7M50

New Alresford Borough (7M50/A)

In 1572 Robert Home, Bishop of Winchester, granted the borough to the bailiff and burgesses in return for a fixed annual rent, and from this date the income of the borough was under the control of meetings of the bailiff and eight burgesses. At these meetings the bailiffs and other officers were elected and vacancies among the burgesses filled up, the subsequent swearing-in taking place at the court leet; the corporation was also entitled to hold a court to hear minor cases of debt, trespass etc. Although legal cases ceased to be heard around the end of the 17th century, the corporation continued until after the passing of the Municipal Corporations Act 1883, as a result of which in 1890 its property was vested in the Town Trust (Victoria County History Vol iii p351).

7M50/A1

Court book of the borough of New Alresford, 17 Apr 1615- 30Jun 1890

folios 2-82: pleas of debt, trespass, etc, and elections of bailiffs and burgesses, 1615-1700

folios 83-103: elections of bailiffs and burgesses, 1700-1790

folio 85: agreement between the bailiff and burgesses concerning the profits of markets and fairs, the repair of bridges and gates etc, 1709

folios 104-106: rent roll and agreements for payment of annual fines for encroachments and agreements for leases, 1705-1714

folios 107-109: quit rent rolls, 1756 and 1769

unnumbered folios: returns and presentments of juries, 1746, 1767-69, 1771; elections of bailiffs and burgesses and minutes of administrative business of the corporation (weighbridge, markets and fairs, police, fire engine, railway company etc), 1791-1890

Enclosed at front: loose pages containing notes of agreements for rents and encroachments, list of those owing suit of court, receipts etc, dating from 14 Feb 1613/4 to 12 Feb 1674/5

Pasted inside the front cover is a bill for papers and binding dated 1749. It would seem likely that the earlier portion of the book (which is written on numbered folios of paper ruled with accounting columns) was rebound at this time together with a large supply of additional, unruled paper, which does not have folio numbers.

7M50/A2

Book listing those sworn to serve as bailiffs, constables, haywards, aletasters (until 1830) and jurors at 'the Bishop's Court for the parish of New Alresford'

Also includes jurors' presentments and (at front) oath of bailiff

7M50/A3

Jurors' book, containing names as in 7M50/2 and jurors' presentments

7M50/A4

English translations of charter granted by Robert Horne, Bishop of Winchester, to the town of New Alresford on 10 Dec 15 Elizabeth I (1572)

The charter ordains that the town shall have a bailiff and eight chief burgesses, and includes provisions for fairs and markets, bye-laws, fines, 'pickage and stallage' etc

1. copy 'taken from an antiant coppy which was preserved out of the fier', with case and opinion appended, 1711 (paper) (the fire mentioned may have been that of 1689, in which the market-house, council-house and much of the town were destroyed)
2. paper, made by John Duthy, 1749
3. parchment, late 18th century
4. parchment, early 19th century (watermarked 1804) 4 items

7M50/A5

Confirmation by Jonathan, Bishop of Winchester, of the right of the Bailiff and Burgesses of New Alresford to 3 seats in the church, with 1 seat for their wives

7M50/A6

Royal Exchange Assurance policy for insurance of the dwelling-house of Daniel Veck of New Alresford, 'vell monger', 30 May 1751

Dwelling-house described as brick built, part tiled and part thatched, situated in New Alresford

On back; notes of annual payments of 5s, 1751-1778

For title deeds to Daniel Veck's property, see N1

7M50/A7

Letter from the Revd Arthur Headley, Rector of Alresford, to the Clerk to the Town Trust concerning making a copy of the fire brief of 1689 (see 7M50/9)

7M50/A8

Notes by the Revd Arthur Headley concerning Alresford parish church

7M50/A9

Brief issued on the occasion of the fire at New Alresford on 1 May 1689 which caused £24000 of damage, 22 Jun 1689 (printed)

7M50/A10

Extract from Alresford enclosure award (no. 9) concerning allotments made to William Harris esq of New Alresford

7M50/A11

Conveyance of Dog Kennel Mead (2 acres) and Sheeplands (7.75 acres), by William Harris esq and Jenny his wife to Thomas Dennett esq, with related deeds

Contains schedule of deeds to Dog Kennel Meadow, including lease and release by Thomas Messant, tailor, and Abigail his wife, to John Barnard esq, 1732; settlement on the marriage of Sarah Barnard and Thomas Hall of Preston Candover, 1768; appointment to Elisabeth, daughter of Thomas Hall and wife of George Purefoy Jervoise, and conveyance to the use of William Harris, 1799; also contains schedule of deeds to Sheeplands, including probate of will of Thomas Scriven, gentleman, 1732; deed of partition of New Farm, agreed between Richard Woolls and Ann his wife, Thomas Hall and Sarah his wife, and William Harris and Jenny his wife, and others, 1787.

Also includes bill from James Browne for legal services. 5 items

7M50/A12

Alresford Inclosure Act (relating to the common fields, 326 acres, and The Common Marsh, 84 acres)
2 printed copies

7250/A13

Copy of map of the parish of New Alresford referred to in the enclosure award, undated (1805)
Paper on linen, coloured

7M5O/A14

School Board election poster, describing the candidates in humorous verse.
The candidates appear to comprise Alfred Savage, Charlie Gunner, Jimmie Nash, 'jolly old farmer Oliver D', William Lang, overseer, 'Squire Fred' [?of] Ashton, [?No]ddy Clark' and 'Samuel L' The election was to be held on 3 Nov (year not stated)

7M50/A15

Deed of covenant of William Hall with the bailiff and Burgesses to maintain the Dean Bridge and the footway from The Dean to Lord Rodney's fulling mill
This undertaking was given in consideration of the Bailiff and Burgesses having given permission to Hall to divert the footpath

7M50/A16

Lease for 20 years of Sheeplands Paddock (4a lr 24p), by Winchester College to William Richard Poynter and eight others [the then bailiff and Burgesses)
The property is identified as plot 119 on the tithe map

7M50/A17

Agreement (1863) and duplicate conveyance (1882) relating to sale of land by the bailiff and Burgesses to the Mid Hants Railway Company
The company is named on the draft as the Alton Alresford and Winchester Railway Company
2 items

7M50/A18

Copy conveyance of portions of the Fair Field (tithe numbers 129-131) by the Bailiff and Burgesses and others to William Benson esq.
The conveyance was made by the Burgess and Bailiffs as trustees of James Withers deceased, in respect of 3r 14p of land; by the churchwardens and overseers as trustees of William Pink deceased, in respect of la 3r 21p of land; and by the churchwardens and overseers in respect of 2r called the Church Land. The first two pieces of land had been split by the construction of the railway line.
Includes loose plan

7M50/A19

Quit rent register, covering properties in Broad Street and beyond, East Street, West Street, The Dean, Tichborne Down and the road thereto, etc.
Comprises three separate quit rent rolls, each listing owners, occupiers, locations of properties, and amounts of rent. The first list is undated, but at the front of the book, opposite the title page, is a date, largely erased, which may read 1837; the second was made in 1861 , while the third was made in 1870 and revised in 1876.

7M50/A20

Quit rent roll, 1876 with subsequent revisions, and covering letter for return by Charity Commissioners, 1882

7M50/A21

Quit rent roll, 1886 with subsequent revisions

7M50/A22

Papers of Edward Blackmore relating to manorial waste land at Pound Hill
Comprises draft agreement between the Bailiff and Burgesses, and Lord Ashburton and Francis Marx esq (of Arlebury), aiming to protect the manorial waste as a recreation ground while allowing Lord Ashburton and Mr Marx the feed and herbage of the land (over which they claimed a right of common, while the Bailiff and Burgesses claimed to control the waste as reeves to the Bishop of Winchester in respect of the manor of Old Alresford, 1862 ); copy petition to the Bishop for a grant of the land to the Bailiff and Burgesses as trustees, c1869; correspondence with other trustees and solicitors, 1862 and 1869.
24 items

7M50/A23

Miscellaneous correspondence of Edward Blackmore relating to affairs of the Bailiff and Burgesses
Comprises tender for fair tolls, 1859; circular concerning subscriptions for support of organ in Alresford Church, 1859; draft lease of Sheeplands Paddock from Winchester College, 1863; estimate for gates from James Thomas Randall of Wilton, Wilts, with drawing of gates at Wilton Fair Ground, 1864; letters concerning accounts, 1864; copy Charity Commission order approving sale of land at Fair Field, with memorandum concerning division of proceeds (see A18), 1864; notices of meetings, 1869; copy letter to Alresford Highway Board concerning disrepair of roads, 1871 ; legal opinion of Arthur Kekewich concerning rector's rights in the event of sale of surplus land acquired by the Mid-Hants Railway Company, 1874; correspondence with Winchester College concerning renewal of lease of the Fair Field, 1875) notice by C French to quit fair tolls and ground, 1886; receipt for fee on lease of Sheeplands Paddock, 1886; letters from Ecclesiastical Commission concerning collection of quit rents and grant of tolls, 1886-87; notice to remove obstruction, 1889; Charity Commission notices concerning proposed establishment of Town Trust, 1889.
20 items

7M50/A24

Outer pages of The Standard newspaper, 13 Mar 1883