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Frome Deeds


The following information has been kindly provided by David Smart and Hilda Massey.

Information from estate papers relating to KING, POBJOY, ROSSITER, STEVENS and other families in the archives at Longleat. These were granted by the THYNNE family, Viscounts of Weymouth and later Marquesses of Bath.

Leases like this were commonly granted for 99 years provided three named persons ('lives') lived that long. Tenants often made their younger children 'lives'. When one 'life' died, a lease with a new life could usually be had by paying a premium. Earlier leases include feudal obligations to the lord of the manor, such as raising a dog, providing a heifer or labouring on the lord's land every year, but these were later converted into cash. A 'heriot' was payable when an heir took over the tenancy.


Lease dated 23 Jul 1691
Reference:

Box 54H, Page 4
Lessee: James DRUCE, Clothworker of Frome
Property: Plot of ground 30 ft long and 14 ft broad in Frome West Woodlands adjoining a piece of ground late in the possession of one Clements, with a stable, well, and well house erected on the same

Former tenants: -
Term: 99 years
Lives: Said James DRUCE, Matthew DRUCE Senior and Matthew DRUCE Junior
Rent: 2/6 p.a.
Heriot: 2/6
Signed: James DRUCE
Witnesses: Henry DAMPIER, A. WARD
Note: In hand Midsummer 1753. Leased to Mary SINGER 25 Mar 1756


Lease dated 25 Mar 1756
Lessee: Mary SINGER
Property: Plot of ground 30 ft long and 14 ft broad in Frome West Woodlands with a stable, well, and well house erected on the same
Former tenants: James DRUCE
Comments: Mentioned in lease to James DRUCE dated 23 Jul 1691 on lives of James DRUCE, Matthew DRUCE Snr and Matthew DRUCE Jnr


Lease dated 30 Mar 1631
Lessor: Edmond LEVERSEDGE of Vallis in Frome Sellwood and his son Robert
Lessee: Mathew DRUCE the younger, husbandman, & his wife Anne, and Anne their daughter
Property: Tenement, orchard, garden, and waste ground adjoining at Biddox Lake in East Woodlands, together with the waste land going up to the corner of William NORFOLK's close. Also common of pasture in the Lord's Common, which premises were in possession formerly of Thomas WRITTE
Former Tenant: Thomas WRITTE
Lives: Mathew DRUCE and Anne his wife and Anne their daughter.
Premium: 20/-
Rent: 3/4 and one fat hen
Heriot: 6/8
Attorneys: William ANDROS, John BYSS


Lease dated 17 Jun 1756
Reference: Longleat File 55H No. 37 Page 21
Lessee: William POPE, Felt Maker of Frome
Property: 1) 6 ac. close of pasture or arable called Great Badcox,

2) 3 ac. pasture adjoining (1) called Little Badcox

3) 1 ac. arable in Frome West Field above Gt Badcox

  1. 10 ac. arable in Frome North Field adjoining the Way leading to Wallbridge in Frome
  2. 4 ac. close of pasture called Gorlover
Former tenants: William IVYLEAFF, then James DRUCE, now William POPE
Term: Lives
Lives: William POPE, son of the lessee, John KNIGHT and Walter SHEPPARD, son of William SHEPPARD, Clothier of Frome
Premium: £60 and cancellation of a lease dated 8 Jul 1737 to the said William POPE

Rent: £1 3s 9d p.a.
Heriot: £3 10s
Comments: Cf lease dated 10 Jan 1788 to William SHEPPARD, Clothier


Counterpart lease dated 17 Jun 1756
Reference: Longleat File 55H No. 37, Page 21, Folio 194
Lessee: William POPE
Property: Various, in Frome
Former tenants: William IVYLEAF, then James DRUCE
Attorney: James ROSSITER, the lessor's Bailiff
External note: Cancelled and another lease to Wm POPE, 15 Jul 1784

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