DEEDS OF THE BERKSWELL HALL ESTATE

This collection of deeds and documents relates to properties purchased by Joshua Hirst Wheatley c.1890-1908, following his acquisition of Berkswell Hall in 1888 or 1889, the previous owner, Thomas Walker, having died in 1887.

It should be noted that there are no deeds relating to Berkswell Hall itself.

The original bundles and parcels of deeds have been maintained and at the end will be found reference to a large number of abstracts of title respecting the property held by Thomas Walker.

Wheatley's estate included Mercote Hall (deeds for which go back to the time of the Mathewe family in the 16th and 17th centuries), Hawke(r)s Moor, Hill Farm, Hockley Farm, the Stone House and lands at Rockshill, the Shirleys in Back Lane, property at Truggist Hill and Dockers Lane Farm, as well as various smaller pieces of land. Many of these properties had been purchased by Thomas Walker in the 1860s, several from William F.H. Whitehouse of Hill House, so there was some continuity of ownership. Wheatley also extended his estate with purchases from Captain F. Westley Richards, the devisees of William Tranter's estate, the trustees of Crow's charity, and others, 1895-1908.