Deopham Manor Lease 1814 – Renewal Correspondence

November 25th 1814

The following letter was addressed to Mr. Gilham [sic], Solicitor, Hingham, Norfolk by Thomas Starr:

Canterbury Nov^r 25^th 1814
The Dean & Chapter have set the Fine on the Renewal of the Lease of this Estate at £596 17s 7d & the Seal Fees £13 3s 8d together £610 1s 3d.
As the Audit will close for Business on the 7^th December [I] will thank you to pay the latter sum to my Credit to Mess^rs Child and C^o Temple Bar on or before that Day and advise me of the Payment. I will then obtain an Order for the new Lease to The Misses Amyas.
I received your Note directed to me at Georges but as the Fine is estimated on an actual Valuation of th Estate I could not interfere as to the Amount.

December 6th 1814

The following letter was addressed to Mr Gilman, Solicitor, Hingham, Norfolk:

Mr White has communicated your two Letters to him to the Dean & Chapter this Morning & from the Explanation he has given as to the Mode in which he estimated the Annual Value of the Estate I am desired by them to inform you that they cannot make any Reduction in the Fine required for the Renewal of the Lease.
I am consequently to request that if it is intended to renew the Lease immediate payment may be made of the Fine etc to my Credit at Messrs Child & Co London and advice given to me that it has been paid.

December 16th 1814

Addressed to the Rev Bence Bence, Beccles, Suffolk

Canterbury Dec 16^th 1814
Your letter to me of the 13th has been referred to Mr White for the purpose of ascertaining whether he has made any Mistake in the particulars of this Estate upon an Estimate of which the Time required for the Renewal of the Lease was calculated & he has confirmed his statement of the Manorial profits, Glebe Land Tythes etc – I am in Consequence desired by the Dean & Prebendaries to inform you that they cannot reduce the amount of the Fine and that unless it is paid immediately to my Credit at M^ssrs Child and Co London they will be under the unpleasant Necessity of considering the Lease as having passed its regular [??] of Renewal.

December 29th 1814

The following was addressed to Mr Gilman, c/o George’s Coffee House, Strand, London.

Canterbury Dec 29^th 1814
I have received a letter from Mr Bence respecting the Fine required by the Dean & Chapter for the Renewal of the Lease of this Estate & as from the [???] it appears that the answer is to be given to you, I trouble you with this and in preference to writing to him upon the subject.
The Letter has been submitted to the Dean and resident prebendaries and Mr White attended & stated particularly the Mode in which he had Estimated the annual value upon which the Fine was calculated, and in Consequence I am desired by them to say that from the Confidence place in this judgement as their Surveyor & from his Report in this Instance they cannot think of reducing the Fine.
Mr Bence mentions a Reference to some other person but as the Dean & Chapter hitherto have never submitted a Question of Fine to any other than their own Surveyor they are not disposed to do so in the present Case.
I am desired to state further that they expect the immediate determination of your Clients as to the payment of that they shall not consider they are bound to renew upon the present Terms – From the Circumstances you stated to me (privately) [see here] of the young Ladies, I shall regret exceedingly if the Matter is not settled.
Give me an answer, so soon as you can.

January 3rd 1815

The following was addressed to Mr Gilman, c/o George’s Coffee House, Strand, London.

Canterbury Jan 3^rd 1815
I have not had an opportunity of submitting your Letter to me of the 31^st ultimo to the Dean & Prebendaries until today and previously to my stating their positive Determination regarding this Fine, I ma desired to mention some observations that were made by Mr White.
You noticed in one of your Letters that the average of acres did not exceed 460 but on referring to the survey of 1807 it appears that the Fine then estimated 511 & Mr White states that a considerable Increase has been made since that period.
You have contested too that the Valuation should be calculated on the average Quantity of Corn grown in the last 7 years to which he observes it ought to have been added the average Price during the 7 years.
And he mentioned that his calculation upon Crops is much under the average price per acre of the different Species of Grain and further that the Composition received by the Lessee could not be entertained by him in making his Calculation, he having considered that it was indeed the Value and that his opinion of the Value yielded him he justly conceiving that the Lessees should either increase the Composition of take Tythes in Kind.
After these Observations, I am desired to say that the Chapter cannot think of reducing the Fine demanded but that as you have stated the Lessees have expended £177 : 14s : 6d on account of the Enclosure – exclusive of the Fences – and have referred to the Circumstances of the young Ladies, they will allow half that sum £88 : 17s : 3d towards the Expenses.
This however they consider as of Favor and not to be allowed unless the Fine is paid and it must be deemed not to prejudice the Question in Case the present Terms at Renewal are not complied with and indeed the Chapter feels that the Terms will not then be binding upon them.
I am desired to add that a Fortnight will be given for the Lessees’ Determination.

January 17th 1815

The following letter was addressed to Mr Gilman, Solicitor, Hingham, Norfolk

Canterbury January 17^th 1815
I communicated the contents of your Letter received this Morning to the Vice Dean and resident Prebendaries immediately and I am desired by them to state in Consequence that they cannot alter their Determination expressed in my Letter to you of the 3^rd Instant.

July 1st 1815

The following letter was addressed to Mr Gilman, Solicitor, Hingham, Norfolk

Canterbury July 1^st 1815
I have submitted your Letter of the 24th June with the enclosed Admeasurement & Valuation of Mr Browne to the Dean & Chapter at their Midsummer Audit.
And I am desired by them to inform you that on a fresh Calculation of the Fine they have reduced it to £520 : 10s : 3d which with the Seal Fees £12 : 3s : 8d as before £533 : 1s : 11d.
If this Sum is paid to my Credit at Messrs Child & Co they will renew the Lease, but if not & the Amount of the Fine is disputed, the Question is not to be prejudiced by this offer.
It is observed that Mr Browne has not estimated the Value of the Glebe Land.
I shall regret, exceedingly, in Case any further Difficulty shall occur in the Matter.

July 9th 1815

Addressed to Mr Gilman, Solicitor, Hingham, Norfolk:

It did not occur to either of the Members of the last Chapter … that it did not to me, the Deduction of £88 : 17s 3d which had been allowed from the original offer is a … of certain Expenses incurred by the Lessees in the Inclosure.
Most certainly that Sum is to be deducted from the Fine as last set £520 : 18s 3d which will leave the Fine £402 : 1s but with the Seal Fees added £444 : 4s : 8d.
I will thank you to direct the Payment of this Fine to my Credit at Messrs Child & Co, London, that I may prepare and send you the Leases immediately.

September 4th 1815

Addressed to Mr Gilman, Solicitor, Hingham, Norfolk:

Canterbury Sept 4^th 1815
Herewith you will receive the Counterpart of the new Lease from the Dean & Chapter to the Misses Amyas & when you return it to me properly executed by them with the old Lease to be surrendered I will send you immediately the new Lease.

November 11th 1815

Canterbury Nov 11^th 1815
Mr Sterling paid me the Rent & I gave him a Receipt; he delivered to me your Parcel containing the Counterpart of the new Lease of this Estate with the old one to be surrendered I send you herewith in Consequence the new Lease.

All of these letters have been transcribed from a book of letters held in the Canterbury Chapter Archive, their ref CCA-DCc/LB/OLB/2.
Transcriptions © G. Sankey

Date	Change
20/3/24	Letter of Nov 25th 1814
2/2/24	Published