History of Brighthelmston

Chapter VII The Tenantry Lands

Upon the general survey made throughout England, by order of King Alfred, the tenantry land of Brighthelmston, was, like the estates in general, in other parishes of the kingdom, planned and plotted out; and from time to time, down to the present date, the possessions of the different land-owners, have, from various changes in the proprietorship, been re-measured and set out; and such a procedure is termed taking the terrier. Dooms-day Book has it: Statutum de admensuratione terrarum. Dooms-day Book is a book that was made by order of William the Conqueror, in which all the estates of the kingdom are registered. It consists of two volumes, which are deposited at Westminster, in the chapter-house; where they may be consulted on paying the fee of 6s. 8d. for a search, and 4d per line for a transcript. It was begun in 1081, and not completed till 1087. There is a copy of it in the library of the dean and chapter of Exeter. One leaf of it was discovered some years since at Nettlecombe, in Somersetshire, a seat of Sir John Trevelyan, Bart, who sent it to the dean and chapter. There is a story extant in connexion with finding this leaf. In a room at Nettlecombe, which was used as a depository for lumber, and furniture and goods not in general use, a square of glass in the window always remained broken; and notwithstanding, from time to time, the window was repaired, the next morning, not only was the glass found to be demolished, but, invariably, three drops of blood stained the sash. It happened on one occasion when the deeds of the estate had to be referred to by the solicitor of the family, Mr. Leigh, that the remarkable incident of the window was mentioned to him; as the family parchments and papers were actually deposited in a strong chest in that very room. Being a person of a superstitious turn of mind, and of antiquarian research, he conceived the idea that amongst the accumulation of musty deeds, there was one which would give the solution to the strange mystery. A general overhauling therefore, of the contents of the old oak chest was made; but nothing of any moment was discovered, save a dingy leaf of some book, which seemed to have no connection whatever with the rest of the papers. This proved to be the long lost and frequently sought for leaf of the Exeter Dooms-day Book. The story continues, that the square of glass was that day repaired; and the next morning not only was it found to be broken, with the three drops of blood sprinkled on the sash, but upon the lid of the old oak chest, having filled its mission, lay dead a pure white dove. Ever after the restored window remained uninjured. On the 3rd day of March, 1738, was made:—“A General Terrier of the several Lands lyeing and being in the Common Laines of Brighthelmston, in the County of Sussex, shewing each person’s quantity in Pauls, Eight of which make an Acre; made and agreed unto by several owners and occupiers.”

The several Laines are: West Laine, Little Laine, East Laine, Hilly Laine, and North Laine. There are besides, portions called White Hawk, and Church Hill. The Laines are set out in measured areas, termed furlongs, 46 which furlongs are subdivided into irregular portions called paul-pieces, “eight of which make an acre,” the tenantry acres varying considerably as to the number of rods they contain, ranging from 35 to 210 rods. Some of these have other pauls running into them; and in such instances, from the shape they thus assume, they are termed “hatchet pieces;” while the extreme pauls of the furlongs in the Laines, are called “headlands.”

The Terrier at present used in defining property in the parish, is the “Terrier to the tenantry land in the parish of Brighthelmston, as it was measured and set out in the year MDCCXCII, by Thomas Budgen.” Copies of the Terriers, in a book form, are in the hands of several of the solicitors and surveyors in the town, and the proprietors of the tenantry lands. The most concise plan is a map of the whole parish, with elaborate references. For the convenience of cultivation, a Terrier was taken, agreeable to a resolution passed by the principal landholders, at a meeting which was held at the Old Ship, on the 26th day of March, 1776, that by drawing lots the owners of several pauls in different parts of a furlong, might have their lands together in one piece in each furlong. The arrangement did not in the least alter the proprietorship of the several pauls.

The following is the whole content of the Parish, as taken by Mr John Marchant, surveyor, May 12th, 1832:—

WEST LAINE.
	PAULS.	A.	R.	P.	A.	R.	P.
North Butts	76	7	3	12
Hedge Furlong	146	14	3	10
The Blacklands	96	11	2	23
Furlong, near West Fields 47	300	29	1	12
Cliff Butts	101	6	0	0
Furlong, heading ditto	80	6	1	18
Second Furlong from Home	52	3	3	19
Home Furlong	112	8	1	6
Wall Furlong	68	2	1	20
Furlong heading the Barns	52	3	1	18
Chalk-pit Furlong	52	3	3	32
Furlong next Chalk-pit	56	4	1	11
					102	0	21
CHURCH HILL.
Church Hill	62	47	2	32
West side of ditto	216	42	0	16
Lead’s Furlong	72	7	0	13
					96	3	21
LITTLE LAINE.
Upper Furlong	292	24	2	23
Cliff Furlong	278	13	1	4
					37	3	27
EAST LAINE.
Cliff Furlong	444	26	0	20
Furlong next Newbroke Ground	202	14	1	20
Second Furlong	116	11	0	16
Third Furlong	163	15	2	10
Fourth Furlong	72	5	2	34
Fifth Furlong	102	7	0	31
Sixth Furlong	108	8	3	30
Baker’s Bottom Furlong	253	21	0	13
Coombe Furlong	240	17	2	9
					127	2	23
WHITE HAWK.
South side of the White Hawk 48a		22	1	31
West side do 48b		23	0	19
East side do 48c		24	0	25
North-east side do		14	1	13
					84	0	11
HILLY LAINE.
Islingword Furlong	200	26	1	34
Shepherd’s Acre Furlong	112	11	0	18
Fifth Furlong	298	25	1	14
Fourth Furlong	193	14	2	2
Third Furlong	366	29	3	21
Second Furlong	320	22	3	26
Gold’s Butts		1	0	12
Home Furlong	247	26	1	12
Breach Furlong	266	20	1	2
					177	3	21
NORTH LAINE.
Home Furlong	247	16	3	25
Church Furlong	62	6	1	36
Second Furlong	216	14	1	15
Third Furlong	262 48d	17	2	30
Shepherd’s Acre	262	0	3	20
Fourth Furlong	254	17	3	35
Fifth Furlong	220	20	2	1
Crooked Furlong	97	8	2	24
Rottingdean Hedge Furlong	100	8	2	23
Home Butts	32	3	1	6
North Butts	52	6	3	0
The Crook		6	2	35
The North side of Round Hill		34	3	16
South part of ditto		22	3	32
Scabb’s Castle		82	1	37
Tenantry Sheep Down		400	0	36
Field in Level		14	1	23
Black Rock Arable		20	2	0
Black Rock Down		112	2	16
The Town of Brighthelmston, including the Steine, North Inclosures, Level, &c.		118	2	28
					806	2	28
Contents of the whole Parish					1562	0	12

Within the Laines were portions of ground termed “yardlands,” but where situated has not been fully defined. The chief record of them is respecting the

STOCK OF SHEEP.
68 Yardlands, at 16 sheep per yard	1088
The Reeve,,,,	20
The Dooling Leases,,	16
The Shepherd to keep	none
Widow Barnard	none
	1124

In the “Nonarum Inquisitiones” is the following descriptive valuation of Brighthelmston:—

“This indenture testifies that an acquisition was taken before Henry Husse and fellows, collectors, and assessors of the ixth of garbel fleeces and lambs, and of the xvth granted to our lord the king, in the county of Sussex, assigned at Lewes, on a Sunday, in the middle of the xlth year of the reign of King Edward the Third, from the nonal inquest, and the quindecimal concerning the true value of the ixth of garbel, (corn) ixth of fleeces, and ixth of lambs, by commission of our lord the king, directed to the aforesaid Henry and his fellows, by the oath of John de Erlee, Hugh Russell, John Dac’, and Ralph Grabb, parishioners of Brighthelmston—who say, that the extent of the church there is taxed at xxv pounds with the vicarage. And they say that the ixth part of garbel is worth this year, there, ix pounds, viii shillings, and x pence from the community of the town. Also the ixth part of fleeces there is worth xxvi shillings and vi pence, and the ixth part of lambs there, is worth vi shillings and viii pence. Also they say, that the ixth part of garbel and fleeces of the prior or Lewes there, is worth, vii shillings and viii pence. Also the ixth part of garbel and fleeces of the prior of Michelham, is worth xxx shillings and iv pence. And so is the sum of the whole ixth of garbel, fleeces, and lambs, this year, xiii pounds. Also they say that the ixth part aforesaid cannot answer nor attain to the taxation of the church aforesaid; for that xl acres of land are drowned by the sea for ever, which were worth per annum xl shillings. And also clx acres of land in the common plain, which have been deficient there this year in corn sown, to the value of x pounds. And because the wool cannot be sold as it was wont, the value of xiii shillings and iv pence is deficient. And also the lambs there will be deficient in the pasture this year, by defect of value vi shillings and viii pence. And the vicar has there the first-prints of one dove-house, value ii shillings. And the same has there in offerings, small tithes of geese, sucking pigs, honey, milk, cheese, calves, and eggs, and other small tithes which are worth yearly lxx shillings. Also they say, that there are here no merchants, but tenants of land who live by their own lands, and their great labours only. In testimony of which thing, the aforesaid sworn men have affixed their seals to this indenture.”