Wills

Wills Farm is at the extreme south-west edge of the modern parish of Chewton Mendip and is much closer to Priddy than Chewton Mendip, infact the centre of Priddy is closer to Chewton Mendip than Wills Farm. The 18th century churchwarden accounts and poor book make reference to an estate called Wills in the West End or Middlesex tithings but it was separated from the main part of Chewton Mendip parish by the Mendip Forrest.

It may have been built on the site of Egelfelde house which is shown in the 1640 map but not later maps. The 1794 map clearly shows a building on what is now called Wills Farm and it is presumed to be the same place. experience show this assumption cannot be relied upon 100% and there were other farms with similar names such as Willets. The site of another farm called Alfords is just of the bottom of this image. Wills Farm is at the extreme south-west edge of the modern parish of Chewton Mendip and is much closer to Priddy than Chewton Mendip. In fact, the centre of Priddy is closer to Chewton Mendip than Wills Farm

The first tenant for Wills Farm in the 18th century was Widow Wills which suggests there was a unidentifed Mr Wills who was the tenant previously. Thomas Wills took responsibility c1720 and John Wills was paying from about 1730. These may have been the sons of Widow Wills.

There was also a Wills Close in the East End tithing that was owned by Earl Waldegrave and either rented or sold to James York the younger of Wells in 1745 according to Hampshire record 41M89/307. The vestry records suggest that Wills or Willetts was owned by the Kingsmills in 1756 which explains why the record of the 1745 transaction in is held in Hampshire.

Wills Farm was occupied by Thomas Barnard in 1839. The Round House was shown in the 1839 map in a field called the Roundhouse ground and photographs suggest that it was standing for some time after that.

George Speed lived in Wills Farm until 1914.