House ownership - Walnut Tree Farm Walnut Tree Road

The table below gives details about who owned and occupied the house. The sources for information vary; the records pre 1800 are mainly manor court rolls. Every time a property changed hands, even between family members, the transaction had to be recorded at the manorial court. The names of those who surrendered and those who were admitted and the entry fines they paid were written in the rolls of parchment by the clerk. An entry fine was paid to the lord of the manor and the new owner was given a written copy of the transaction, hence the term copyhold.

All records were in abbreviated medieval latin until 1752 except for a short period during the commonwealth between 1650 and 1660.Freehold property is rarely mentioned but can sometimes be found in the manor rentals. It is difficult to trace the history of a house as addresses are never given ad therefore the only way is to use the owners name or very occasionally the name of the house.

Post 1800 there are many more sources of information although actual addresses are not used until mid 20th century. One method of identifying a house in the records is by the description of the land that went with it or the annual rent paid to the lord of the manor which often didn’t change over a hundred years.

The table is arranged over five columns. The first gives the year of the record and the second is the source document sometimes with a reference number. The next two columns record the transfer of ownership and the occupier of the property. Click on the names to link to the people database. Sometimes there is no link to the database so go to the people page on the top navigation bar and simply type in the name you are searching for. The search function returns all documents where the name searched for appears in that document. Click on a name match to view the document in which that name appears. When viewing a record that contains other names, it is possible to perform a new search on that name by clicking on the name link.

The last column shows information about the property and any comments.

date source owner/buyer occupier comment
1487 Court roll/HALS Chicksands Priory William Samme Messuage. Grene Ende virgate
1489 Court roll/HALS Chicksands Priory Thomas Samme Messuage.   William Samme is involved with all these properties
1489 Court roll/HALS Chicksands Priory William Samme Messuage. Cotmanend a piece of land south of the house william Samme is involved with all these properties
1500 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS Chicksands Priory Thomas Samme Toft.
1512 Court roll/HALS Chicksands Priory Thomas Samme Messuage. Cotmanend  Samme leases property
1530 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS Chicksands Priory transferred ownership to Richard Eton Messuage. Cotmanend    Dissolution of monasteries
1540 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS Richard Eton Messuage. Cotmanend with land
1546 Court roll/HALS John Smyth transferred ownership to Robert Peirson Messuage. Cotmanend 40 ac and 2 ac in Grensdytche formerly pertaining to a toft called Danngers now in occupation of Walter Carter
1558 Court roll/HALS Robert Peirson transferred ownership to Agnes Peirson Messuage. Cotmorend 40 ac and 2 ac in Greensdytche formerly pertaining to a toft called Danngers. Robert leaves property to Agnes  his wife  for her life and then to his son John Peyrson and daughter Agnes
1558 Court roll/HALS Agnes Peirson transferred ownership to Robert Sam Messuage. Cotmorend 40 ac and 2 ac in Greesdytche formerly pertaining to a toft called Danngers
1599 HALS George Copcote    12/2/1599 covenant for lease for 6 yrs. & lease – 1. George Copcott of pirton, gent. 2. Thomas field of St. Thomas’ chapel, Meppershall, Beds, yeoman. Detailed regulations. copcott to provide seed. messuage etc. at green end (Pirton), 2 pightles adjoining, Alton close (4a.), new close (7a.) Godgrene close (la.)
1608 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS Thomas Copcote transferred ownership to Thomas Hale Michael Hamond  Cotmorend.  bargain and sale by Thomas Copcote and his wife Elizabeth
1609 Court roll/HALS George Copcote transferred ownership to Thomas Hale Michael Hamond Messuage. Cotmorend 62 acres and half ac meadow, 9ac and 1 rood pasture Copcote has alienated the property. He also alienates lots of land.
1610 Rental/ HALS Michael Hamond Farm.   Flints Farm
1609 Court roll/HALS Henry Copcote transferred ownership to George Copcote Michael Hamond Farm. Cotmorend 62 acres George Copcote bought the land from his brother Henry
1610 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS Thomas  Hale transferred ownership to Robert Field Michael Hamond Farm. Cotmorend Thomas Docwra of Putteridge bargain and sale
1612 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS Robert Field transferred ownership to Thomas Docwra Farm. Cotmorend  bargain and sale
1628 HALS Thomas Docwra Michael Turner Farm. Cotmorend 5 acres pasture, 16 ac 1 rood arable, 2 pightells Flints is leased to Michael Turner
1628 Rental/ HALS Perriam Docwra Michael turner House   flintes farm  with 5 acres of pasture 16 acres of arable and 2 pightell leased by perriam dockwra to michael turner
1628 Rental/ HALS Perriam Docwra John Hammond Land.   5.5 ac belonging to the farm called Flintes farm
1644 Tax to  relieve British army in Ireland Michaell Turner    living in Pirton
1646 Court bool/ St Johns College Cambridge Perriam Docwra    Perriam Docwra has died
1663 Hearth Tax/ National Archives Michaell Turner    Michaell  Turner senior 2 hearths
1693 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS Thomas Docwra transferred ownership to Katherine Stone    Mortgage to Katherine Stone his sister who lives at Putteridge
1700 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS Thomas Docwra transferred ownership to John Coppin    Lease to Coppin to raise money for debts
1700 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS Thomas Docwra transferred ownership to George Warburton Messuage Cotmorend 314 acres mortgage Thomas  Docwra of Putteridge mortgaged the property for £1,025 to grandson Sir George Warburton of  Arley Cheshire
1706 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS  Docwra transferred ownership to George Warburton William Hale Farm.   mortgage of farm and 314ac for £1,025
1706 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS Thomas Docwra transferred ownership to Dorothy Docwra Thomas Halfpenny Messuage Cotmorend. Thomas Docwra has died and Dorothy his wife now owns. Flynts is occupied by Thomas Halfpenny
1726 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS George Warburton transferred ownership to Ralph Radcliffe Charles Halfpenny Messuage. Cotmorend occupied by Halfpenny and Thomas Burrell sale of whole manor cost £6,700
1726 Delme Radcliffe collection / HALS Ralph Radcliffe Messuage  2  cottages Cotmorend Churchyard Closes and 6 acres Flints has 340 acres
1736 HALS Ralph Radcliffe Matthew Lacey  Cotmorend.  lease for 15 years
1761 HALS Edward Pryor transferred ownership to Ralph Radcliffe Charles Halfpenny Messuage. Cotmorend with 2 roods of grass
1780 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe Robert Odell  
1781 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe Robert Odell  
1782 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakely  
1784 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1785 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1786 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1787 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1788 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1789 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1790 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1791 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1792 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1793 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1794 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1795 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1797 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakey  
1798 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1799 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1800 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1801 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe John Oakley  
1802 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe    late John Oakley
1803 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe    late John Oakley
1804 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe    late John Oakley
1805 Land tax/HALS Charles Farnaby Radcliffe    late John Oakley
1811 HALS Emilius Radcliffe John Kingsley  Cotmorend  the farm homestead
1818 Enclosure award/HALS Emilius Henry Delme Radcliffe Abraham Barber farm homestead   Cotmorend 4 acre 3 rood 34 perch
1830 Land tax/HALS Esq E H D Radcliffe John Kingsley Farm.
1853 Register of electors/HALS Esq E H D Radcliffe William Coxall house and land   Near Little Green
1854 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe William Coxall house and land   Near Little Green
1855 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe William Coxall house and land   Near Little Green
1857 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe William Coxall house and land   Near Little Green
1858 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe William Coxall house and land   Near Little Green
1859 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe William Coxall house and land   Near Little Green
1860 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe William Coxall house and land   Near Little Green
1861 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe William Coxall house and land   Near Little Green
1861 Census 1861 Delme Radcliffe William Coxall    William  Coxall – Farmer age 65
1863 Rates/HALS Delme Radcliffe William Coxall farm  442 acre  rateable value £497 5s 0d
1864 Cassey – trade directory/HALS Delme Radcliffe Frederick Coxall  Walnut Tree House  gentry
1864 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe John Cook house and land   Near Little Green
1864 Cassey – trade directory/HALS Delme Radcliffe James King  Walnut Tree House  farmer
1871 Census 1871 Delme Radcliffe Frederick Coxall    Frederick  Coxall – Farmer 441 acres age 40
1877 Sanitation report/HALS Delme Radcliffe I Coxall Farmhouse   with . , drainage-. 8 inmates sharing  living rooms,  sleeping rooms and
1881 Census 1881 Delme Radcliffe Frederick Coxall    Frederick  Coxall – Farmer age 50
1891 Census 1891 Delme Radcliffe Frederick Coxall    Frederick  Coxall – Farmer age 60
1901 Census 1901 Delme Radcliffe Frederick Coxall  Walnut Tree Farm  Frederick  Coxall – Farmer age 70
1909 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin  tenement and land
1910 Rates/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin House & homestead. Walnut Tree Farm 1 acre 2 rood 27 perch gross value £80 0s rateable value £57 0s
1910 Rates/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin Land. Walnut Tree Farm 541 acre 2 rood 7 perch gross value £413 10s rateable value £398 15s
1910 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin  tenement and land
1911 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin  dwelling house
1911 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin  tenement and land
1911 Census 1911 Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin   11 rooms 7 in household Thomas  Franklin Farmer – age 53
1911 Census 1911 Delme Radcliffe Anne Franklin   11 rooms 7 in household Anne Catherine Franklin  – age 41
1911 Census 1911 Delme Radcliffe Lawrence Franklin   11 rooms 7 in household Lawrence Thomas Franklin Farmers Son – age 17
1911 Census 1911 Delme Radcliffe Kathleen Franklin   11 rooms 7 in household Kathleen Mary Franklin  – age 13
1911 Census 1911 Delme Radcliffe Thomas Hearle   11 rooms 7 in household Thomas  Hearle Student – age 21
1911 Census 1911 Delme Radcliffe Gladys Bales   11 rooms 7 in household Gladys May Bales Housemaid – age 18
1911 Census 1911 Delme Radcliffe Alice Barker   11 rooms 7 in household Alice  Barker Cook – age 20
1912 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Walrond Hearle   Walnut Tree Farm Walnut Tree Farm   bedroom first floor, furnished
1912 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin  Dwelling house  Walnut Tree Farm
1912 Kelly – trade directory/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin  Walnut Tree & High Down Farms  farmer
1913 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin  Dwelling house  Walnut Tree Farm
1914 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin  Dwelling house  Walnut Tree Farm
1915 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe Lawrence Franklin      bedroom first floor, furnished
1915 Register of electors/HALS Delme Radcliffe Thomas Franklin  Dwelling house
1926 Kelly – trade directory/HALS Lawrence Franklin    Private resident
1926 Kelly – trade directory/HALS Franklin Laurence    farmer
1929 Kelly – trade directory/HALS Lawrence Franklin Walnut Tree Farm   private resident
1929 Kelly – trade directory/HALS Lawrence Franklin Walnut Tree & High Down   farmer
1935 Original rates/Hofton Lawrence Franklin agric. dwelling house   gross value 50 rateable value 40
1935 Kelly – trade directory/HALS Lawrence Franklin    Gentry
1935 Kelly – trade directory/HALS Lawrence Franklin    Farmer
1937 Kelly – trade directory/HALS Lawrence Franklin    Private resident
1937 Kelly – trade directory/HALS Lawrence Franklin    Farmer
1939 National Registration Identity Cards/National Archives Lawrence Franklin  Walnut Tree Farm married   DOB 11/2/1894 Farmer Age 45
1939 National Registration Identity Cards/National Archives Clara C Franklin   married   DOB 7/10/1888 Unpaid domestic duties Age 51
1939 National Registration Identity Cards/National Archives Laura C Franklin   single   DOB 21/7/1922 at school Age 17
1939 National Registration Identity Cards/National Archives Jessie Hatter   single   DOB 29/3/1882 School mistres LCC Age 57
1941 Farm Survey/National Archives R Radcliffe Lawrence Franklin   0wned by R Delme Radcliff of The Priory Hitchin LJ Franklin, full time farmer with 1060ac,

 

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