Yeovil's Virtual Museum

Against the river

Once part of the great Medieval East Field of Kingston Manor

 

Against the River, also known as the River Field, was a field later split into two bordering the River Yeo that had originally formed part of the great Medieval East Field of Kingston Manor and was part of a large sub-field called Reckless Lake. There was another field called Against the River (Parcel 887) just a little further to the north, opposite Compton Mill.

Although both Against the River fields are shown on the 1842 Tithe Map as Parcels 881 and 882, the 1846 Tithe Apportionment makes no reference to them at all. It is known, however, that Parcel 881 measured 3a 0r 20p while the smaller Parcel 882 measured just 0a 3r 9p.

A Counterpart of Lease for seven years dated 25 March 1859 between Captain William Prowse of Enham House, Southampton, Retired Captain RN, and John Stone of Pen Mill Inn for both the inn and the adjoining farm, included 'The River Field' (Parcel 881). The lease noted that the field was used as meadow for making hay.

Against the River (Parcels 881 and 882) was bounded on the southeast by the River Yeo, on the northwest by Reckless Lake (Parcel 880) and Long Close (Parcel 883) and on the northeast by Weir Mead (Parcel 885).

Today Against the River is chiefly wooded and forms part of Yeovil's Riverside Walk in Yeovil Country Park.

 

For details on historic land measurement (ie acres, roods and perches) click here.

 

This map, based on the descriptions in the 1589 Terrier and the 1846 Tithe Map of Yeovil shows the approximate boundaries of the Manors of Kingston and Hendford as well as the manorial three-field system used in Kingston.

 

A map of the great Medieval East Field of Kingston Manor showing conjectured locations of several fields based on descriptions in the 1589 Terrier.

 

This map is based on the 1842 Tithe Map with field names chiefly added from the 1846 Tithe Apportionment.

 

The 1842 Tithe Map superimposed (roughly) over a modern street map. Bearing in mind the relatively primitive surveying equipment of the 1840s they weren't all that far out.

 

Against the River (the River Yeo is just off photo to the right) looking northeast from newly-planted Parcel 881 into the young woods of Parcel 882. Photographed in 2010.

 

Against the River (the River Yeo is just off photo to the left) looking southwest from Parcel 882 across the newly-planted Parcel 881. Photographed in 2010.