Yeovil's Virtual Museum

higher eight acres

One of Yeovil's most northern fields

 

Shown as the Higher North Field on Philip Byles' map of 1653, Higher Eight Acres originally totalled 10a 1r 31p but minor boundary changes (or better surveying techniques) by Victorian times had reduced its area to 8a 2r 10p. The 1846 Tithe Award noted that it was used as pasture to graze livestock.

Higher Eight Acres was bounded by the boundary of Yeovil to the north (beyond which was Mudford), to the east by Lyde Sleight (897), to the south by Lower Eight Acres (904) and to the west by Twenty Acres (895) with a connecting gate to Higher Cowleaze (905) in its southeastern corner.

Today (2014) Higher Eight Acres is being built on as part of the ever-expanding Wyndham Park.

 

Philip Byles' map of Lyde Farm dated 31 January 1653. Higher Eight Acres is shown as the Higher North Field, right of top centre.

 

The Lyde area reproduced from the 1842 Tithe Map.

 

Courtesy of Steve Wills

An aerial photograph of the Great Lyde area taken around 1953, with Parcel Numbers superimposed from the 1842 Tithe map.

 

The 1946 aerial photograph of Great Lyde Farm

 

The same area today 'borrowed' from Google maps and taken around 2010 when the groundworks for Wyndham Park were being started.

 

The 1842 Tithe Map superimposed over a modern map.

 

A closer Google Maps image of Higher Eight Acres at top left clearly showing its boundary with Twenty Acres. Taken during the early groundworks phase of the Wyndham Park development. It won't be long before it disappears completely.