Stalbridge Field Names.
Having recently found ‘Somerset & Dorset Notes and Queries’ online (sdnq.org.uk) I thought I would share with you some of my discoveries…This publication was founded in 1887 by a group of antiquarians from Somerset and Dorset who decided to establish a journal that would be a ‘repository for the preservation of facts’ to include notes on items of interest, transcriptions of documents and queries about historical matters. There are 37 volumes generally covering one or two years. Thankfully an index was compiled, which can be seen via the SDNQ website, and the relevant pages can be viewed via FindMyPast (and a smaller number via Ancestry).
Our own Rector at that time, the Reverend Charles Edward Seaman, was a regular contributor, and it is one of his ‘queries’ that he raised in 1893, that I hope will be enjoyed – and perhaps answered?.
Our own Rector at that time, the Reverend Charles Edward Seaman, was a regular contributor, and it is one of his ‘queries’ that he raised in 1893, that I hope will be enjoyed – and perhaps answered?.
He wrote, in March 1893:
(SDNQ,vol 3, paragraph 221) Field Names in Stalbridge, Dorset. – The following list of Field names in Stalbridge may be interesting to readers of S&DN&Q. I shall be glad to have light thrown upon their meaning.
(SDNQ,vol 3, paragraph 221) Field Names in Stalbridge, Dorset. – The following list of Field names in Stalbridge may be interesting to readers of S&DN&Q. I shall be glad to have light thrown upon their meaning.
|
Hunger Hill
Rum Mead Harpits Wares Hill Liss Mead Ives (twice) Breach Whitemoor Shipney (repeated) Harnham Bollands Rag Scarrow Hill (repeated?) Gommershay or Gummersey Marwell Dullivers Ham Bronshall Knap Crutchling Mead |
Gaunt’s Mead
Rimpools Cunning Croft Redbrink (bis) Great Bushay Hadden Guitters Peaked Hadden Puxey Rix bed Mead Larkwood (saepius) Sturt (passim) Bibberne Mapland Louzard Guggleton |
Vardys
Bagnes Tadbrook (bis) Hurden Tellershells Mead Coppernway Highet Pleck Doles Cockles Hill (ter) In and Out Yearage Bazles Hinds Stape Mead Burgund Orchard |
Artwork by John Fieldhouse Web Design Stalbridge
In June 1893, a very interesting response was printed, from H.H.H – being H.A. Helyar, almost definitely from my research Henry Abel Helyar, 1863-1907, of the Helyar family of Coker Court, Somerset (remember, this is Somerset and Dorset N & Q!). The Helyar Deeds, held at Somerset Heritage Centre in Taunton are the largest collection of Somerset documents held there. They include the Weston family documents, with reference to lands in Stalbridge, Stalbridge Weston, Callew Weston, Newnhams, Antioch etc., dating from the 13th century. These lands, and deeds, came into the Helyar family on the marriage of William Helyar of East Coker with Betty Weston in 1743,. Betty was the daughter and co-heiress of William Weston. By that date some of the lands had been acquired by Peter Walter and his successors, but the deeds were still held by the Helyar family. So Henry Abel – H.A.H. – would have had access to them.
He wrote (SDNQ vol 3, p 224 para 242), June 1983:
Field Names in Stalbridge, Dorset
Several of the Stalbridge Field names cited by Mr. Seaman are found in the collection of ancient Weston family deeds in my possession.
BAZLES s is a corruption of Baswell’s (in Callew Weston); probably from a proper name Baswell. The earliest mention I have is April 12th, 20th Jas I. [i.e.the 20th year of the reign of James Ist : 1623]
RIMPOOLS is a corruption of Rimple’s, probably a proper name. The farm was granted by the Earl of Castlehaven [father of Robert Boyle] to James Keit in 11th Charles I [1636]
TELLERSHELLS MEAD is a corruption of Tittershell’s Mead, again a proper name.
GREAT BUSHAY is a corruption of Great Bushey.
IN AND OUT I find as ‘In and Out Land’. Both these are in allusion to the nature of the land.
RIX BED MEAD I find as Rick’s Pitt Mead in a deed of 1792.
SCARROW HILL I find as Scarry Hills in 35th Eliz. [ Elizabeth Ist, 1593.] , and Scallow Hill in a deed of April 2nd, 9th Jas I [1612] (being then in the possession of Richard Watts.) The name Stallahill occurs in a deed of June 5th, 1666.
PUXEY is first mentioned as belonging to John Summers, gen., in Stalbridge Weston in the reign of James I; meaning unexplained.
GOMERSHAY, if it lies within the old or ‘great’ manor of Stalbridge, as it was called, may possibly be the same as Somershay, the first mention of which I find in the 56th Henry III (1270). In ancient writings it is not very difficult to mistake an S for a G and so the confusion may have originally arisen. H.A.H.
Then, in September 1893, W.C. enters the discussion….
This was W. Colfox, again almost definitely William Colfox B.A., County magistrate, of the Bridport Colfox family, Chandlers and Wool merchants – so, back to Dorset, but with no connection other than interest…
He wrote (SDNQ vol 3, p 594 para 313),September 1983:
Field Names in Stalbridge, Dorset
PUXY is given in Barnes’s “Glossary of the Dorset Dialect” 1886 as “A miry or a boggy place; a puddle”. I should have thought it a word by no means unknown to Dorset folk. W.C.
So, does anyone know where these fields can be found today? Or others to be recorded while memories are still available. We know where Bazel’s is…knowledge as well as guesses gratefully received.
He wrote (SDNQ vol 3, p 224 para 242), June 1983:
Field Names in Stalbridge, Dorset
Several of the Stalbridge Field names cited by Mr. Seaman are found in the collection of ancient Weston family deeds in my possession.
BAZLES s is a corruption of Baswell’s (in Callew Weston); probably from a proper name Baswell. The earliest mention I have is April 12th, 20th Jas I. [i.e.the 20th year of the reign of James Ist : 1623]
RIMPOOLS is a corruption of Rimple’s, probably a proper name. The farm was granted by the Earl of Castlehaven [father of Robert Boyle] to James Keit in 11th Charles I [1636]
TELLERSHELLS MEAD is a corruption of Tittershell’s Mead, again a proper name.
GREAT BUSHAY is a corruption of Great Bushey.
IN AND OUT I find as ‘In and Out Land’. Both these are in allusion to the nature of the land.
RIX BED MEAD I find as Rick’s Pitt Mead in a deed of 1792.
SCARROW HILL I find as Scarry Hills in 35th Eliz. [ Elizabeth Ist, 1593.] , and Scallow Hill in a deed of April 2nd, 9th Jas I [1612] (being then in the possession of Richard Watts.) The name Stallahill occurs in a deed of June 5th, 1666.
PUXEY is first mentioned as belonging to John Summers, gen., in Stalbridge Weston in the reign of James I; meaning unexplained.
GOMERSHAY, if it lies within the old or ‘great’ manor of Stalbridge, as it was called, may possibly be the same as Somershay, the first mention of which I find in the 56th Henry III (1270). In ancient writings it is not very difficult to mistake an S for a G and so the confusion may have originally arisen. H.A.H.
Then, in September 1893, W.C. enters the discussion….
This was W. Colfox, again almost definitely William Colfox B.A., County magistrate, of the Bridport Colfox family, Chandlers and Wool merchants – so, back to Dorset, but with no connection other than interest…
He wrote (SDNQ vol 3, p 594 para 313),September 1983:
Field Names in Stalbridge, Dorset
PUXY is given in Barnes’s “Glossary of the Dorset Dialect” 1886 as “A miry or a boggy place; a puddle”. I should have thought it a word by no means unknown to Dorset folk. W.C.
So, does anyone know where these fields can be found today? Or others to be recorded while memories are still available. We know where Bazel’s is…knowledge as well as guesses gratefully received.
Judith Ralph 19th August 2020
