Kingswell

Kingswell is the name of springs near Eakers Hill  which used as a source for the private water supply provided by the The Waldegraves.  This included giving them are protective covering. Bendals Grove is on the other side of the road  Grove farm is a short distance further on. There are various forest tracks that lead to  Red Quarr but the woodland is relatively recent. The old maps show a more agricultural and industrial landscape.

The 1794 map shows there was a well-defined road leading from Sperrings Lane and there were a number of cottages on the other side of the road. The junction may define the beginning of  Reeves Lane  which can be seen running to the top of the map. Almost nothing remains of those buildings. The blank space in the bottom left hand corner of the map may because it was part of the Kingsmill estate which may be the source of the name. The area may have been described in  West End or  Middlesex and the blank space may show it was part of Green Ore which was a separate parish at the time.

The Middlesex tithing of Chewton Mendip extends past Priddy and includes a number of the bronze age barrows  which may be the source of  the ‘king’ in the name in the same way that  Kingshill in the Town tithing may be named after the nearby burial mounds. The name Kingswell may also be linked to the sacrafield rents still be levied in the 18th century.

There is evidence of mines in the area which go back to at least Roman times and there is evidence from nearby Charterhouse that there were lead mines in the area before the Roman invasion. This may explain the use of the word ‘reeve’ which was the title given to  a person who was responsible for managing the lords interests. Lead reeves were still operating in Chewton Mendip in the 18th century.

There are strong links to royalty which is documented as early as 899 in the will of Alfred the Great who owned Chewton Mendip. The royal connection and Kingsmill source for the ‘king’ and ‘reeve’ elements of the name are mutually supportive arguments. The Kingsmills bought land that may have been the personal property of the monarch. The 1766 map confirms the layout of the area but the related ledgers do not help to explain  who was renting the properties in the area because they only list Waldegrave tenants.

The mining link may also explain the source of the name Dudhill which is close by. The lead mines were already exhausted by the end of the 17th century but Kingswell was close to what would have been a busy cross roads used by miners and traders in earlier times.  Nivers Lane  is close by and that may have once been a significant route which would have been connected to Kingswell Lane at  Mearns Cross.

Kingswell is not mention in the  churchwarden accounts or poor book   records transcribed so far but there are several references to the Rosewell and Dalimores  occupying farm  in the area. The Dalimores will still the tenants of Eakers Hill in 1840.

The King family were residents of Chewton Mendip  and tenants of the Kingsmills and they may have given their name to the wells but so far the records show they lived in the Town tithing.

The lack of clear records mean that the elusive Nobles  farm listed in the 18th century may have been one of the buildings in the area that have long been demolished.  Wigmore Farm is nearby and may hae formed part of the Reeves& Nobles holding that was mentioned frequently.

There are buildings in the area which may have been the site of Wyches farm.