Vol 3 - Lackham Countryside Centre

The Manor of Lackham Vol 3 : The Montagu family
Richard Nott White Cross Ground 34
Anne Tayler Catteridge Farm 471 570
Robert Ray Cuckoo Bush Farm 300
Ray Grist Mill plus lands and 130
cottage at Raybridge occupied by
William Davies 472
Joseph Wheeler Ray Cloth Mill and Land 130
The 1821 leases provide an insight into the agriculture being practiced
on the estate in the early nineteenth century. Rotations were being
specified, for example, James Hancock’s lease for land at Showell was to
be Arable, except for Dry Ground (about 10 acres, which doesn’t actually
leave a lot to be arable from a rental of 12 acres!). Dry Ground was
to be planted with “peas or potatoes” in 1821, “vetches or turnips” in
1822 and wheat in 1823 with a grass underlay so that the ground could
be returned to pasture afterwards. The turnips / vetches were to be
“eaten on the land”, probably by pigs. This was not uncommon, it fed the
pigs and nutrients were returned directly to the field with the dung.
Repairs to Mills were a common requirement, and when the lease for Ray
Mill came up for renewal in 1824 John Cornish offered a rental of £160
per annum (on behalf of his son in law James Ray) for Ray Grist Mill, one
provision being that “the tenant will do the repairs – being allowed rough
materials – but with the exception of blowing the hatches and sheeting”
As has already been seen, the Lacock area was involved in the Wiltshire
Weaving industry. James Montagu rented a cottage and pasture on
Bewley Common to James Hillier of Lacock “a weaver” in 1792 473 . It is
known that Ray Mill was used for both corn and weaving activities:
471
The rent was to be offset against Mrs Tayler’s expenses incurred for land
drainage she was undertaking.
472 Mr Ray was objecting to paying for repairs to the Mill – the agent suggested that
the rental should be increased if the estate undertook the repairs
473 W&SHC 137/59-7
117