Payne’s Pond

The modern maps show a feature called Payne’s Pond  is in what was once the West End  Tithing of Chewton Mendip. The extract from the 1794  map shows the approximate position in what are the two blank fields.  The lack of names could mean thtat the fields were owned by the Paynefamily or one of the other landowners.There is a refurbished cow shed on the site of the building shown but there are signs of other buildings next to pond. The Paynes were later recorded as living in Greendown which is part of Litton but physically very close so there may have  not been a farm on the site. Grove Farm  is the closest remaining farm which is to the right of the picture.There is also the remains of a farm close to Bendalls Grove which is on the left hand side.

Both the 18th century churchwarden accounts and  poor book show that a Charles Payne or Pain was paying poor rates in West End in the middle of that century.  There was a slight break about 1748 which suggests that Charles had died and his son, Thomas Payne, had taken responsibility. Charles had been paying rates for a property in the Town tithing which Robert Anstee took over.