Yeovil's Virtual Museum

Thompson's Close

Once part of the great medieval East Field of Kingston Manor

 

The southern part of today's Lyde Road was originally known as Meadway, Mead Way or Medway and is noted as such in the Terrier of 1589 ".... from Meadway Gate, the lower part of the way, unto Reckless Gate...." and ".... from Reckless Lake in the outpart of the Meadway unto the River before Compton Mill....".

A lease dated 4 April 1673 between Sir William Stourton and Edward Jacob the Elder of Kingston, Gent, refers to ".... in the Manor of Kingston, also 1 close meadow or pasture Meadway 7a." In 1754 it was referred to in a document as "Master George Prowse's Mead-Way" - George Prowse being the Lord of Kingston Manor at that time.

On the corner of Meadway (today's Lyde Road) and London Road (today's Sherborne Road) was a large field that had once been part of the great medieval East Field of Kingston Manor. This field was called Meadway, or Medway, and in today's terms stretched along Lyde Road from the junction with Sherborne Road as far as the Lidl store and stretched along Sherborne Road from the junction with Lyde Road to the River Yeo.

By the time of the 1743 Terrier, Meadway (the field) had been broken up into several smaller fields, or parcels. Thompson's Close and Waters of Strife were two such parcels and the indenture dated 21 May 1790 (see below) shows that these two parcels had belonged to Yeovil butcher Thomas Francis. The fields passed to his son Charles Francis who, in 1790. sold them to William Row, gentleman of Sherborne, but later of Little Lyde.

The field named Waters of Strife was another name for Reckless Lake.

Thompson's Close lay between fields called Thistlemoor and Distlemoor, indicating that the original medieval Ditchelmoor / Thistlemoor, including what would become Thompson's Close, ran alongside the River Yeo all the way from London Road (today's Sherborne Road) as far as the stream south of Reckless Lake.

In 1813, Edward Bullock Watts produced a map of "Peckford's Lyde" - as Little Lyde Farm was known at the time - that showed that Thompson's Close was part of Peckford's Lyde. It seems to have been sold off shortly after this date.

A deed of exchange dated 1823 noted "Thompson's Close formerly held by Joseph Gibbon, then Thomas Francis, then Charles Francis...." and in his will of 1828 William Row stated "my Close of Meadow Ground called Thompson's Close bought of Charles Francis....".

The 1846 Tithe Apportionment noted that Thompson's Close (Parcel 869) was owned by John Tanner Whiteley Pitcher ('natural' son of William Row) and the tenant was John Brook the Younger. The Apportionment noted that it was used as meadow and measured 5a 2r 2p.

Thompson's Close (Parcel 869) was bounded on the northwest by Jacob's Medway (Parcel 867) and East Beacham Close (Parcel 872), on the southwest by Medway (Parcel 868) and Distlemoor (Parcel 861), on the southeast by the River Yeo and on the northeast by Thistlemoor (Parcel 870).

Today the eastern part of the former Thompson's Close is occupied by the northern part of the Yeovil sewage works, while the railway cuts across what would have been the western end.

 

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.

 

The 1927 Ordnance Survey showing the whole of the Pen Mill - Lyde Lane area. By this time the field boundaries of former Thompson's Close had changed considerably.

 

A modern aerial photograph 'borrowed' from Google Maps with the approximate boundaries of Thompson's Close (Parcel 869) outlined in red.

 

 

This Indenture made the twenty first day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety and in the thirtieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith Between Charles Francis of Yeovil in the county of Somerset Butcher (Devises in Fee of the lands and hereditaments hereinafter expressed to be hereby granted and released under and by virtue of the last Will and Testament of Thomas Francis late of the same place Butcher his deceased Father of the one part and William Row of Wyk within the parish of Sherborne in the county of Dorset Gentleman of the other part Whereas by Indenture bearing date on or about the twentieth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine and made or intended to be made between the said Charles Francis of the one part and the said William Row of the other part in consideration of Two hundred pounds paid by the said Charles Francis He the said Charles Francis [three words illegible] the said William Row his executors administrators and assigns All that close of heretofore arable land formerly called by the name of East field or Meadway situate lying and being in Kingston juxta Yeovil aforesaid and in the above mentioned Will of the said Thomas Francis described to be two closes and called by the names of Thompson's Close and the Waters of Strife which said two closes contain by estimation eight acres and were heretofore in the possession of one Joseph Gibbon and by Indentures of Lease and Release bearing date respectively the first and second days of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and twenty nine granted and conveyed the same (with other lands) to the abovenamed Thomas Francis in [word illegible] appurtenances To hold the same unto the said William Row his executors administrators and assigns from the day of the date of the said Indenture for and during and unto the full as and term of one thousand years thence next ensuing and fully to be compleat and ended under the yearly rent of a peppercorn payable as therein is mentioned Subject to a proviso therein contained for [word illegible] of the said premises on payment to the said William Row of the sum of Two hundred pounds with interest for the same after the rate and at the time therein mentioned And whereas there is now due and owing to the said William Row for principal and interest secured upon the said mortgaged premises the sum of Two hundred and ten pounds And whereas the said Charles Francis did lately contract and agree with the said William Row for sale to him of the [fee simple ?] and inheritance of the aforesaid mortgages premises and all his estate and interest therein at or for the price or [word illegible] of Five hundred pounds out of which it was agreed that the said sum of Two hundred and ten pounds so due to the said William Row should be paid and satisfied Now this Indenture witnesseth that in persuance and performance of the aforesaid [writed ?] agreement on the part of the said Charles Francis and in consideration of the said sum of Two hundred and ten pounds being so due and owing to the said William Row upon the said [recited ?] security and which is to be [retained?] by him in satisfaction and discharge of and for all monies due to him upon the same security and also for and in consideration of the sum of Two hundred and ninety pounds of lawful money of Great Britain by the said William Row to the said Charles Francis in hand at or before the sealing and delivery of these presents well and truly paid the retained and receipt of which said several sums of Two hundred and ten pounds and Two hundred and ninety pounds in manner aforesaid he the said Charles Francis doth hereby acknowledge and thereof and therefrom and of and from every part thereof doth acquit release and discharge the said William Row his heire executors administrators and assigns forever by these presents He the said Charles Francis hath granted bargained sold aliened released and confirmed and by the presents doth grant bargain sell alien release and confirm unto the said William Row his actual possession now being by virtue of a Bargain and Sale to him [two words illegible] for five shillings consideration by Indenture bearing [date the] day next before the day of the date of these presents for one year [a whole line illegible within a crease of the document] All that the before mentioned close of heretofore arable land but now pasture ground and divided into two closes containing by estimation eight acres be the same more or less situate lying and being in Kingston juxta Yeovil within the parish of Yeovil aforesaid heretofore in the possession of the said Joseph Gibbon since of the said Thomas Francis and now of the said Charles Francis or their respective undertenants together with all ways paths passages Waters Watercourses Easements Profits Advantages Hereditaments and Appurtenances to the said premises belonging or in any way appuraining and the Reversion and Reversions Remainder and Remainders Rents [word illegible] and Profits thereof and all the Estate Right like Interest property Claim and Demand whatsoever at Law and in Equity of him the said Charles Francis of in to and out of the same premises and every part thereof and all Deeds Evidences and Writings whatsoever relating to or concerning the Like of the said premises which the said Charles Francis now hath in his custody or power or can or may obtain without suit at Law or in Equity To have and to hold the said Closes lands and all and singular other the premises hereinbefore expressed to be hereby granted and released and every part thereof with the appurtenances unto the said William Row his heirs and assigns To the only proper use and behoof of the said William Row his heirs and assigns for ever And the said Charles Francis for himself his heirs executors and administrators doth covenant promise and agree to and with the said William Row his heirs and assigns by these presents in manner following (that is to say) that for and notwithstanding any act matter or thing by him the said Charles Francis or the said Thomas Francis done to the contrary He the said Charles Francis now is lawfully rightfully and absolutely seized in his demesne as of Fee of and in the said closes lands and premises hereinbefore expressed to be hereby granted and released of a good [word illegible] lawful and absolute estate of inheritance to him and his heirs and hath in himself good right and full and absolute power and authority to grant release and convey the same premises with the appurtenances unto and to the use of the said William Row his heirs and assigns for ever according to the true intent and meaning of these presents And also that it shall and may be lawful to and for the said William Row his heirs and assigns from time to time and at all times hereafter peaceably and quickly to enter into and upon have hold use occupy possess and enjoy all and singular the said premises hereinbefore expressed to be hereby granted and released with the appurtenances and to receive and take the rents issues and profits thereof to his and their own use without any lawful let suit trouble interruption or disturbance of or by the said Charles Francis his heirs or assigns or any other person or persons whatsoever and [several lines illegible within folds of the parchment] Powers Uses Trusts Wills Entains Statutes Recognizances Judgements Extents Executions and of from and against all [two words illegible] titles troubles charges and incumberances whatsoever done committed or suffered by the said Charles Francis and Thomas Francis or either of them or by any other person or persons lawfully claiming or to claim by from or under them or either of them or by or through his or their acts means convent default privity or procurement (other than except the remainder of the said term of one thousand years now [word illegible] in the said William Row by virtue of the above recited indenture and which is intended to be merged in the [word illegible] of the said premises And lastly that he the said Charles Francis and his heirs and all and every other person and persons having or lawfully claiming or who shall or may hereinafter have or lawfully claim any estate right [word illegible] or interest at Law or in Equity of in to or out of the said premises hereinbefore expressed to be hereby granted and released or any part thereof from by or under or [in trust ?] for him or them or the said Thomas Francis shall and will from time to time and at all times hereafter upon every reasonable request and at the proper costs and charges of the said William Row his heirs and assigns make do acknowledge levy suffer and execute or cause and procure [word illegible] done acknowledged [word illegible] suffered and executed all and every such further and other lawful and reasonable act and acts thing and things conveyances and assurances in the Law whatsoever for the further better more perfectly and absolutely granting conveying and assuring of the same premises and every part thereof with the appurtenances unto and to the use of the said William Row his heirs and assigns for ever as and by the said William Row his heirs or assigns or his or their councel learned in the Law shall be reasonably devised or [word illegible] and required In Witness whereof the said parties to these presents have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals the day and year first above written.

Charles Francis

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn