Georgian Times
Dulcote Land Profile 1766 - 1832
Land Tax Assessment documents 1766-1832 ...
give us a glimpse at the families who owned and occupied land in Dulcote during the reign of George III. This glimpse of Dulcote includes the following details ...
The Church Proprietorship
The Tudway Proprietorship
The Tudways were a prosperous middle-class Somerset family who served as MP's from Wells for many generations. While much of their prosperity came from their ownership of a sugar plantation called Parham in Antigua, they also owned land in Wells, Wookey, Wellesley, Dinder, Chilcote and Dulcote...
give us a glimpse at the families who owned and occupied land in Dulcote during the reign of George III. This glimpse of Dulcote includes the following details ...
- land values for tax purposes did not change for this entire period of time; Dulcote land was assessed at £508 10s 5½d
- although there was no inflation of tax values at this time, the amount of annual tax paid was high -- 20% of assessed value!
- the nobility and peerage who owned land here in Georgian times include: Lord Waldegrave of Chewton Mendip, The Honourable George Somerville, Lord Brooke Earl of Warwick, Lord Weymouth, Sir Charles William Taylor
- over the period 1766 to 1832, many farmers in Dulcote improved their fortunes as evidenced in their increased leases of land from others and even a few purchases
- although most of the land appears to be used for agriculture and animal husbandry, there are a number of tiny lots/cottages owned or leased
- in many cases, a yeoman farmer/farmer's wife "retired" from farming by re-leasing their farm land to another farmer and leasing a small property/cottage from another landowner
- a reflection of the times is a court case in 1766 which held that "Mr. Evans" was not allowed to inherit land in Dulcote because he was a papist! (see who's who list)
- throughout this period was a building in the hamlet known as Slab House; it seems likely (since Chilcote and Dulcote were linked for more than 100 years under one landlord) that this is the forerunner of the Slab House restaurant today.
- Wellesley Farm, included in the Dulcote tax assessment was also referred to as Wensley Farm (interchanged in documents for years)
- land tracts were mostly identified by their previous owners/occupiers' names even though they had been sold or re-leased
- some residences and properties mentioned by name as part of Dulcote at this time are: Hill House, Rock's Close, Slab House, Kings Castle and Tor Hill, the Mill, the Parsonage, the Vicarage, Vicar's Wood (a.k.a. Vicarial Wood, Viller's Wood)
The Church Proprietorship
- the Bishop of Bath and Wells held land (primarily pasture land) as part of his stipend valued at approximately £27; he officially occupied this land until about 1800 but held the land as an investment for the entire period of 1766-1832.
- two small land tracts were earmarked as a stipend for various church officials; in this time frame the following reverend church officials benefited from the income from this land at separate times: Archdeacon Potter, Subdean Moss, Precentor Gould, Canon Beadon.
- the vicarage and the parsonage were occupied by: Reverend Joseph Lovell (1781-3, 1791); Mr. George Bailey (1781-92); Mr. George Rich (1793); Mr. Kitchen (1793); Charles William Taylor (1800-1832); Mr. Gould (1812-14); Mr. James Garred (1823-32); Reverend Park (1812); Reverend Sears (1814); Reverend Sorrell (1823-1832)
- Reverend gentlemen who owned/leased other Dulcote land (Rock's Close, Tor Hill, etc.): Dean Creswicke (before 1766); Reverend John Paine (1766-1800), Reverend Joseph Lovell (1766-93); Reverend Pearce (1766-93); Reverend Somerville (1783-1800)
- in Georgian times, many Church officials owned land in Dulcote and their family names often remained in Dulcote for generations thereafter. These names include: Moss, Creswicke, Young, Shakerley, Lovell, White, Paine, Gould, Beadon, Potter, Somerville
- a survey of Dulcote in abt. 1785 lists church lands as...
- Bishop......................................33+ acres.........................all pasture land
- Dean of the Chapter...........14 acres............................White Close, Tor Hill, Tor Fields and Coppice
- The Vicars ..............................10+acres..........................White Horse Inn, Benley, Lovells, Way Close, gardens and orchard
- Subchantry..............................10+acres..........................Cold Harbour, Townsend, Joes Mead, Hill Lane, Wood at Twin Hills
The Tudway Proprietorship
The Tudways were a prosperous middle-class Somerset family who served as MP's from Wells for many generations. While much of their prosperity came from their ownership of a sugar plantation called Parham in Antigua, they also owned land in Wells, Wookey, Wellesley, Dinder, Chilcote and Dulcote...
- there is an association of the Tudway family with slavery. Two 1821 documents list a total of 583 slaves working on two Antiguan estates belonging to John Paine Tudway; the document clarifies that none of the slaves had been "imported" (see Tudway Antiguan estate papers, Somerset PRO)
- the Tudways increased their prominence as landowners in Dulcote in Georgian times. The family leased out most of their Dulcote land for farming, mill operations, quarrying and private residences as part of their familial annuity income.
- land records first list the interest of Charles Tudway (b 1713) in Dulcote. By 1766, he paid land directly on about 8% of the total land in Dulcote, more than the Bishop of Bath and Wells even by this time.
- Charles' young brother Robert Tudway had a small land interest in Dulcote at this time as well.
- in 1771, Clement Tudway purchased the land belonging to Francis Lord Brooke (Earl of Warwick) involving approximately 737 acres of land, occupied by 30 leasers, held in 40 leases. Tudway paid Lord Brooke £8,500 for "the manor of Dulcote and Chilcote", including " all and singular houses, outhouses, barns, stables, buildings, gardens, orchards, ways, waters, watercourses, fishings, woods, under woods, hedges, ditches, fences ... mines quarries" as well as "waifs, strays, ...fugitives, felons" (see full lease amongst the Tudway papers, Somerset Record Office)
- Clement’s son, John Paine Tudway, became a real presence in Dulcote, occupying about 45% of Dulcote for his direct use and leasing out the rest. Fortunately for the historian, John kept meticulous records of this estate including maps of his (and Robert Charles Tudway's) lands which extended from East Wells to Dulcote, Wellesley Farm and adjoining parts of Dinder.
The Lovell Proprietorship
Quality of Life of the Yeoman Farmer in Georgian Times
Besides the above-described landed gentry and church officials, there were many other successful yeoman farmers who would have operated mostly dairy farms. The more successful families owning and leasing multiple tracts of land at this time include ...
Inventory of a Typical Dairy Farm in Georgian Times
The following inventory is of a successful dairy farmer and cheese-maker in a nearby village (whose daughter married into the Bendall family of Wells/Dulcote.) All his possessions are listed in the following short list ...
- Although perhaps less affluent than the Tudway family, the Lovell family owned or leased a great deal of land in Dulcote on which they tended to either live or farm...
- Some of the Lovell family held church appointments (Edmund and Joseph) in this time period there were at least 8 separate Lovell family members who owned property in Dulcote and were apparently directly involved in the farming of it
Quality of Life of the Yeoman Farmer in Georgian Times
Besides the above-described landed gentry and church officials, there were many other successful yeoman farmers who would have operated mostly dairy farms. The more successful families owning and leasing multiple tracts of land at this time include ...
- Teek, Hippisley, North, James, Kerton, Lax, Taylor, Webb
Inventory of a Typical Dairy Farm in Georgian Times
The following inventory is of a successful dairy farmer and cheese-maker in a nearby village (whose daughter married into the Bendall family of Wells/Dulcote.) All his possessions are listed in the following short list ...
A true and perfect inventory of all the Goods & Chattels of Edward Newport of the parish of East Pennard this 4th day of March In the year of our Lord 1724 ...
- all his wearing apparel ................................................................................................................................................................................................04=00=00
- money in purse .................................................................................................................................................................................................................02=00=00
- in the Hall Chamber 2 beds & bedsteads and all ye bed-clothes to them belonging.................................................................................. 06=00=01
- chest 3 coffers, 1 box, 4 small trunks..........................................................................................................................................................................00=10=00
- in ye Kitchen Chamber 2 Beds & Bedsteads and all ye Bed Cloths to them belonging................................................................................. 04=00=00
- in ye Cheese Chamber 6 hundred of cheese..............................................................................................................................................................06=12=00
- in ye Middle Chamber in apples & 3 cheese jacks & beams ..................................................................................................................................00=05=00
- in ye Hall 1 table board, 6 chairs & some fine earth ware......................................................................................................................................00=10=00
- in ye Kitchen 6 kettles 1 brass pan etc........................................................................................................................................................................02=05=00
- 8 pewter dishes 2 plates 2 porringers 6 spoons,1 pair of tongs, 1 fry-pan, 1 pair of bellows, 2 pairs of hengles & 3 crates & 1 settees & 3 chairs 2 pothooks, 1 spout etc. .................................................................................................................................................................................................01=02=06
- in ye Dairy Room 3 tubs, 4 trundles, 2 cheese presses, 6 cheese, 8 ales, 6 milk pails, 4 horses ..................................................................02=10=00
- in ye Drink houses 13 barrels & cider in some of them & the horses they stand upon...................................................................................05=00=02
- brewing tubs, 1 washing tub 00=10=00 18 milk cows & 1 bull..........................................................................................................................46=10=00
- 4 plough oxen......................................................................................................................................................................................................................12=00=08
- hares.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10=00=006
- heifers.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10=00=00
- 11 yearlings..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................11=00=00
- 3 bearing cows.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................08=00=00
- 3 colts.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 06=00=03
- plough mares & ye furniture to them belonging......................................................................................................................................................... 06=10=00
- 1 wagon & put & yokes and bows & chains..................................................................................................................................................................04=00=00
- the hay & corn in the back shed .....................................................................................................................................................................................06=10=00
- a porker in salt ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................01=10=00
- all lumber goods forgot & unvalue................................................................................................................................................................................. 00=15=00