Woborn almshouse  - rents of properties

Woborn property rents

Rents of Properties owned by Woborn Almshouse

 

The Woborn Almshouse or hospital was founded in Yeovil under letters patent granted by King Edward IV, bearing the date 9th November 1476, in honour of St George and St Christopher, in Silver Street, Yeovil. The original Woborn Almshouse building was sited just behind the property that was to become the Pall Tavern, the site is occupied now by the Indian restaurant. The Pall Tavern, the Three Choughs Hotel, the George Inn and the Black Cock were for centuries owned by the Woborn Almshouse, among many other properties bequeathed down the centuries, and the rent of the buildings and land provided income for the Almshouse.

The following schedules give an excellent indication of 'who lived where', in which properties and how much they paid in rent.



1 - House and Garden, Back Street / South Street.
Chief Rent: 6 shillings. Rack Rent (that is, an extortionate rent) from 1823.

In this instance it appears that Richard Vining rented this South Street property which became 'in very bad repair'. Vining presumably renovated the property and certainly by 1822 the property had been divided into two cottages which Vining sub-let at an extortionate rent (see 1823 entry).

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1655

Merrick Spender, glover

1663

Richard Spender, glover, 'formerly Merrick'

1697

Mary Collens, widow of Benjamin Collens

1716

Mary Colling

1747

P Cheeseman

1768-78

Philip Cheeseman, Rent 6s pa

1792

George Cox, Rent 6s pa

1802

George Cox (pencilled in 'now R Vining')

1816

Richard Vining (in 1819 noted 'in very bad repair')

1822

Richard Vining ('in hand, rent due from Sarah Hunt & Charles Jenkyns')

1823

S Hunt, C Jenkyns, J Moore - total £14 8s

1827

P King, J Hodder, J Moore - total £15 9s

1846

P King, R Gill, R Maidment "Cottages in South Street collected by R Vining £2 1s"

1862

J Langdon





2 - House, Garden & Orchard, Back Street / South Street
Chief Rent: 5 shillings. Rack Rent 1844
This property, later divided into two tenements, was on what would become the corner of South Street and Bond Street (not built until the 1830s), now the site of the current Woborn Almshouse. The cottages fronted South Street with rear gardens and the orchard beyond the gardens into what is now Peter Street (again, not built until the 1830s).

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1550

John Osmonde, dyer

1589

William Flower, woollen weaver

1610

Lawrence Brooke, woollen weaver

1631

John Sharpe, shoemaker, Rent 13s 4d pa

1636

John Hacker, silkweaver

1666

Lawrence Wills

1687

Edward Hayward

1716

Mr Hayward

1733

Surrender by son of Edward Hayward to R Marsh, tallow chandler

1747

R Marsh. Rent 13s 4d pa

1766

Mrs Marsh

1773

H Donn

1773

H Donn, formerly S Marsh 'very ruinous'

1802-18

Mrs Donn.  Rent 13s 4d pa

1826-43

Peter Daniell, late Donn's. Rent 13s 4d pa.

1836

Divided into two tenements

1856

Two cottages; Frederick Gill and (late) J Haines. Pulled down & yard, R Vining

1862

Yard. Yeovil Corporation. Site of new almshouse.





3 - Three Choughs Hotel, Hendford / South Street
Chief Rent: 30 shillings. Rack Rent 1766

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1664

John Dyer

1667

Widow Dyer

1716

Robena Cary. Rent 30s pa

1744

Mrs Alfred (sic). Rent 30s pa

1747

Mrs Alford. Rent 30s pa

1766

Mrs Abrams

1777

in hand

1776-87

Mrs Forward. Rent £30 gross

1788-94

Thomas Martin

1795

H Bollen

1796-1826

Mrs Bollen

1845-62

Mrs Maria Bollen

1882

T Shorland.  Rent £300

1920

Sold




4 - House and Garden, Grope Lane / Wine Street.
Chief Rent: 6s 8d, Rack Rent 1824

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1528

John Locke, mercer.  7 years 4s pa

1582

Margaret Collyns  Rent 5s 4d pa

1622

Katherine Thomas, widow

1664

William Cosby, glover. House lately rebuilt

1680

Henry Spender, glover

1710

William Haines, yeoman

1716

Widow Spender

1747

Thomas Phelps

1753

Mrs Bartlett

1762

B Diamond, late Bartlett's

1764-67

J Daniel, late Bartlett's

1801

J Cayme.  renewed lease 16s pa

1806

J Cayme formerly Daniel

1818

J Cayme

1826

J Cayme, now Etheredge. £11 pa

1836

Mr Etheredge for late Cayme's.  £17 10s pa

1842-3

Mr Etheredge.  £14 pa

1844

Mathew Trent.  £14 pa




5 - House, Pit Lane / Middle Street.
Chief Rent: 8s

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1628

J Salmon, glover

1636

JS relets to JB

1637

S Glisson, tailor



6 - House, Pit Lane / Middle Street.
Chief Rent: 4s
This property was in Pit Lane, today's Middle Street, near the junction with Vicarage Street. It was divided into two properties around 165o, demolished around 1753, rebuilt in 1817-18 and demolished again in 1840.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1652

Henry Hann, yeoman

1697

John Francis

1716

Francis

1746

Thomas Francis. Rent 8s pa

1753

Late Thomas Francis   'house down'

1817-8

Rebuilt

1836

C Rowsell  Rent. £9 pa

1838

John Greenland.  Rent £9 pa

1840

'house down'

 

 

 

7 - House, Pit Lane / Middle Street.
Chief Rent: 4s
This property was in Pit Lane, today's Middle Street, on the junction with Vicarage Street. It was known as 'le Bakehouse'. It was demolished around 1753 and rebuilt.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1602

P Wallis, curryer  -  5s

1622

P Wallis, curryer

1657

R Wallis  -  8s

1716

J Francis  -  8s

1746

T Francis (a butcher)  -  8s

1753

late Thomas Francis  "house down"

1840

Charles Oram

1842

Solomon Lambe  -  £3

1844

Charles Pavord

1849

George Trevett  -  £7

1856

Susan Duffett

1862

J Hayward

 

 

 

8 - House and Backside, Pit Lane / Middle Street.
Chief Rent: 4s, Rack Rent 1817
This property was in Pit Lane, today's Middle Street, near the junction with Vicarage Street and lay to the immediate east of the above property known as 'le Bakehouse'.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1553

James Harrison

1602

Robert Brooke, labourer

1621

George Newman, shoemaker, 'formerly Brooke'.  Rent 12s pa

1624

Richard Turner, cordwayner.  Rent 8s pa

1646

Henry Hann, yeoman, 'formerly J Talbott'.  Rent 8s pa

The property was then divided.

1652

William Sherring, husbandman, 'formerly H Hann'.  Rent 4s pa

1656

William Sheringe, shoemaker, 'lately held by J Talbot'

1697

James Nurton, thatcher, 'formerly held by W Sherring deceased - cottage and garden called "Sherring's House".

1701

Henry Chapman, glover

1716

Henry Chapman - use of well for 3 cottages: Francis / Chapman / Chapman

1746

Mary Chapman.  Rent 12s pa

1752

Mathew Chapman, 'late Chapman's'.  Rent 12s pa

1762-70

James Foot.  Rent 4s pa

1771-1808

John Cole

1810-16

C Grimes,'late Cole's'.  Rent 10s pa

1817

Rebuilt - Charles Grimes, late Cole's.  Rent £10 pa

1818-22

Taylor & Butts. Rent £14 pa

1823-28

Charles Foan.  Rent £30 pa

1829

Henry Fone and John Hoskins.  Rent £30 pa

1831-33

Henry Fone.  Rent £15 pa

1834-43

Henry Fone (one unoccupied)  Rent £28 pa

1844-57

Henry Foan, Miss Jane Foan ('48) alias Body ('57).  Rent £20 pa

1858-62

Albert Davis






9 - House, Location unknown.
Chief Rent: 6s 8d, Rack Rent 1811

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1553

Richard Marten, labourer.  Rent 4s pa

1602

John Martyn, labourer.  Rent 4s pa

1622

Richard Martyn, fuller

1628

Gyles Gaylard, tobacconist.  Rent 6s 6d pa

1691

A&F Coles, masons, 'late Gaylard'.  Rent 6s 8d pa

1716

Francis Coles

1747-70

Francis Coles.  Rent 6s 8d pa

1771

John Cole.  Rent 6s 8d pa

1808

John Cole, 'in hand'.  Rent 6s 8d pa

1811-1816

Charles Grimes for late Cole's. Rent £10 pa

1816

'house down'

1839

not included.  Rent £3 pa

1842

Emmanuel Budgett

1855

Richard Tizzard

1857

James Marsh

1858

Tizzard

1862

late Tizzard.  Rent £3 pa

 

 



10 - Three Cuppes Inn, Pit Lane / Middle Street
Chief Rent: 14s, Rack Rent 1832
The Three Cups Inn (later to be called the George Inn) began life as a private dwelling, built during the 1400’s and from 1478 it was owned (among other licensed premises) by the Trustees of Woborn's Almshouse, who continued to own it until 1920 with the rent of the building providing a regular income for the Almshouse.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1550

Gyles Hayne

1602

Joseph Hayne

1621

Thomas Grobham

1650

Frederick Underwood 'called 3 Cuppes' formerly T Grobham's

1677

James Markes

1698

James Markes

1712

Dorothy Markes

1727

'occupier of the George, late 3 Cuppes'

1735

Jer. Hayne for 3 Cuppes (Rate Book)

1747

G Hayne

1766

Widow Hayne

1777

Hugh Butts - 3 Cups (or George)

1781

occ. Henry Hewlett

1796

Kitson for Haynes

1826-32

Mrs Kitson for Haynes - 'in hand'

(1826)

(Susan Kitson - John Thomas sub-tenant. Land Tax)

1832-5

John Thomas.  Rent £57 pa

1836-46

E Henning.  Rent £45 pa

1847-49

Mrs Osmond.  Rent £25 pa

1849-57

J Holden.  Rent £25 pa

1862

W Smith.  Rent £32 pa

1882

Earle Vincent.  Rent £75 pa

1903

Rent £90 pa

1921

Sold to Lovibond's Brewery of Salisbury

 

 



11 - Burgage, Curtilage & Bakehouse, Vennel's Cross
Chief Rent: 14s
This was "3 burgages conjoined at Fynelscrosse" and was actually situated on Vennel's Cross (today's Triangle) to the east of Turnstile Lane.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1501

John Donne.  Rent 14s pa

1512

John Sewe

1535

William Short

1536

William Short, pistor (ie, a baker)

1588

John Hacker, bailiff

1624

John Hardynge, mercer.  Rent 30s pa

1662

Elizabeth Dyer, widow.  Rent 30s pa

1667

Elizabeth, John and Anne Dyer.  Rent 30s pa

1716

John Clark

 

 



12 - Pall Inn, Silver Street
Chief Rent: 10s,  Rack Rent 1826
The first record in which the Pall Inn in Silver Street is mentioned as an inn as opposed to a private dwelling, is in a lease dated 1769 (see below) in which it was claimed to be 'in very ruinous condition'.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1587

Thomas Downton

1606

John Allen, curryer

1632

Henry Trent

1651

Maria Swetman

1667

William Ashford, husbandman

1690

Jone Ashford, widow

1716-47

William Hammond

1751

Widow Hammond

1769

Henry Donn 'at the sign of the Paul, in ruinous condition', tenant John Dix

1805-26

Kitson.  Rent in 1826 £25 pa

1827

T Lukins

1836

Rebuilt. old materials sold for £22 10s

1854

Rent £60 pa

1862

Thomas Dampier.  Rent £63 pa

1881

R Leach. Rent £90 pa

1902

Rent (with Oxenfurlong) £71

1921

Sold

 

 



13 - Dye House, Silver Street
Chief Rent: 6s 8d
E Watts' map of 1806 depicts the Woborn Almshouse as a long building but, in fact, it was only half of the building shown - the southern end was known as the Dye House, later it was simply a garden plot.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1550

Ambrose Gregory.  Rent 6s pa

1587

William Beacham, sackweaver.  Rent 6s pa

1622

John Beacham, sackweaver.  Rent 6s 8d pa

1649-67

Thomas Churchouse, weaver

1681

Robert Hodges, formerly Elizabeth Gaylard widow of Thomas Churchouse.

1690

Robert Hodges, tailor

1716

Robert Hodges

1747

Mrs Hodges, widow.  Rent 6s 8d pa

1775

House down - 'site of two tenements suffered to decay over 40 years ago'

1807

S Fone - garden plot.  Rent 6d pa

1816-30

Brown.  Rent 5s pa

1831

Included in Pall Inn rent.

 

 



14 - House and Garden, Quedam Street / Vicarage Street
Chief Rent: 10s, Rack Rent 1844
This property was sold in 1863 to butcher John Turner for £170.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1582

Elizabeth Hayne.  Rent 9s 10d pa

Note

Between 1622 and 1716 this property was leased together with a fields in Northover, Picket Witch, Eastfield 'Kings' as 'Newman's' for 26s 8d pa

1622

Henry Wheddon

1646

Johane Wheadon, late Hutchin's

1682

William Newman

1716

William Newman

1747

Mrs Bull for Newman's. Rent 26s 8d pa

1768-78

Mr Buckler. Rent 26s 8d pa

1778-90

Mr Buckler. Rent 20s 8d pa

1798

T Churchouse. Rent 10s pa

1816-18

George Grimes (noted 'thatch bad' in 1819)

1823-43

R Sprake for Longman's

1844

Mr Barnard Garrett. Rent £19 pa

1851-7

Cottage. Rent £5 16s pa

1858-62

Mrs Garrett - weekly tenant

 

 



15 - House and Garden, Quedam Street / Vicarage Street
Chief Rent: 4s
This property was adjoining the Middle Street properties listed Nos 6 and 7 above, known as Sherring's.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1644

E Boales

1645

Maria Atkins, widow

1656

H Triptree, glover

1657

M Wills the Younger 'next to Sherrings'

1661

H Chapman, parchment maker 'next to Sherrings'

1682

Mary Chapman, widow

1716

Widow Chapman

1755

Rent ceased - house collapsed

 

 



16 - House, Quedam Street / Vicarage Street
Chief Rent: 6s 8d, Rack Rent: 1788
This house was on the southern side of Quedam Street, towards its western end.



Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1626

E Harris, yeoman. Lately S Mills

1657

George Moore, linendraper

1716

Elizabeth Avoke, spinster

1721

Elizabeth Avoke, daughter of George Avoke

1736

Elizabeth Avoke

1747

W Arnold

1763

William Arnold.  Rent 6s 8d pa

1788

Dorothy Johnson, widow.  Rent 6s 8d pa

1797

Pearcy for Arnold's.  Rent 6s 8d pa

1806

Pearcy

1816

Snook for Andrews' (sic).  Rent 6s pa

1819

in bad repair

1826-36

Snook for Andrews' (sic).  Rent 6s pa

1845-6

Mrs Snook.  Rent 6s pa

 

 



17 - House, Quedam Street / Vicarage Street
Chief Rent: 6s 8d, Rack Rent: 1809
This was a tenement on the south side, bounded on the east by lands of holy Trinity and the Burgesses on the west.



Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1550

Goodfare

1607

J Beaton, tailor

1621

E Forde, husbandman. Rent 10s pa

1650

W Turner, husbandman

1708

W Turner, yeoman. Rent 10s pa

1716

Benjamin Mullins

1747

J Simonds, late Turner's. Rent 10s pa

1784

James Symonds, cordwainer. Rent 10s pa

1796

John Symonds, cordwainer, late Turner's. Rent 10s pa

1797-1808

Thomas for Symonds'

1809-23

William Hurlestone late Thomas (part of) Rent £9 pa

1809-23

Samuel Lucas late Thomas (part of)  Rent £5 pa

1824-33

William Hurlestone. Rent £9 pa / Henry White late Lucas. Rent £5 pa

1834-37

Charles Rousell. Rent £9 pa / Henry White.  £5 pa

1838

John Greenland. Rent £9 pa / Henry White now Searle. Rent £6 pa

1839-53

John Searle.  £6 pa

1854-62

A yard

1865

John Turner.  Rent £2 10s


 

 



18 - Half Acre 'in Lower Northover'
Rack Rent: 1788
This was a small close of land within the Medieval field Northover.


Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1788-9

Henry Winsor.  Rent 10s pa

1806-7

Whitmash.  Rent £1 pa

1808-45

C Parsons.  Rent £1 pa

1846

Charles Parsons

1846

F Greenham for Parsons'.  Rent £1 pa

1862

F Greenham.  Rent £1 10s pa

 

 



19 - Gospit
Rack Rent: 1788
This was described variously as One acre 'Brickyard Lane' (today's St Michael's Avenue) and 1 acre in Kingston Field, Galkysput, Gawesputt, etc., later called Goldspitt.



Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1553

R Hacker (Galkys Pitt)

1589

R Hacker (Galspitt at Meadway)

1605

J Starre (Gallys Pitt)

1659

John Newman formerly J Starre  Rent 1s pa

1788-99

S Isaac.  Rent 30s pa

1800

E Tomkins.  Rent £2 2s pa

1836

Rev. Thomas Tomkins, Gospit. Rent £3 pa

1862

Edward Tomkins, in Brickyard Lane. Rent £3 pa

 

 



20 - Everton's
Chief Rent: 1s
Also known as Beacham's Close, this was a small field off Lyde Lane (today's Lyde Road), near Eastfield.


Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1716

William Newman for Widow Everton's.  Rent 1s pa

1747-67

Mrs Bull for Widow Everton's

1767-97

Mr Buckler for Widow Everton's

1798-1862

Mr Prowse for Widow Everton's

1882

Capt. Prowse.  Rent 1s pa

 

 



21 - East Field of Kingston
Rack Rent: 1788
Eastfield was a small field of 1½ acres off the west side of Lyde Lane (today's Lyde Road) just southwest of Little Lyde Farm.



Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1788-97

Mr Row.  Rent £1 pa

1798

Mr Batten.  Rent £1 pa

1818-27

Mr Batten.  Rent £2 pa

1828

James Bagg.  Rent £4 4s pa

1837-51

Charles Marsh 'In East Beacham's Close'.  Rent £2 10s pa

1852-5

George Frost.  Rent £2 10s pa

1856-62

John Stone.  Rent £3 pa

 

 



22 - Westfield of Kingston
Chief Rent: 6s 8d to 2s. Rack Rent: 1856
This was a 3-acre part of an arable field called West Field (Parcel 1465) to the north of Preston Road. This parcel was used as allotment gardens from at least 1901 until at least 1938 and possibly into the 1950s. Today the former field is occupied by the houses and gardens of the southern end of Willow Road.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1553

R Hacker for Cattle Lake

1589

R Hacker for Cattle Lake

1605

J Starre et al for Cattle Lake

1636

Samuel Hardy for Cattle Lake.  Rent 6s 8d pa

1639

Judith Waterman for Cattle Lake

1747

Onesiphorus Penny.  Rent 2s pa

1749

Mrs Mary Penny, widow

1774

Mr Penny

1795

H Penny.  Rent 2s pa

1802-18

H Penny.  Rent 2s pa

1855

H Penny

1856

C Penny land in Westfield'.  Rent £6 pa

1859

R Vining

1862

W Allen.  Rent £10 pa

1882

William Fudge.  Rent £12 pa

1960

Sold

 

 



23 - Picketswitch
Rack Rent: 1788
This was a very small field, just 5 rods, roughly where the Picketty Witch pub stood.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1788

Thomas Bullock. Rent £1 10s pa

1825

Rent £3 pa

1826-52

Edward Watts. Rent £3 pa

1853-62

HM Watts.  Rent £3 10s pa

 

 



24 - Yeovil Marsh
This is for an unspecified area of land in Yeovil Marsh, bearing in mind the amount of rent it was probably one of the small farms.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1747

Farmer Woodrow,  Rent £2 12s 6d pa

1768

Francis Woodrow,  Rent £6 pa

1772

John Leach,  Rent £8 pa

1782

Charles Ricketts

1796

Messrs Tucker & Smith,  Rent £11 pa

1800

John Brown,  Rent £10 10s pa

1805

James Ricketts,  Rent £13 15s pa

1826

Mathew Trent,  Rent £14 pa

1859-62

John Trent,  Rent £14 pa

 

 



25 - Roy, Yeovil Marsh
Rack Rent:
This was a twelve acre field called Roy, situated in Yeovil Marsh.

 

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1727

Will of William Goodford; £10 charge on lands in Marsh (3 closes, 12 acres)

1746

Widow Martha Mead,  Rent £2 12s 6d pa

1767

Thomas Mead,  Rent £15 pa

1773

Edward Ball,  Rent £15 pa

1786

John Martin,  Rent £15 pa

1796

John Martin,  Rent £21 pa

1800

Mr Tomkins

1801

John Jeffery,  Rent £26 pa

1812

William Spear,  Rent £34 pa

1822

Messrs Spear & Pope,  Rent £18 pa

1828

William Symes late Spear's,  Rent £26 pa

1862

William Symes,  Rent £25 pa

 

 



26 - Coppet's Hill / Whitefold
This was a three acre field.

Year

Tenants / Sub-Tenants

1747

John Hill / Martin / Jeffery,  Rent £3 7s 6d

1816

William Spear late Jeffery's,  Rent £25

1820

George Spear (Land Tax)

1822

Messrs Spear & Pope,  Rent £18

1826

William Pope for Coppid Hill, late part of Spear's,  Rent £5 5s

1841

James Pope,  Rent £5

1854

John Frost,  Rent £6

1856

George Frost

1862

Robert Smith,  Rent £6