Clark’s Farm

The 18th century churchwarden and poor book make several references to a holding called Clark’s without being precise or consistent where it was and several  families were listed as also renting some of the fields at various times.  The extract from the  1794 map  is the most likely location of where Clarks Farm yard was, only a small barn now stands on the site. The proximity to Emborough and the thinness of the strip of land called Paradise Lane it is next to means it could be described as ‘The Gore’.

John York was paying rates for a holding in Middlesex  or West End that was sometimes called Clarks ex Burges and sometime Coombs and Clark’s up to c1732 when several people were listed as paying the rates. Samuel Clark took over in the 1750s but Widow Clark was paying from 1759. This was probably Hannah Clark who was a described as a widow in the 1766 ledgers.

There are references to properties in the East End at roughly the same time but they could have been the same place because the boundary between the tithings was very flexible, especially before the turnpike road was built in 1754. The Clarks may have been living in the building marked 53 in the map shown whilst working land in the West End or there could have been two farms held by the Clark family.

There were also leases granted in the Town tithing, some of with listed Lewis Thiery, based on Acridge which could be described as being in East End, Middlesex or Town tithings. There was a known link by marriage between the families and other names listed in the leases suggest there may have been a Huguenot connection.

The Kingsmills are mentioned suggesting the properties in the Town tithing were part of the rectory lands. A Mr Poynting was also listed wich suggests the holdings included some of Redsheard which boarders Acridge.

The 1766 leases describe the property as  “A Neat Place Viz A dwelling house, barns, stable wains house, orchard in Mowbarton and backyard“. A ‘Neat Place’ meant it was in good order so it should have been shown on the 1794 map. The 1839 map shows a Mow Barton Close next to what was then just a barn off Paradise Lane, which separates Chewton Mendip from Emborough, but that is a strong contender for the farmyard of Clarks Farm. What was probably Greens Farm was also close by in the 18th century but this property was already demolished by 1840. Swallow Pits Farm is on the opposite of the road.

Werbury was listed which is close to the Turn Pike corner in the Town tithing  and the other fields have not been identified or have generic names. Hills is included in th list which may have been part of York’s Park.

Other possibilities  for Clarks Farm are now called  East End Cottages , East End Farm,  Hippisley farm,  Honeywell Farm , Lower East End, Red Hill,  Shooters Bottom and Yorkes East End.