Piece 126

Contents

Introduction

Piece 126 is the identification given by the Inclosure Commissioners in 1814 to a plot of just under half an acre of land surrounded on three sides by the Half Moon Public House and blacksmith’s premises. For many years – until 1974 – it was owned in conjunction with land towards Attleborough, as shown on the extract below from the 1814 Inclosures award.
At the time of the Inclosures, this half acre property was owned by Sarah Clarke. The Court of the Manor Shadwells otherwise Cockerells held in 1814 recorded that this Sarah Clarke had formerly been the wife of Thomas Squire of Deopham, a shopkeeper. It seems that the widow kept the shop trading since Sarah Clarke, in her will, bequeathed to Elizabeth Taylor “all my stock in trade and the Fixtures and appurtenances belonging to my Shop”.

Prior to Inclosures

The 1814 Inclosures Map is the earliest map at the level of individual properties available for Deopham. However, earlier property transactions can be tracked where they are Copyhold by means of the Court Rolls. Piece 126 was not Copyhold, but going forward from the Inclosures, its ownership went hand in hand with the ownership of a 2 acre field (identified as piece 122 by the Commissioners) which was Copyhold of the Manor of Shadwells otherwise Cockerells. It is very likely therefore that going back in time, the ownership of piece 126 corresponded to that of 122.
The Court Rolls for this Manor show the following changes of ownership for the two acre field (working back in time):

Date	New owner	Previous Owner
August 18^th 1814	Sarah Clarke (late Squire)	Thomas Squire
May 30^th 1782	Thomas Squire of Deopham, Shopkeeper & Sarah his wife (later called Sarah Clarke)	Rev. Colby Bullock
October 29^th 1772	Rev. Colby Bullock	William Bullock
April 24^th 1738 (out of Court)	William Bullock advanced a mortgage on this property to John Andrews- see Court Roll for October 29^th 1772	John Andrews
January 20^th 1729	John Andrews	Issamy Andrews
June 16^th 1727 (out of Court)	Issamy Andrews See Court Roll for January 20^th 1729	Elizabeth Warren, William Stevenson, Mary Stevenson

1812 Inclosures Investigation

At the start of the Inclosures process, all landowners put in their claims to the Commissioners. Sarah Clarke’s particulars were recorded as number 46 in the document reproduced here. Her assets are listed in the table below; it appears that generally the Commissioners did not record perches so it would appear that the second item in this table refers to what became “Piece 126”. Sarah Clarke’s will refers to her double cottage being occupied by John Brunton.

Number of Messuages	Total area	Freehold	Copyhold Shadwells	Occupied by
1	4a 2r	2a 2r	2a 0r	Sarah Clarke
2	0a 1r	All Freehold	–	John Brunton Samuel Beckett

1814 Inclosures Awards

At the completion of the Inclosures process in 1814, Piece 126 was owned by Sarah Clarke. This is shown on the plot edged in red below. She also owned a larger area of land further towards Attleborough, as shown outlined in blue below:

1814 Description

In addition to piece no 126 two other pieces were under the same ownership of Sarah Clarke.

We assign, set out and allot unto Sarah Clarke the three pieces of Land next hereinafter described, namely:
First, One piece of land marked on the Map hereto annexed No 126 containing 1 rood and 39 perches with a Messuage standing thereon bounded by the Attleborough Road, East, and by land allotted to Edmund Badcock on all other parts;
Second, one other piece of Land marked on the Map hereto annexed No 121 containing 2 acres and 3 perches bounded by Land allotted to Robert Wright, North, by Land allotted to Edmund Badcock, East, by Land allotted to William Knott and the eighth Private Road, South, and by the next described allotment, West;
Third, and one other piece of Land marked on the Map hereto annexed No 122 containing 2 acres, 2 roods and 2 perches bounded by Land allotted to Robert Wright, North, by the last described Allotment, East, by the eighth Private Road, South, and by the Parish of Great Ellingham, West;
And we direct the said Sarah Clarke to make and keep in repair the Fences in her said allotments hereinafter described, namely:
In her first Allotment against the Public Road and on the North and South sides against the allotments to Edmund Badcock;
And whereas the said Sarah Clarke stands admitted (by the name of Sarah Squire) to 2 acres of Land which are held of the Lord of the Manor of Shadwells otherwise Cockerells in Morley by Copy of Court Roll,
Now we declare that the whole of her third allotment containing 2 acres, 2 roods and 2 perches shall be held by the said Sarah Clarke of the Lord of the said Manor of Shadwells otherwise Cockerells in Morley by Copy of Court Roll in lieu of the Copyhold Hereditaments to which the said Sarah Clarke so stands admitted and in respect of the Rights of Common appurtenant or appendant thereto.

1815 Survey of Deopham

This survey recorded that Sarah Clarke owned and occupied 4 pieces of land; these are outlined in red on the associated plan below (which uses different identifiers from the 1814 Commissioners):

Reproduced courtesy of the Chapter of Canterbury; their ref 183720-17

			Arable			Pasture
1815 Reference	1814 Reference	Description	Acres	Roods	Perches	Acres	Roods	Perches
279	122	Hill Holly (Copyhold of the Manor of Shadwells otherwise Cockerells)	2	1	14
280 + 281	121	Pittocks and Middle Pightle	2	0	31
297	126	House, Outbuildings, Yard, Garden and Common Frontage					1	39
		Totals	4	2	5		1	39

The only building associated with Sarah Clarke at the time of this 1815 survey is that located on Piece 126; in her will she states that the double cottage was then (1824) “in the occupation of John Brunton”. It is not clear which building was the shop referred to in her will.

1829 Death of Sarah Clarke

Will of Sarah Clarke

There is a full copy of her will here.

Notes

A pencil comment on the front of this copy of the will states that William Boodle and Samuel Flowers were Sarah Clarke’s adopted children.

The will of Sarah Clarke made the following provisions (amongst many others):

Executors

Watts Haythorpe of Deopham, Carpenter
William Boodle of Hingham

Double Cottage

This part of the estate went eventually to Samuel Flowers. A pencil note on the copy of the will described Samuel Flowers as an adopted son.

Also, I give, devise and bequeath unto the said Charles Squires, my natural Son,
All my Estate, right, title, interest, possession, reversion, remainder, or expectancy of and in, all that my Estate situate at Deopham aforesaid as the same is now in the occupation of John Brunton consisting of a Double Cottage, Gardens, Stable, Outhouses and two small common allotments …
In case of his death, then to the use of the said Samuel Flowers.

Fixtures and appurtenances belonging to my Shop

I give and bequeath unto the said William Boodle and Elizabeth Taylor who now lives with me,
All my Household Furniture, plate, linen and China to be equally divided between them …
And I give and bequeath unto the said Elizabeth Taylor all my stock in trade and the Fixtures and appurtenances belonging to my Shop

1833 – William Boodle

Piece 122 was Copyhold of the Manor of Shadwells otherwise Cockerells; William Boodle was admitted to this land at the Court of May 14^th 1833. Under the will of Sarah Clarke, William Boodle was bequeathed the use of her property for the “duration of “term of his natural life”.

1843 Tithe

The land is again given different identifiers in this survey.
The description of piece no 385 attached to this map is “House, Barn, garden etc”; the area is shown as 1 rood and 39 perches. It was recorded as owned by William Boodle and occupied by John Wingfield and James Richardson. This is clearly piece 126 of the Inclosures.
William Boodle also owned the land known as pieces 121 & 122 at the time of this tithe survey (see above – land previously owned by Sarah Clarke).

1872 – Sale by the executors of Samuel Flowers

Summary of Jonathan Doubleday’s Acquisition

By an indenture dated July 10^th 1872, the assets of Samuel Flowers were acquired by Jonathan Doubleday from the daughters and executors of Samuel Flowers. Piece No 126 described as “The Double Cottage” is again part of a package including a further four acres towards Attleborough.
There is a full description of this transaction here; it may be summarised as follows:

1814 Piece No	Quantity	Comments
126	1 rood & 39 perches	The “Double Cottage” opposite Morley Road
121	2 acres & 3 perches	Adjacent to Piece no 122 below
122	2 acres, 2 roods & 2 perches	Copyhold of the Manor of Shadwells otherwise Cockerells of Morley

1893 – Sale to Charles Doubleday

By an Indenture dated February 16^th 1893, Jonathan Doubleday sold his property to one of his sons, Charles Doubleday of Suton in Wymondham, dealer:

In consideration of the natural love and affection which the said Jonathan Doubleday hath toward his Son, the said Charles Doubleday, and also in consideration of the sum of Ten Shillings to the said Jonathan Doubleday paid by the said Charles Doubleday …

Summary of Charles Doubleday’s Acquisition

1814 Piece No	Quantity	Comments
126	1 rood & 39 perches	The “Double Cottage” with a Messuage standing thereon
121	2 acres & 3 perches	Adjacent to Piece no 122 below

The Copyhold land (piece no 122 is not mentioned), although in the 1934 transfer detailed below it is included as part of a single entity with piece no 121.

With thanks to Martin Cavicchioni for sight of this Indenture

1934 – Death of Charles Doubleday

Charles Doubleday died on January 6^th 1934 and administration of his estate was granted to Edward Lord of Silfield near Wymondham, farmer, as the sole surviving executor. However, he died in June 1960 before he had completed administration of Charles Doubleday’s estate. On February 8^th 1974 Ruby Ellen Buck (formerly Ruby Ellen Doubleday) was vested in the following:-

Firstly, all that piece of freehold land situate and lying in Deopham Norfolk and forming O.S. Map No 57 … together with the dwellinghouse erected thereon;
Secondly, all that piece of freehold land lying in Deopham aforesaid and forming O.S. Map No 27 ….

The Ordnance Survey renamed the former Piece no 126 as no 57, and in the process its acreage increased from 0.494 acres (i.e. 1 rood & 39 perches) to 0.952 acres. This seems to be a result of the O.S. including the Smithy in with the cottage. As a consequence, all the legal documents include a hand-drawn reworking of the O.S. map excluding the Smithy.
These pieces are shown on the plan attached to the assent relating to Ruby Ellen Buck: outlined in blue is the old Piece no 126 on which a cottage stood; the land outlined in red is now piece no 27:

With thanks to Martin Cavicchioni for sight of this document

Shortly afterwards, on March 25^th 1974, Ruby Ellen Buck sold piece no 27 to William Peacock of High Elm Farm, Deopham, farmer (pictured). However, it is described as being 2 acres & 3 perches so in fact it was only the eastern part of plot 27 (known as piece no 121 on the 1814 Inclosures documents).
Ruby Ellen Buck retained ownership of Piece no 57.

1978 – Sale to John Moore

On April 7^th 1978 a conveyance was signed transferring ownership of piece no 57 as defined below from Ruby Ellen Buck to John Robert Moore:

All that piece of freehold land situate and lying in Deopham and forming part of O.S. no 57 … containing 1 rood & 29¹ perches or thereabouts,
Together with the dwellinghouse erected thereon and now occupied as two dwellings.

With thanks to Martin Cavicchioni for sight of this plan

Properties built on this Piece

Footnotes

Until now, the land on which the cottage stands had been described as 1 rood & 39 perches, not 29 perches. This appears to be a typing error. ↩︎

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Date	Change
2/10/25	1833 Boodle
17/9/25	Published