Boys Marriage settlement of 1626.
Acholt Farm.
Acholte Farm occ Edward Rigden Hundred of Wingham and parish of Non and Woms. House edifice bldgs orchards gdns and ground belonging to the messuage or tenement contg three acres
All that parc of pasture the fforstall to said mess adj contg twoe acres.
One close of arable land abuttg upon the said parc of land called the fforstall to the East to the other lands belong to Sir Ed Boys to the West and South and the Kings hway to the North. One acre one rood.
All that close of arable land lands abuttg to a certain barne to the East lands of Sir Ed Boys South East and West. Thirtie twoe acres ten perches.
All that pce ect of wood and woodlands occ Sir Ed Boys abuttg North to the aforesaid (above) The Kings hway and the lands of Jeremie Gayes ( of Holt St Farm) gentleman to the South and lands of Sir Ed Boys to the East and West. Twentie acres twoe roods twentie perches.
All ect of land called Coldmorrows abuttg lands of Wm Nethersole to the South Jeremie Gayes to the East and North and Sir Ed Boys to the West. Twentie acres.
All ect of Acholte Downes abuttg towards Culsoe (Curlswood) Park to the West and aforesaide ffarme on the Sth Nth East. Three score and foureteene acres.
Lands woods and parcells of woodland occ Sir Ed Boys abuttg Acholte Downe to the North Kings hway to the West and lands of Sir Ed Boys to the East and Sth. Tenne acres.
All that pasture called Leighfeild abuttg on aforesaide woodland to the North and East the Kings Street to the West and lands of Sir Ed Boys to the East. Twentie sixe acres.
That parcell of arable land commonly called Woodroofe Hill ffifteen acres twoe roods.
One other parcell of arable land called Light Lands abuttg on saide Woodruffe Hill to the West. Seventeene acres.
Stone Reech Seavon acres twoe roods abuttg Jeremie Gayes to the North the fforstall South.
The end of Acholt Farm (then in both Non and Wim parishes. The inventory then moves from Stone Reach, which is partly just the Nonington side of the railway line by Acol bridge, towards Nonington.
All that pasture close adj in Nonington the aforesaid abuttg the King hway to the South to land of Sir Ed Boys occ by Rich Baylie to the East and other pastures of Sir Ed Boys to the North. Foure acres twoe roods.
All that pasture close adj the said premises to the South The Kings hway to the West the lands of Thos Kirbie to the North. Three acres twoe roods.
All that pasture close abuttg to the lands of Rich Baylie to the East to Thos Kirbie to the North and Sir Ed Boys to the Sth and East. Twoe and one halfe acres.
The close of arable land adj aforesaid land to lands of Thos Kirbie to the West lands of Sir Ed Boys in the Hundred of Eastry occ Jn Jordan to the East and Sir Ed Boys land occ Rich Baylie to the Sth. Foure acres
one rood.
To the arable land on a place called Nonington Hill abuttg Pinners Wood to the North and the lands of Jn White to the East and West and Thos Kirbie to the Sth. Twoe acres three roods.
To Anthonies ffields occ Anthonie ffields clerk (to the parish)
All that pasture close in Nonyngton aforesaide in the tenure of Rich Baylie now in the tenure of Anth ffields to the West and Nth and Sir Ed Boys land in the tenure of Jn Jordan to the East and the Kings hway to the South. Fyve acres.
The land was “bee holden of our saide Soveraigne Lord the Kings Majestie his heirs and successors of the Mannor of Wingham in the said counties of Kent by fealtie onlie in free and Common Socage and not in Capite nor by Kings Service rendering therefore yearlie to His Majestie ect £ 13 2s 2d of lawful monie ect more plainly may appeare.
Socage Definition:
A term of the feudal land ownership system which referred to the tenure which was exchanged for certain goods or services which were not military in nature.
Socage is often described as “free and common socage” although the “free and common” qualification is now of a purely historical significance.
The concept of socage has evolved considerably since the Norman Conquest. In essence, it was a land-use system where a socman, sokeman or socager held his land from the King subject to a periodic duty to the King, such as military service, payment of money or provision of some service or goods.
Blackstone described it as follows:
“Socage, in its most general and extensive signification, seems to denote a tenure by any certain or determinate service. And in this sense it is by our ancient writers constantly put in opposition to chivalry, or knight-service, where the render was precarious and uncertain.”