Bean Close
Bean Close
Part of Carent's Farm, in Yeovil Marsh
Bean Close (Parcel 1202) was a small field that was originally a field in Bellamy's Farm, in Yeovil Marsh. By 1889 it was accommodation land, but by 1919 it was part of Carent's Farm. The name simply means land where beans were grown.
The 1743 Terrier and records "Bellamy's Farme, late Keats Estate" and "Bellamy's Farm; 3 acres pasture called Bean Close".
The 1846 Tithe Apportionment recorded that Bean Close was owned by Reverend John Jenkins Mathews and let to James Pope. It was used as pasture for grazing livestock and measured 2a 1r 9p. The disparity between the sizes recorded in 1743 and 1846 is probably due to the use of 'Statute' measurements in the Apportionment which were actually smaller than the earlier local 'Customary' measurements.
In May 1889, "A close of accommodation or grazing land, situated in Yeovil Marsh known as Bean Close" measuring 2a 2r 39p, was sold to a Mr Rowsell for £220 (around £25,000 at today's value). Rowsell also purchased Enmore / Henmoor at the same time.
Bean Close (Parcel 1202) was bounded on the south by Yeovil Marsh's main village street, to the east by the small Yeovil Marsh stream that eventually joins the River Yeo below Pill Bridge, Ilchester. To the north and west it was bounded by Moon's Close (Parcel 1216)..
By the time of the 1919 sale of the six Marsh farms, Bean Close had been acquired as part of Carent's Farm and combined with Moon's Close to create a single large field. The combined field was used as pasture and measured 10a 1r 0p.
For details on historic land measurement (ie acres, roods and perches) click here.