Whitemead

There were several fields that included Whitemead in their name and at least one Whitefield. The name is probably a corruption of Wheat Field because the lane that connects this group of fields to Coles Lane  is still called Wheatfiled Lane.  The 1794 map shows that it was already divided int several fields. It is possible that the small building shown in plot 719 on the junction of Chew Hill and Chew Down was the farmhouse of a farm called Witemead/White field which is now just a walled enclosure. The larger buildings are Golledge or Barrow Farm which are still standing but are now private houses. Some of the fields could be described as being in the East End or Town tithing.

It was probably one of the common fields in the medieval era and it is significant that, whilst there were still references to the West and East fields in 18th century churchwarden accounts and poor book, there is no reference to a North field that could be used to describe the location of these fields.

The field called Anstee is a significant exception and suggest that it belonged to the Kingsmill family or the Anstee family bought some of the rectory land in 1785. Most of the fields were owned by the Waldegraves .

The 1840 map shows a simpler field pattern but the fields were divided between various farms. Lynch Farm may have been called Whitemead.

The building shown at the junction of Chew Hill and Chew Down was not shown in the 1902 map.