Lord of the Manor at this time was the Abbot of St. Alban’s, who also held the adjoining manor recorded as Eswalt in the Domesday Book of 1086. It was around this time that the Abbey’s two manorial holdings of Eswalt and Essesole became more commonly jointly known as St. Alban’s Court.
I.The corner of Mill Lane and Sandwich Road towards Sandwich.
II.Easole Street from the junction of Mill Lane back towards the present Beachamps Lane junction.
III.Easole/Beachamps Lane junction area towards Holt Street.
IV.Becham land held by William Boys from St Albans Abbey.
V.Roads and tracks shown on the 1501 map.
The descriptions of the house and land plots have been taken from the Essesole manor rental roll of 1501. As can be seen on the sketch map, traced from the 1870’s OS map, the house plots and roads are still readily recognizable, especially to long term residents of Nonington. Some of the 1501 roads and tracks are now just foot-paths and the Easole Street and Beauchamps Lane junction is slightly different, the Sandwich Road approach to the roundabout then ran where the barn conversions are now and the approach road was then arable land.
The corner of Mill Lane and Sandwich Road towards Sandwich.
Thomas Derbi
1 Thomas Derbi holds half an acre of land in his messuage between the land of Joan Tayler twds the E & N and the Common Way (Mill Lane) twds the W and the Kings Way (Sandwich Road) twds the W RYT (rendering there yearly) at the Feast of St Michael the Archangel 2d. (East Stoole Farm: the thatched cottage and barn conversion on the junction of Mill Lane & Sandwich Road).
Joan Taylor (no messuage in Essesole, believed to be the widow of Richard Taylor who held a messuage and land in Frogham).
54 The same Joan holds 3 roods of land btwn the land of Rich Walsche twds the N and the lands of Rich Chamberlayne twds the E and the lands of Thomas Derbi twds the S and the Kings Way twds the W RYT 3d.
Richard Welsche
17 The same Rich holds in his messuage 1a and 1 rood of land btwn [the land] of Joan Gaylor twds the S and land of Thom Derbi twds the N and the Kings Street [Way] twds the W and land of Rich Chamberlayne twds the E RTY 5d (On or near site of the Malt House).
NB:-the key symbol for a plot with a house [messuage] is intended to identify the individual plot, not the location of any individual buildings on it.
Easole Street from the junction of Mill Lane back towards the present Beachamps Lane junction.
Thomas Webbe
55 Thomas Webbe Holds in his messuage half an acre of land btwn the land of the Lord Abbot and Convent of St. Albans twds the N & S and land of the heirs of John Castell twds the W and the Kings Way twds the E RTY 2d. (Now Home Farm).
56 The same Thomas holds half a rood of land between the land of the Abbot ect. twds the N and a messuage of John Walsche twds the S and the Kings Way towards the E and land of the heirs of John Castelle twds the W RTY 1/2d ( The Old Bakery, now two dwellings, and the Convent’s land- appr. ¼ acre in total). The narrow strip of land between plots 55 & 56 belonged to the Lord Abbot and Convent of St. Albans and was later absorbed into 56.
26 JW holds half an acre of land in his messuage btwn the messuage of Stephen Creke twds the S and land of Thomas Webbe twds the N and land of the heirs of John Castell twds the W and the Kings Way twds the E RTY 2d. (Part of this plot is now Lime Tree House, which was the village tailor’s in the 19th century- appr. ¼ acre).
Stephen Kreke/Creke
22 The same Stephen holds one messuage contg 3 roods of land btwn the lands of John Walsche twds the N and the lands of Richard Courthope twds the S and the Kings Way twds the E and land of the heirs of John Castell twds the W RTY 3d (Includes The Old House & outbuildings, Harvey House, Store Cottage, Trinity Court and the houses on the corner)
Richard Chamberlayne
72 The same Richard holds 2 acres and 3 roods and 17 perches of land with his messuage and 2 crofts abutting between the Common Way (the present Easole Street) and lands of the heirs of Richard Courthope twds the W and lands of Rich Walche twds the E and the Common Way (Mill Lane) twds the N and le Shereway [sheerway, shireway] twds the S (Butchers Alley) RTY 11½ d (The plot covers Hammond Close and the old St Michael’s House land, and the houses on the north side of Butchers Alley, but excludes the old butchers shop, now Southdown House. The messuage house was most probably the old thatched cottage on Butcher’s Alley).
Heirs of Richard Courthope
62 The same heirs hold half and acre and half a rood of land between the lands of Rich Chamberlayne twds the E & N and the Kings Way twds the W and le Shereway twds the S RTY 2 ½ d. (The site of the butchers, now Southdown House. The site appears to have later been used as a chalk pit, possibly for making lime).
65 The same heirs hold ½ an acre of land next to the messuage of Stephen [Kreke] btwn the land of the heirs of John Castell twds the W and lands of the said Stephen twds the E & N and the Kings Way twds the S RTY 2d. (Strip of land at the back of 22).
94 Md that Robert Coksall (Kocsal) had 24 acres with 7 roods-that now left out of the rental (sic) the whiche messuage (believed to be South Down Cottage but not positively identified as the description is incomplete. I assumed it was Southdown Cottage as it is not described anywhere else in the document and it should have been included as it was, presumably, part of Essesole Manor) Stephen Bayle hath so that SB hath the lands sometimes Coksalles 18 acres ½ rood
Joan Taylor
53 The same Joan holds 3 acres and 9 perches of land btwn the land of John Castell twds the E and the lands of Wm Boys twds the W (Beachamps Manor houses site) and the Common Way (aka le Shereway) twds the S and a messuage of St Alban’s twds the N RTY 12 ¼ d. [This plot appears to go up to the bank that runs through Beauchamps Wood just above White House Farm and appears to border on too the manor house site. The bank may well be an eastern boundary bank for the manor house and gardens ect. The plot runs from Beauchamps Lane (the Common Way or the Shereway, both are used) back towards Old St Alban’s house].
Easole/Beachamps Lane junction area towards Holt Street.
Heirs of John Castell.
28 The heirs of John Castell hold half an acre in their messuage between the Common Way twds the E & N and land of Wm Boys twds the W and land of Simon Quylter twds the S RTY (rendering thence yearly) 2d ( the present White House Farm site).
29 The same heirs of John hold 1 rood and half a rood of land before his gates between the Kings Way twds the S and the Common Way twds the N & W and the land of the lord (of Beauchamps manor-William Boys?) towards the E. RTY 1 ½ d. (Now the road outside White House Farmgate and part of the old farm yard opposite, now converted into houses).
30 The same heirs of John hold 5 acres of land and 3 roods of land btwn the land of Thos Webbe, John Walsche, Stephen Creke, the heirs of Rich Courthope twds the E and land of the Lord [St. Alban’s Abbey] towards the N and land of Joan Taylor twds the W and Le Shereway twds the S RTY 23d [The plot contains the old White House Farm yard and runs from the road (the Shereway), now the barn conversions, opposite the Village Hall towards Old St Alban’s house].
Simon Quylter
93 Simon Quylter (his only listing in the 1501 roll) holds one messuage with 1a of land and 16 perches of land in the Villata of Esole between the land of the heirs of John Castell twds the N and the Kings Way twds the E and the land of Robert Kocsale twds the S & W RTY 4 ½ and half a farthing.(The present Four Limes and the house and 2 bungalows between Four Limes and the White House Farm outbuildings.)
Robert Kocsale
92 The same Robert holds in his messuage 3a of land between the Kings Way and land of Simon Quylter twds the E and land of Wm Boys twds the W and le Schereway twds the N and the Church Way (ecclesistica via) twds the S RTY 12d (the meadow at the back of White House Farm running from Beauchamps Lane to footpath at the end of terrace opposite the Chapel which goes to Nonington Church (Church Way). Also includes the houses and gardens of houses in terrace and old brick-built house opposite Baptist Chapel and the old timber framed wattle and daub house-Shakespeare Cottage-demolished in 1980’s-this was most likely the messuage building for this plot which was then superceded by the brick-built house).
Becham land held by William Boys from St Alban’s Abbey
Below are the persons who hold lands rendering rent from other places at the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel and do not owe suit of court except once in the year and neither pay suit of court or relief. (Michaelmas, 29th September).
B1 William Boys holds 1 ½ acres of land lying between the land of the manor and the King’s Way p.a. 18d.
B2 The same William (TSW) for ½ acre of land lying near Andrewstrawe p.a. 6d
B3 TSW for 1acre and 1 rood of land lying near Essolebyrg p.a. 15d.
B1-3 were in the fields then known as Andrewstrawe and Essolebyrg which are opposite the old College main entrance and part of what is now called College Field.
B4 TSW holds 1 ½ acres of land lying between the meadow of the lord [St. Alban’s Abbey] and le Churcheway p.a. 18d
B5 TSW holds 13 acres of land and it lies toward Le Becham rendering p.a. 13/-
B6 TSW holds 13 acres of land lying at Porteway [Carry/Carriage Way-probably now the foot-path originally from the road beside Tor Cottage to the Baptist Chapel and then continuing on across the road to the church (Church Way)] p.a. 8/8d
B7 TSW holds 5 acres of land lying in Le Clepcrofte p.a. 5/-
B8 TSW holds 2 acres of land lying in Le Tye [Tye Wood‘tye’, meaning common pasture] p.a. 2/-
B9 TSW holds 4 acres of land lying in Le Tye p.a. 10/8d (possibly woodland, payment of 2/8d per acre as opposed to 1/- per acre for other land. [Possibly the woodland mentioned in a 1484 sale?].
B10 TSW holds 2 acres of land in the tenure of TSW lately called Garleston p.a. 2/-
B11 TSW above Dorsate Pit between the Manor of Essole and Le Chyrcheway 2 acres of land and 1 garden p.a. 2/-
The exact locations of B4, B7, B10 & B11 are not known but they are believed to lay in this general area.
B12-[see 1501 Essesole area map] TSW holds 4 acres of land with [ (not clear in transcript) messuage] and Le Forstall (the area of land in front of a manor or farm house) p.a. 2/8d. Payment only 8d per acres, possibly because it is the gardens ect. in front of the Beauchamps manor house. [Corresponds approx. to the area between house and the present Beauchamps Lane and from an embankment to the west to one in the east of the present Beauchamps Wood].
Sum total £.2 2/9d
Total acres of land-50 acres 2 roods (1/2 acre).
Roads and tracks shown on the 1501 map
R1-Le Churcheway: from Nonington church [ and beyond to Womenswold] to Chillenden [and beyond].
R2-The Common Way (name used in description of plots 28 & 53):now a part of the present Beauchamps Lane. In the description of B5 called le Becham [Way?].
R3- the Church Way (ecclesistica via), the name used in the description of plot 92:the foot-path from opposite the Baptist chapel in Easole Street to Nonington church.
R4 (also part of R6-The King’s Way)- believed to be the location of the Porteway ?, lit the carry or carriage way- the foot-path that originally ran from the road by Tor Cottage across the Green and came out by the Baptist Chapel. Re-routed when the bungalow was built there in the late 1960’s. The path then ran across the road to join the footpath along the side of the terrace of houses and on to Nonington Church. See R3, the Church Way above.
R5-le Schereway (also sheerway and shireway-a bridle path or way through grounds or land otherwise private, separate and divided from the common road or public highway-A New Dictionary of Kent Dialect by Alan Major, 1981): now Butcher’s Alley and the way from the end of the alley which then ran through what is now the old White House farmyard and onto Beauchamps Lane. Recorded as le Schereway until it reached the boundary of plot 30 with plot 53 when it became R2, the Common Way, also le Becham.
Other Shereways ran from the end of Sleigh Lane (opposite the Oak) across FredvillePark to come out at what is still known as Sheerway Gate onto the Y junction of the St. Alban’s Downs to Barfrestone road with the road from Frogham. Another shereway is now the foot-path from behind Church Farm across the filed to Old Court House and then on across the road past the old game-keepers house, now called Pinner’s Farm, and on to the top of Goodnestone Park.
R6-the Kings Way: now Easole Street from the junction with Holt Street and Oak Hill [Vicarage Lane] through to the junction with Mill Lane beyond which it becomes the Sandwich Road. It included what is now the foot-path next to the Baptist Chapel along the side of the Village Hall. The lower part of the footpath once ran from the corner of the Village Hall across the Green the road side corner of Tor Cottage. This was re-routed when the bungalow was built on the Green in the late 1960’s. At the same time the foot-path which ran from Easole Street down the side of Tor Cottage’s garden and across the field to Fredville Park was relocated to become the foot-path at the corner of the Village Hall across the field into the Park.
R7- the Common Way: now Mill Lane. In the 1377/8 rental it was referred to as the common way to Kedyngdon (Kittington).
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Easole in 1859, as recorded on the Poor Law Commissioners map. The property boundaries are very similar to those of 1501, and some of the roads have become foot-paths or bridal ways.
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