The extract from the 1794 map on th right shows Mearns Cross.  Bendalls Grove and Payne’s Pond are at the top of the map and although these features are still clearly visible on the ground few signs remain of the buildings that once stood there. The road that leads to the bottom right of the map is York Lane and although the site of the buildings in field 497 is clearly visible, nothing of the building can still be seen. It is possible that members of the York family livedthere. The picture above was taken close to the site of the buildings in field 497. The road leading to th left was known as Sperrings Lane. |
| The Hampshire archives contain a record dated 1707 when a James Willcox (alias Andrews) was the tenant of a property near to ‘Farmers Cross’. This could apply to many places but there are references to an estate called Wilcox in the West End Tithing which fit in with Farmers Cross’ being an earlier name for Mearns cross. |
| Mearns Cross is not mentioned in the churchwarden accounts and which start in 1699 and the poor book dated 1730 to 1769. The Waldegrave held some of the land in 1794 and acquired more in the 19th century. |
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Mearns Cross is in the West End tithing but some of the roads connect to the Middlesex and Town tithings. Grove Farm is to the right of this pictur and Eakers Hill is to the left and these are both still standing although Eakesr Hill farm is currently derelict. One theory for the source of the name is that there were a number of mines in the area. The Kingsmills may have been responsible for digging some test pits and they had an interest in mines in High Littleton through their mariage to the Mogg family. Mearns is a name that is also appears in High Littleton
Bendalls Grove and Payne’s Pond are at the top of the map and although these features are still clearly visible on the ground few signs remain of the buildings that once stood there. The road that leads to the bottom right of the map is York Lane and although the site of the buildings in field 497 is clearly visible, nothing of the building can still be seen. It is possible that members of the York family livedthere. The picture above was taken close to the site of the buildings in field 497. The road leading to th left was known as Sperrings Lane.
chewtonmendiphistory 