Four Acres
Four Acres
A part of Preston Lower farm
Four Acres (Parcel 138) was a field at the centre of Preston Lower Farm - the name originating from the area of the field which, in fact was only just over three acres. The 1848 Preston Tithe Apportionment described Four Acres as arable for growing crops and noted that it measured just 3a 2r 27p. All eight fields of Lower Farm whose names suggested an acreage such as Three Acre Mead, Four Acres, etc., were actually less than their names would suggest. However this is due to the use of 'Statute' measurements in the Apportionment which were actually smaller that 'Customary' measurements.
The Apportionment recorded that Four Acres was owned by Robert Tucker and occupied by Joseph Roberts.
Four Acres was bounded on the north by Seven & Eight Acres (Parcel 139), on the west and south by Second Close (Parcel 137) and to the east by a small brook.
As seen from the 1889 Ordnance Survey map below, Four Acres was still an open field but had, by this time, been combined with Second Close to form a larger field and the 1927 aerial photograph shows that it remained open until this time. By 1946 the aerial photograph shows that the former Four Acres contained the houses and gardens of the southern end of St Andrews Road, including the cul-de-sac spur running southeast.
For details on historic land measurement (ie acres, roods and perches) click here.
MAPS & Aerial Photographs
The 1849 Preston Tithe Map. Four Acres is at centre.
The 1849 Preston Tithe Map overlaid on a modern map.
The 1889 Ordnance Survey shows Lower Farm at lower left with extensive fields labelled 'Preston Grove' stretching eastwards. Four Acres, now combined with Second Close, is right of centre.
An aerial photograph of 1927, looking southeast. Preston Road runs across lower left and Watercombe Lane is at lower right while Westland's airfield is at top right and relatively newly-built Preston Grove runs up the left of the photograph. Preston Lower Farm is at centre bottom. Four Acres, now combined with Second Close, is at top left with its former boundaries shown red.
An aerial photograph of 1946 showing the approximate boundary of the former Four Acres shown in red and by this time containing the houses and gardens of the southern end and the spur of St Andrews Road.