Historic Maps and Chiltern Commons Mary Webb

Topics

• Ordnance Survey Maps • County and Estate maps • Tithe Maps and Apportionments • Enclosure Maps and Awards • Photographs

• Where to find resources • Using County Archives

Where to start: • Is your common at its full historic extent? - large area of rough grass, scrub and

woodland • Has it reduced in size? - a small green; open area of grass;

allotments and playing field • Has it disappeared altogether? • Has your parish moved................? • Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps

Maidensgrove

Stokenchurch

Ordnance Survey Historic maps Surveyors Drawings 1789 - c1840 2”to mile

1805- 1874 1st edition 1” to a mile (1:63 360)

1850-1880 1st ed. 6” to 1 mile 1:10560)

1860- 1870 25” to a mile (1:2,500) Part of Cadmore End Common (1881)

County maps • Late 18th and early 19th century

Oxfordshire 1797 Richard Davis Buckinghamshire 1770 Thomas Jefferys Buckinghamshire 1824 Arthur Bryant Hertfordshire 1820 Arthur Bryant Bedfordshire 1794 John Carey

NB Older maps tend to lack topographical detail

Oxfordshire Richard Davis 1797

Estate Maps • Maps made for land owners at various

dates • Less easily accessible than other types,

often held by owners • Fairly accurate; more detail than county

maps • West Wycombe Estate Maps 1698 & 1767

in “Archaeology of Downley Common” 2007

Downley Common 1767

Tithe Maps & Apportionments c1840

• Tithes – originally payment in kind to the Church (a tenth of produce)

• Gradually became monetary payment but varied across the country

• Disarray by early 19thC; resentment from Non-conformists, towns

• Tithe Commutation Act 1836 • Surveys and Valuations of 75% of parishes

in England and Wales

Tithe Maps & Apportionments c1840

• Maps: vary in appearance and size; show numbered plots, map scale and compass points.

• Apportionments: record plot number and name; land owner and occupier; land use; acreage.

• Commons and ponds recorded

Information from Tithe documents

• Habitation pattern alongside common • Ponds on commons and named in the

Apportionment • Field names: Common Field, Allotment,

Brickmasters • Road layout: compare with today and

with changes during later enclosure • Land owner/occupiers names for further

research

Stokenchurch Tithe Map 1842

Common woodland Bix Freedom Scrubbs Wood; Common Nettlebed Common Beechwood and Furze

Stokenchurch East Wood Uninclosed common Dell’s Common Pasture and Wood

Eastwood - uninclosed common

Tracing of Stokenchurch Tithe Map

Early Enclosure

• In some places, (more likely along the escarpment), enclosure took place prior to 1840.

• Tithes were often extinguished at the same time as Enclosure therefore there was no need for a Tithe Survey.

• Some useful detail MAY be found on the Enclosure map

Parliamentary Enclosure • Most Chilterns common land enclosed

under the 1845 (General Enclosure Act). • Maps show numbered plots for enclosure;

new roads; ponds; allotments for the labouring poor and for recreation.

• Awards record roads to be laid out or stopped up; ponds; plot number and land owner. Allotments for individuals, the labouring poor, for recreation

Stokenchurch Enclosure Map 1861

Clues to remnant or lost commons

• Late 19th century and later housing relating to site of previous common land

• Victorian school buildings; Non-Conformist chapels; Ponds (remaining or new); Allotments, Sports field and green spaces in village centre

• Road names e.g. New Road; Common Road

Extent of Commons Stokenchurch

Field work

• Remnant vegetation: Bracken, gorse, woodland plants such as bluebells, dog’s mercury or wood anemone

• Enclosure hedges: straight lines; hawthorn; little ground flora

• Old hedges (non-enclosure): mixed hedge species; old stumps or evidence of hedge laying; varied ground flora including woodland plants

Sources of information: Parish

• Parish Council minutes from 1896 Managing allotments, roads, ponds. May refer to Enclosure Map and Award

• Vestry minutes – prior to 1896 as above

BUT may be at Record Offices

Sources of information: County Archives • Oxfordshire History Centre - Cowley, Oxford

01865 398200 • Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies -

Aylesbury 01296 382587

• Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies- Hertford 0300 123 4049

• Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service - Bedford 01234 228833

Archives - what’s available

• Original Maps and printed OS maps • Original documents

e.g. Vestry records; Parish council records Local regulations and infringements; Land management related

• Census 1841-1911 • Newspapers • Books - general and local • Journals: Records of Bucks; Oxonensia

Practical tips for visiting Archives 1 • CARN Readers Ticket

available at Archives FREE; valid for 4 years; need 2 passport photographs some identification e.g. drivers licence; can be used at most Record Offices.

• Take pencils, rubber, pencil sharpener, large notebook, tracing paper, reading glasses, camera....

• Lunch and drink!

Practical tips for visiting Archives 2

Ask staff for advice and help • Explain what you are looking for • How to use the archives • How to use Search Indexes - parish,

personal names, occupations, maps etc • Where to look for publications and

anything related to commons, parish etc

Practical tips for visiting Archives 3

• Write everything down Reference number; name and date of document; all the text you might need

• Ask about.... Copying maps with tracing paper A3 best Taking photographs Photocopy when possible

Sources of information: Libraries • Victoria County History (VCH) • Local writers relating to parish or village • Old floras may provide some clues to

appearance of commons e.g. Druce 1886 • Agricultural histories and comment e.g.

Arthur Young 1813 • Early travellers around England e.g.

Daniel Defoe 1724, John Leland 1535-43.

Sources of information: Internet 1

• British Library www.bl.uk in Search - type “Surveyors drawings”

• Google “OS Surveyors drawings” • Internet: www.old-maps.co.uk • David & Charles Reprints 1st edition 1-

inch www.davidandcharles.co.uk £4.89 • Cassini Publishing 1st edition 1-inch www.cassinimaps.co.uk £7.99 • Edina Historic Digimap (for HE and FE)

Sources of information: Internet 2 • The National Archives

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Click on Records, look under Quick links for In-Depth Research Guides

• British Library Help for Researchers http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/index.html for map and other information

• British History Online www.british-history.ac.uk Click on region; look for Victoria County History, then County

Sources of information: Internet 3 • Solent-Thames Archaeological Research

Framework - covers Bucks and Oxon http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/archaeology/solent_framework.page

• Heritage Gateway www.heritagegateway.org.uk includes links to Historic Environment Records

• www.magic.defra.gov.uk Use to identify land designations or habitats

Sources of information: Photographs • Local people, local pubs • Local History centres • Internet

Buckinghamshire Photos High Wycombe and area Old Photos (SWOP) Bedfordshire Library website Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies Oxfordshire County Council Heritage

Stokenchurch Common 1950’s

King George V Sept 1913 Lane End Common

Wycombe Heath Windmill 1920’s

Important!

Collect all your information and share it with the Commons

Project

Have fun!!