Indenture of agreement between Anthony Blagrave of Bulmershe Court in the parish...

(Anthony leases 2 bays of a barn and several named closes shown on the map in dark yellow to John for the sum of £650 and for 96 years at £10 per annum; the lands shown in pale yellow with the farm houses and half the fishing being similarly leased to a third brother Alexander; Anthony retaining that half of the manor shown in green, with the manor house or 'place' and half the fishing; with power to keep clean any watercourses falling into the Kennet, so as not to harm his mills in Reading, St Giles' Mill and Minster Mill. The manor had been purchased on 2 February 1596 from Henry, Lord Windsor, along with the outstanding lease of 96 years to John Tottnell [?], then farmer of Southcote.)

Details of map attached to the deed:

The description, Survey & Admeasuremente of the mannor & ferme houses of Southcott in ye parrishe of Sct Mary of Readinge in the county of Berks & of such landes & meddowes as nowe remaine unto the same boughte of the Righte Honorable Lorde Henry Wyndsor by Anthony Blagrave Esquier and Surveyed by John Blagrave gent. His Brother this yeare of our Lorde 1596.

[No scale shown : approx 13 inches to 1 mile] 17½ inches x 12 inches

445 mm x 300 mm

Detailed coloured map, indented, showing lands bounded by the "London Hygh Waye" [A4] in the north, and Comber ditch and the river Kennet in the south. Shows the manor house ("place") and farm buildings in elevation, and also "Cookes house". Gives field names and acreages, roads, including "Conscyens Cross Lane" [Circuit Lane], watercourses, including the Holy Brook ("Hallowed Brooke"), and bridges, with "Stoken brydge" and "Clapper bridge". Text written beneath the map explains the tripartite diversion between Anthony, John and Alexander Blagrave and the colour coding for this (see D/QR 7/1 catalogue entry for a summary of the division.)

[OS 1900 6 inch sheet 37 NW shows the site of the manor, with field boundaries little changed.]

Note to searchers

D/QR 7/1 may be ordered up and seen, but for working purposes you will also need to order T/B 65/1-2, photographs of the lease and map of almost actual size of the original document. This is because the map of D/QR 7/1 is attached to and overlies the lease, the text of which cannot therefore be read without risk of damage to the whole.

The photographs can also be photocopied, unlike the original, or prints can be supplied from the negatives on request.