A few hours spent in the County Archives in Chester last Thursday, a couple of estate maps to look at - including a 1735 'Enclosures Map' and associated documents on parchment.
The neighbouring land to the south has a collection of documents from the late 1700s to late 1800s including descriptions and field names.
From Tithe Maps around 1835 onwards, my field was previously owned by a William Rowe, his will of 1854 leaves it to his son and a field name of Castle Meadow is possible the same field (to this day, Land Registry have it listed as 'The Meadows'.
A quick visit to the field and the layered east hedge from a couple of weeks ago still has a hint of leaves, som it's still alive.
There were also about 15 sheep in the field from a couple of fields down the trackway - just about managed to herd them out and back through a couple of patchy hedges to the larger flock.
This weekend I'm down in Wiltshire, initially for an 'Apple Day' at Stourhead Farm Shop - quite a few historic varieties to munch through and then to Salisbury for a wander around the historic conservation area of Harnham Meadows (after reading the book Water Meadows.
Ignoring the soil structure differences, I was interested to see what trees were growing in this low lying area and the hedgerow content.
I also picked up a fantastic new book from Waterstones in Salisbury... The Tree House Diaries - 1 guy living as a hunter-gatherer for 6 months in a tree-house.
Out along the roads, I picked up some graft-wood of a reasonably prolific hedgerow apple tree between Salisbury and Stonehenge.
Sunday, 24 October 2010
Saturday, 16 October 2010
History
A couple of evenings spent going through online archives for land history.
From National Archives I found some searchable ancient deeds for the land around and presumably including my field plot at Farndon.
Some of the land rents around the 1400s include a pair of gilt spurs or a rose presented at mid-summer to the local lord.
Further delving brought up some documents held locally at Chester at the County Archives.
I've booked a map table and a folder of documents from the 1700s to view at the end of next week...
Other stuff unearthed includes the field used to launch an attack on the Holt Castle across the River Dee during the Civil War.
From National Archives I found some searchable ancient deeds for the land around and presumably including my field plot at Farndon.
Some of the land rents around the 1400s include a pair of gilt spurs or a rose presented at mid-summer to the local lord.
Further delving brought up some documents held locally at Chester at the County Archives.
I've booked a map table and a folder of documents from the 1700s to view at the end of next week...
Other stuff unearthed includes the field used to launch an attack on the Holt Castle across the River Dee during the Civil War.
Friday, 1 October 2010
Hedging
Just about finished the east boundary hedge between the field and trackway, layered the few existing hawthorns and tried to preserve as much of the wild roses as possible.
I've put in 25 young hawthorns, an alder and 2 hazels.
Didn't get as far as replacing the field gate and posts though.
Quite a few folk out and about along the footpath over the last week, including neighbouring landowners, which was handy for introductions and a chat.
In the south boundary hedge are a few mature ash trees - one has a Woodpecker hole a fair height up...
I've put in 25 young hawthorns, an alder and 2 hazels.
Didn't get as far as replacing the field gate and posts though.
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| From Blogger Pictures |
Quite a few folk out and about along the footpath over the last week, including neighbouring landowners, which was handy for introductions and a chat.
In the south boundary hedge are a few mature ash trees - one has a Woodpecker hole a fair height up...
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| From Blogger Pictures |
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| From Blogger Pictures |
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