Fillingham of Syerston

This is largely a collection of title deeds with some estate administration and financial papers together with surveys and maps, including a coloured "plotte" of Thorpe in 1619 (DD/FM/65/1). A series of papers relates to a drawn out and costly Chancery suit over the manor of Thorpe, purchased by George Fillingham in 1808 from the Neales of Tollerton and shortly afterward sold to Sir Robert Howe Bromley (DD/FM/59/1-10). The enclosure of Syerston is covered in some detail with copies of the act, award, map, and commissioners' minute book (DD/FM/78/2-4). There is also a detailed survey and map of the parish in its open state (DD/FM/60/4,DD/FM/64/1-2), as well as William Fillingham's own estimate of the improved value of his land after enclosure, and statements of the costs of the enclosure proceedings (DD/FM/60/2). The remainder of the documents are wills and executorship papers of the Fillinghams and related families, and estate papers of George Fillingham's clients. A few archives of the Earls of Rutland's Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire estates which obviously strayed into Fillingham hands from Belvoir during the course of their estate agency to the Manners family include a series of 16th and 17th century leases of the Greasley Castle estate, coal mining agreements between the Manners and an Ilkeston, (Derbyshire) yeoman, in 1616, and Major Charles White of Greasley, a local Parliamentarian commander, in 1641 and 1647 (DD/FM/80/1-13). The archives of William Fillingham are unfortunately scanty, but those of his son, George, are especially voluminous. The latter's meticulously kept and extraordinarily detailed account books are a model of their kind. They were begun within a week of his father's death in 1795, when he was 21, and were continued in his own hand, until he was in his 70s. His mother, each of his sisters, and later his children, all had their own separate accounts, which were "allowed" by the head of the family at the end of each year, and signed by both parties. As every minute item of income and expenditure of himself and his family is recorded (even down to pence lost and found), the ledgers afford an extremely detailed insight into the professional, economic and social life of the Fillinghams in the early 19th century, and particularly of the running of the estate and home farm. One volume, for example, records the exact activities of each of his agricultural labourers each day between 1839 and 1844, with details of their wages.

Content Summary:

Title Deeds and related papers:

Fillingham Estate: Nottinghamshire Syerston

DD/FM/1/1-33 Manor and estate; Sutton - Ffytche - Fillingham; also Kelham, Averham, Rolleston, N. Clifton, Harby, Park Leys, Staythorpe, Knapthorpe, Caunton, Elston, Flintham

(Fillingham purchase, 1792) 1775-1837

DD/FM/2/1-9 Williamson Close, Little Williamson Close, Ash Close; Edwards - Elston - Wood 1789-1820

DD/FM/2/10-13 Moor Close; Challand - Wood 1814

DD/FM/2/14-20 Whole estate; Wood - Fillingham 1822

DD/FM/3/1-4 Moiety of messuage and closes: Two sevenths;

(Brown) - Faulkes - Fillingham. 1826

Lamb

DD/FM/3/5-7 One seventh; (Brown)- Faulkes - Fillingham

(See also DD/FM/8/1-14 below) 1828

DD/FM/4/1-5 Various closes; Wakefield - Fillingham 1829-1854

(Fillingham purchase, 1829)

DD/FM/5/1-13 Cottage and land; Williamson - Shaw - Stansall - Whyman 1700-1803

DD/FM/6/1-12 Close; Whyman Faulkes - Fillingham 1808-1848

Hancock

(See also DD/FM/13/1-6 below)

DD/FM/7/1-3 Estate; ? -Fillingham 1856

DD/FM/8/1-4 Moiety of messuage and closes:

Four - sevenths; (Brown) - Faulkes - Hancock 1837

DD/FM/8/5-14 Whole moiety; Hancock - Hancock - Fillingham 1844-1857

(See also DD/FM/3/1-7 above)

DD/FM/9/1 Messuage; Fillingham - Hall 1857

DD/FM/10/1 Moor Close; Fillingham - Pickering and others 1857

DD/FM/11/1-7 Cottage, later 3 cottages; Skinner - Singleton - Fillingham. 1814-1860

DD/FM/12/1-10 Cottage, later 6 cottages; and pew in church; Bell - Hancock - Lang - Pickering - Fillingham 1829-1873

DD/FM/13/1-6 Cottage, later in two; Whyman - Brown - Fillingham. 1812-1874

(For earlier deeds see DD/FM/5/1-13 above)

DD/FM/14/1-61 Capital messuage, land and cottages; Hamond - Hitchbone - Elston - Cowley Markham - Fillingham 1704-1878

DD/FM/15/1-18 Cottage and land, later Field Close; Hitchbone - Skinner - Challand - Saunderson - Rose - Fillingham 1768-1883

DD/FM/16/1-10 Pingle, later cottage(s); Challand - Taylor - Caparn - Fillingham 1788-1883

East Stoke and Elston

DD/FM/17/1-8 Various closes (Stoke Prebendal leases); Stinton - Fillingham; also Syerston, Coddington, Newark, Farndon, Balderton, Thorpe; Rauceby Lincs. 1783-1857

Newark

DD/FM/18/1 Messuage and shops, Mill Gate and Potterdyke; Fillingham - Newcastle 1792

Nottingham

DD/FM/19/1-13 Land in the Meadows; Kingston - Brand - Fillingham - Taylor; also Aslockton, Granby, Orston, Screveton, Willoughby-on-the Wolds, Bleasby, Goverton, Gibsmere, Notown, Car Colston, Thoroton, Broxtowe; Mapperley (Db) 1726-c1851

Sometime Hough estate: Leicestershire Bottesford, Easthorpe, Normanton, and Beckingthorpe

DD/FM/20/1-5 Normanton : oxgang; Wright - Hough 1647-1690

(Hough purchase. 1647)

DD/FM/21/1-10 Bottesford, Easthorpe, and Normanton : ½ oxgang and 3½a.; Calcroft - Coe - Hough 1669-1696

Gibson

DD/FM/22/1-2 Normanton: messuage, Hough Closes, and oxgang; Bugg - (Hough). (Hough purchase c.1706?) 1696-1706

DD/FM/23/1-8 Beckingthorpe : farm and four oxgangs; Parkins - Orston - Trigge (- Hough) (Hough purchase c177-) 1625- 171-

DD/FM/24/1 Bottesford, etc.; whole estate; Hough. c1710-1720

DD/FM/25/1 Easthorpe : land; Hough c1770

DD/FM/26/1 Easthorpe : close; Rutland - Hough (exchange). 1772

DD/FM/27/1-16 Easthorpe : cottage; Bothemly - Somerby - Briggs - Vincent - Hough 1684-1778

DD/FM/28/1-8 Easthorpe : 4 leys, later land; Vincent - Liddall - Various - Cooke - Hough. 1686-1780

DD/FM/29/1-6 Easthorpe: messuage, land, etc.

Vincent - Hough 1729-1781

DD/FM/30/1-9 Easthorpe : 2 oxgangs; Boswell - Dodsley 1708-1742

DD/FM/30/10 Easthorpe : lands.; Toddington - Hutchin 1708

Dodsley

DD/FM/30/11-24 Easthorpe : cottage and lands, later lands only;

Rowse - Hutchin- Bennett - Dodsley

Dodsley 1698-1742

DD/FM/30/25-34 Easthorpe : whole estate; Dodsley - Porter - Hough 1742-1786

DD/FM/31/1-16 Easthorpe: whole Hough estate; Fillingham - Various 1840-1857

DD/FM/32/1 Easthorpe : messuage and 5 oxgangs; Vincent: Chancery suit (probably relates to one of properties above) 1587

Lincolnshire

Great and Little Hale

DD/FM/33/1-3 Messuage and lands; Hough 1799

DD/FM/34/1 Three Leys Close; Fillingham - Fillingham 1840

DD/FM/35/1-16 Whole estate; Fillingham - Various. 1856-1857

Nottinghamshire

Balderton

DD/FM/36/1 Messuage; Hough 1799

Bottesford School estate: Leicestershire Bottesford, Easthorpe, and Normanton

DD/FM/37/1-16 Two oxgangs, etc.; Knowles - Clarke - Browne - Trustees of Bottesford School 1624-1772

Balderton Poor estate : Nottinghamshire Balderton

DD/FM/38/1-2 House, etc.; Gibson - Trustees of Balderton Poor 1727-1763

Miscellaneous: Nottinghamshire Balderton

DD/FM/39/1 Messuage, etc; Smith - Shipman 1777

Elston

DD/FM/40/1 Various closes; Cowley mortgage 1802

Settlements, Wills, Executorship and Trust Papers

Fillingham family

DD/FM/41/1-4 Fillingham, Ann; Syerston 1851-1855

DD/FM/41/5-7 Fillingham, Charles Augustus; India 1877-1879

DD/FM/41/8-9 Fillingham, Elizabeth; Syerston 1819-1820

DD/FM/41/10-13 Fillingham, Elizabeth Sarah; Syerston 1871-1886

DD/FM/41/14-16 Fillingham, George; London 1806-1808

DD/FM/41/17-19 Fillingham, George;

Syerston : Hough marriage settlement 1804

: will., etc. 1841-1850

DD/FM/41/20-26 Fillingham, George;

Syerston : Tudway marriage settlement 1835

: exor. 1856-1859

DD/FM/41/27 Fillingham, Letitia; Wells Som. 1848

DD/FM/41/28 Fillingham, Letitia; Syerston: Ames marriage settlement 1865

DD/FM/41/29 Fillingham, Richard; Balderton 1782

DD/FM/41/30-31 Fillingham, Sarah; Syerston 1825-1830

DD/FM/41/32-33 Fillingham, Sophia Ann; Syerston 1871-1873

DD/FM/41/34-38 Fillingham, Thomas; Mansfield 1785-1819

DD/FM/41/39-57 Fillingham, William; Syerston 1795-1815

Hough familv

DD/FM/42/1-3 Hough, Eleanor; Newark 1818-1821

DD/FM/42/4 Hough, Eleanor; Bath Som. 1848-1855

DD/FM/42/5-7 Hough, Thomas; Easthorpe Leics. 1799-1819

DD/FM/42/8 Hough, William; Normanton Leics.: marriage settlement 1691

William Fillingham as executor

DD/FM/43/1-11 Rimington trust 1747-1792

DD/FM/44/1 Birkett (Elizabeth ?) 1781

DD/FM/45/1 Neale, Ann. 1793

George Fillingham as executor

DD/FM/46/1-5 Bottesford Hospital trust 1814-1842

DD/FM/47/1-10 Birkett family trust: general 1796-1837

DD/FM/47/11-17 Birkett family trust: John Birkett 1802-1811

DD/FM/48/1-6 Gauntley, William 1793-1843

DD/FM/49/1-13 King family trust 1794-1849

DD/FM/50/1-2 Minta, William 1766-1799

DD/FM/51/1-2 Neale, Charles 1829-1843

DD/FM/52/1-4 Spragging, Thomas 1815-1837

DD/FM/53/1-9 Woodward and Cooper family trusts 1800-1841

Thomas Hough as executor

DD/FM/54/1-7 Bugg, Francis and Ann 1775-1791

Miscellaneous

DD/FM/55/1 Eagle, Mary 1750

DD/FM/55/2-3 Handley, William Farnworth c1870

DD/FM/55/4 Jackson, Richard 1784

DD/FM/55/5 Oxenden, Sir Henry 1802-1817

DD/FM/55/6-9 Taylor, William 1790-1822

DD/FM/55/10-11 Tomlinson, John 1828-1829

Accounts and Financial Papers

Fillingham family

DD/FM/56/1 Fillingham, Ann and Elizabeth 1811

DD/FM/56/2-14 Fillingham, Elizabeth Sarah, Sophia Ann, and George Henry 1821-1898

DD/FM/56/15-61 Fillingham, George 1793-1857

Hough Family

DD/FM/57/1-4 Hough, Eleanor 1804-1852

DD/FM/57/5-9 Hough, Thomas 1789-1813

Miscellaneous

DD/FM/58/1 Handley, Benjamin 1799

DD/FM/58/2 Ryley, Hannah c1801

DD/FM/58/3 Graves, John Samuel, and Allen, John Roy 1855

Legal Papers

DD/FM/59/1-10 In Chancery: George Fillingham v. Sir Robert Howe Bromley, bart.; Thorpe manor, also Ints Corn. (1771-) 1806-1824

Estate Papers

Fillingham and Hough estates Surveys, valuations, and rentals: Nottinghamshire

DD/FM/60/1-10 Syerston; also Elston; and Bottesford Leics. 1724-1835

DD/FM/61/1-2 Newark and Balderton; also Claypole Lincs. 1795

Leicestershire

DD/FM/62/1-2 Bottesford and Easthorpe c1700, 1856

Lincolnshire

DD/FM/63/1-4 Great and Little Hale 1785-1857

Maps and Plans Nottinghamshire

DD/FM/64/1-8 Syerston 1792-1819

DD/FM/65/1-2 Thorpe 1619, 1712

Lincolnshire

DD/FM/66/1-2 Great Hale 1767, 1800

Miscellaneous Estate papers Nottinghamshire

DD/FM/67/1-16 Syerston, East Stoke, Elston, Newark, and Balderton c1792-1851

Leicestershire

DD/FM/68/1 Bottesford 1847

Lincolnshire

DD/FM/69/1-10 Great Hale: general 1788-1848

DD/FM/69/11-17 : tithes 1818-1857

Somerset

DD/FM/70/1-4 Bath 1846-1878

DD/FM/71/1-4 Miscellaneous c1815-1823

DD/FM/72-75 George Fillingham as estate agent

Hilyard/Thoroton family

DD/FM/72/1-8 Document not deposited

Mason, William

Nottinghamshire

DD/FM/73/1-24 Besthorpe, Darlton, Dunham, Morton, North Leverton, South Scarle, South Wheatley, Upton 1796-1839

Mason, William and Nightingale, Sir Charles, Cambridgeshire

DD/FM/74/1-11 Kneesworth; also Bassingbourn, Melbourn and Meldreth c1825-1840

Miscellaneous or uncertain

Nottinghamshire

DD/FM/75/1 Clayworth and Gringley-on-the-Hill 1805

DD/FM/75/2 Flintham 1801

Derbyshire

DD/FM/75/3 Aston (on-Trent ?) 1798

Lincolnshire

DD/FM/75/4-6 Roxholm 1822-1823

Miscellaneous Family and Other Papers

DD/FM/76/1-15 Apprenticeship, commissions, etc. 1707-1892

Miscellaneous Public Papers

Drainage

DD/FM/77/1 Rivers Devon, Smite, and Car Dyke 1842

Enclosure

DD/FM/78/1-4 Syerston 1792-1795

DD/FM/78/5 East Stoke and Elston 1795

Parish Administration

DD/FM/79/1 Syerston volunteers 1798

DD/FM/79/2-6 Syerston highways 1802-1819

DD/FM/79/7-9 Syerston tax collection 1803-1805

DD/FM/79/10 Syerston poor relief 1813

Deeds of Title and Related Papers of the Dukes of Rutland

Nottinghamshire

DD/FM/80/1-13 Greasley Castle estate 1596-1687

Derbyshire

DD/FM/81/1-16 Ilkeston and Little Hallam; also Bagworth, Thornton, Knaptoft, Lubbesthorpe, Leics.; Bisbrooke (Ruo) 1598-1650

DD/FM/82/1 West Hallam, Breaston, Mapperley, Stanley, Draycott, and Heanor (Db), Chilwell, Thrumpton, Bramcote, Attenborough, Eastwood Notts. 1601

Miscellaneous

DD/FM/83/1 Belvoir Leics., and Haddon Derbs., estates 1658

DD/FM/84/1-4 Additional items 1739-1846

Accessible to all holders of a readers ticket

These documents relate to the purchase and maintenance of Syerston Manor and estate by the Fillingham family. The bulk of the documents are title deeds of properties in the Syerston, (Nottinghamshire) and Bottesford, (Leicestershire) areas. The Fillinghams were a yeoman family settled in the Newark area in the early 18th century and the founder of the fortunes of the Syerston branch was William Fillingham (1734-95) of Flawborough. A land surveyor of considerable repute, he became steward to the Duke of Rutland at Belvoir, and also agent to various other local families. He acted as an enclosure commissioner for 23 parishes in Nottinghamshire between 1774 and 1795, in addition to at least 5 others in the Grantham area of Lincolnshire and others in North East Leicestershire and Derbyshire. The remuneration from these, combined with investments in a number of canal companies and urban property in Newark, proved sufficient for him to purchase Syerston manor and estate from the Ffytche family in 1792. He immediately began erecting a small mansion there, and initiated the enclosure of Syerston's open fields, begun in 1792 and completed in 1795. On his untimely death in 1795 his newly acquired inheritance passed to his only surviving son, George Fillingham, (1774-1850), who took over his father's duties, (including the agency to the Duke of Rutland) at the age of 21. Increasing his inheritance by marrying his cousin the joint heiress of Thomas Hough, a wealthy yeoman farmer and landowner from Easthorpe near Bottesford (Leicestershire), he completed the building of Syerston Hall, consolidated his estate in the parish, and firmly established his family amongst the local gentry. Upon his death in 1850 the estate devolved upon the only son, George, (1809-1856), Harrow-educated, who enjoyed only a short tenure before being succeeded by his son George Henry Fillingham (1841-95).

The records were deposited at Nottinghamshire Archives in 1969.