lower Tarratt
lower Tarratt
Part of a field originally called Torren
Somewhat south of the junction of Dorchester Road and Hendford Hill was originally a large field called Torren. By 1704 a lease showed that it had been divided into "two closes of arable and pasture ground called Torren, upon Hinford Hill". Between 1719 and 1751 various deeds referred to "Furzey close lying at Hyndford Hill commonly called the Torrett". By 1832 the Register of Electors recorded it as Tarratt's and at this time it was owned by Charles Stephens who resided in Paradise Row in Huish.
Aerial reconnaissance in the 1970s recorded the presence of a crop mark indicating a prehistoric ring ditch located in Lower Tarratt.
It would appear that by the time of the 1842 Tithe Map, Tarratt had been divided into at least eight smaller fields, four of which retained the name Tarratt, in addition to Higher Tarratt, Lower Tarratt, Great Tarratt and Little Tarratt.
The
1846 Tithe
Apportionment
described
Lower Tarratt
(Parcel 769) as
arable
and measuring 3a
3r
5p. It noted
that William
Brett of
Islington,
Middlesex, was the
owner and the
occupier was Giles
Harrison
(1797-1874) of Naish (today's
Nash), East
Coker - less
than a mile to
the west. Lower Tarratt was
bounded on the
north by
Higher
Tarratt (Parcel 770),
on the west by a
field access
track, on the
south by Farm
Close (Parcel
764) and on the
east by
Home
Field (Parcel
768).
As seen in the aerial photograph of 1946 below, Lower Tarratt was arable but by this time had been merged with Higher Tarratt to form a larger field - as it remains today, although it is now in the parish of East Coker.
For details on historic land measurement (ie acres, roods and perches) click here.
MAPs & Aerial Photographs
Map based on the 1842 Tithe Map with field names added from the 1846 Tithe Award. Lower Tarratt is in the upper right quadrant.
The 1842 Tithe Map superimposed over a modern aerial photograph of the area. Although the field boundaries do not align precisely, remember that the 1846 survey was undertaken by hand using primitive surveying equipment.
The 1946 aerial photograph with Dorchester Road at top right corner. Lower Tarratt is at centre bottom.
The modern satellite image of Higher Tarrat now combined with Lower Tarratt.
