask how to use the archives and how to use Search Indexes - parish,personal names, occupations, maps etc • Ask where to look for publications and anything related to commons, parish etc • Ask about.... Copying maps with tracing paper A3 best Taking photographs Photocopy when possible • Write everything down Reference number; name and date of document; all the text you might need and often more just in case it is useful later. Some Sources of information: Libraries and Archives • Victoria County History (VCH) • Local writers relating to parish or village • Old floras may provide some clues to appearance of commons e.g. Druce 1886 • Agricultural histories and comment e.g. Arthur Young 1813 • Early travellers around England e.g. Daniel Defoe 1724, John Leland 1535- 43. • Tithe Surveys for Historians. Kain & Prince 2000 Sources of information: Internet • British Library www.bl.uk in Search - type “Surveyors drawings” • Google “OS Surveyors drawings” • Internet: www.old-maps.co.uk • David & Charles Reprints 1st edition 1-inch www.davidandcharles.co.uk £4.89 • Cassini Publishing 1st edition 1-inch www.cassinimaps.co.uk £7.99 • Edina Historic Digimap (for HE and FE access only) • The National Archives www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Click on Records, look under Quick links for In-Depth Research Guides • British Library Help for Researchers http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/index.html for map and other information British History Online www.british-history.ac.uk Click on region; look for Victoria County History, then County Solent-Thames Archaeological Research Framework - covers Bucks and Oxon http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/archaeology/solent_framework.page Heritage Gateway www.heritagegateway.org.uk includes links to Historic Environment Records www.magic.defra.gov.uk Use to identify land designations or habitats Sources of information: Photographs • Local people, local pubs • Local History centres • Internet Buckinghamshire Photos High Wycombe and area Old Photos (SWOP) Bedfordshire Library website Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies Oxfordshire County Council Heritage Stokenchurch Common 1950’s ( from SWOP) King George V Sept 1913 Lane End Common .............................but is it really him? (there is some dispute!) Wycombe Heath Windmill 1920’s IMPORTANT !!!! Collect all your information and share it with the Commons Project. .