Tithe File of Ilmer

The tithe file of Ilmer

source: TNA IR 18/13382 Tithe File for the parish of Illmire, Bucks

At a Meeting of the Land Owners and Tithe Owners within the parish of Illmire in the County of Buckingham duly convened and held at the Church in Illmire aforesaid on Monday the 17th day of September 1838 for the purpose of making an agreement for the general Commutation of Tithes within the limits of the said Parish pursuant to the Provisions of the Act of Parliament passed in the sixth and seventh years of the Reign of his late Majesty William the fourth entitled An Act for the Commutation of Tithes in England and Wales

Land Owners and Tithe Owners present

Moreton John Edward Frewen Esquire by James Grace Gentleman his Attorney
Vice Admiral Henry Raper Esquire by Joseph Gentleman his Attorney
The Reverend William Edwards Partridge Clerk Vicar by the said Joseph Rose his Attorney
John Tapping Trustee of Church Land

Mr Grace was elected Chairman who thereupon proceeded by means of the Poor Rate to ascertain the Interest of the Land Owners and Tithe Owners present in person or by Agent which amounted to the whole of such Interests respectively

The Notice for convening the Meeting was then produced signed by the said James Grace as Agent for the said Moreton John Edward Frewen which appeared to have been affixed by John Eggleton junr on the principal outer Door of the Church within the said Parish on the twenty second day of August last and three Newspapers were produced in which the said Notice was inserted Vizt The Bucks Herald of the twenty fifth day of August last and of the first and eighth days of September instant

Mr. Rose on behalf of the said William Edwards Partridge stated his proposals for the intended Commutation of the small Tithes and demanded the annual sum of One hundred and four pounds ten shillings by way of Rent Charge subject to Variation and the other provisions of the said Act as a Commutation for his Tithes being the Tithe of Hay and all the small Tithes of the said Parish of which sum six shillings should be considered as the apportioned sum on the Glebe Land of the said William Edwards Partridge as such Vicar within the said Parish

The Land owners present by Agents or in person took this proposal into consideration and resolved that it be accepted and that the said sum of One hundred and four pounds ten shillings be apportioned among the different Land Owners as follows vizt

The aforesaid Land Owners being also respectively owners of the Great Tithes (except Tithe of Hay) of their several Lands in the said Parish by their said respective Agents then agreed that the annual sum of Seventy two pounds by way of rent charge subject to variation as in the said Act provided and subject to the other provisions therein contained shall be payable to the respective owners for the time being of the Great Tithes except Tithe of Hay of the said Parish as a commutation for their respective Tithes being all the Great Tithes (except Tithe of Hay) of the said Parish and that the said sum of Seventy two pounds be apportioned among the different Land Owners as follows vizt

Resolved that the Draft of Agreement now produced be subscribed by the parties and adopted subject to such alterations if any as the Tithe Commissioners shall require and that so soon as the Draft shall have received the sanction of the Commissioners the same shall be engrossed and duly executed by the parties thereto.

Resolved that this meeting be adjourned to Thursday the eighteenth day of October next to be then held at the White Hart Inn in Aylesbury in the said County at ten o'Clock in the forenoon

James Grace
Chairman

At a Meeting of the Land Owners and Tithe Owners within the parish of Illmire in the County of Buckingham held by adjournment at the White Hart Inn in Aylesbury in the said County on Thursday the eighteenth day of October 1838 for the purpose of making an agreement for the general Commutation of Tithes within the limits of the said Parish pursuant to the Provisions of the Act of Parliament passed in the sixth and seventh years of the Reign of his late Majesty William the fourth entitled An Act for the Commutation of Tithes in England and Wales

Land Owners and Tithe Owners present

Moreton John Edward Frewen Esquire by James Grace Gentleman his Attorney Vice Admiral Henry Raper Esquire by Joseph Rose Gentleman his Attorney The Reverend William Edwards Partridge Clerk Vicar and Trustee of the Church Land by the said Joseph Rose his Attorney

Mr Grace was elected Chairman who thereupon proceeded by means of the Poor Rate to ascertain the Interest of the Land Owners and Tithe Owners present in person or by Agent which amounted to the whole of such interests respectively

Resolved that the said James Grace be appointed the Valuer for the purpose of making the apportionment of the Rent Charges agreed to at the original Meeting as required by the said Act and that he shall adopt the principles of such Agreement in making such apportionments.

Resolved that this Meeting be adjourned to Tuesday the eighth day of January next to be then held at this place at eleven o'Clock in the forenoon

James Grace Chairman

At a Meeting of the Land Owners and Tithe Owners within the parish of Illmire in the County of Buckingham held by further adjournment at the White Hart Inn in Aylesbury in the said County on Tuesday the eighth day of January 1839 for the purpose of making an Agreement for the general Commutation of Tithes within the limits of the said Parish pursuant to the Provisions of the Act of Parliament passed in the sixth and seventh years of the Reign of his late Majesty William the fourth entitled An Act for the Commutation of Tithes in England and Wales

Land Owners and Tithe Owners present

Moreton John Edward Frewen Esquire by James Grace Gentleman his Attorney Vice Admiral Henry Raper Esquire by Joseph Rose Gentleman his Attorney The Reverend William Edwards Partridge Clerk Vicar and Trustee of the Church Land by the said Joseph Rose his Attorney John Tapping Churchwarden Trustee of the Church Land

Mr Grace was elected Chairman who thereupon proceeded by means of the Poor Rate to ascertain the Interest of the Land Owners and Tithe Owners present in person or by Agent which amounted to the whole of such interests respectively

The Minutes of the last adjourned Meeting were read and confirmed

Mr Rose reported to the Meeting that he had sent to the Tithe Commissioners a Copy of the Draft Agreement adopted at the original Meeting in which various alterations had been made and others suggested by them and that in consequence he had had an interview with the Commissioners' Assistant at Somerset House and received several explanations in conformity with which he has redrawn the Agreement and at this Meeting the same ingrossed on parchment is duly executed by the Agents and parties now present

Resolved that Mr Rose be instructed to take measures for obtaining the necessary consent of the Earl of Chesterfield the Patron of the Vicarage of Illmire to the Agreement now executed and such further steps as may be necessary for procuring the confirmation thereof by the Tithe Commissioners

Resolved that Mr William Hussey of Hugendon Green near High Wycombe Bucks be employed to make the necessary plans with a reference of particulars of the Parish to accompany the instrument of apportionment to the Commissioners

Resolved that this meeting be adjourned to Thursday the eleventh day of April next to be then held at this place at eleven o'Clock in the forenoon

James Grace Chairman

[Left margin, written vertically in red/brown ink:] Bishops Approval
(see Norton Disney Linc.)

Articles of Agreement for the commutation of Tithes of the parish of Illmire in the County of Bucks in pursuance of the Act for the commutation of Tithes in England and Wales made and executed at a meeting duly called and holden in the said parish & adjourned and holden by adjournment on the eighth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred & thirty nine By and Between the several persons Owners of land within the said parish by whom or by whose agents duly authorized in that behalf respectively these presents are executed and the interest of which Land of the said parish is the whole of the Lands Owners in the Lands therein subject to Tithes of the first part The Reverend William Edwards Partridge Vicar of the said parish and Owner of the Tithe of Hay and of all the small Tithes thereof of the second part and the several Landowners in the parish who are respectively Owners of the whole of the Great Tithes except Tithe of hay arising from their several lands within the said parish and whose respective portions of the sd Great Tithes are hereinafter set forth of the third part

It is hereby agreed That the annual sum of One hundred and four pounds ten shillings by way of rent charge (subject to the provisions of the said Act) shall be paid to the said William Edwards Partridge as Vicar of the said parish and to his Successors instead of the Tithe of Hay and the small Tithes of the Glebe the Rent Charge in lieu of which it is hereby agreed shall be fixed at the sum of six shillings and shall be apportioned exclusively upon the said Glebe Land and instead of all Moduses and Compositions real and prescriptive and customary payments payable to such Vicar in respect of all the Lands of the said parish or the produce thereof a summary description of which Lands is contained in the first Schedule here unto annexed.

And it is further agreed that the annual sum of Thirty nine pounds two shillings by way of Rent Charge subject to the provisions of the said Act shall be paid to Moreton John Edward Frewen of Chevely in the County of Cambridge Esquire and to his Heirs and Assigns instead of all the Great Tithes except Tithe of Hay arising from those Lands of the said parish which are specified in the Second Schedule hereunto annexed.

And it is further agreed that the annual sum of Thirty two pounds eight shillings by way of rent Charge subject to the provisions of the said Act shall be paid to Henry Raper Esquire a vice Admiral in Her Majesties Royal Navy instead of all the Great Tithes except the Tithe of Hay arising from those lands of the said parish which are specified in the Third Schedule here unto annexed.

And it is further agreed that the annual sum of ten shillings by way of rent charge subject to the provisions of the said Act shall be paid to the Vicar and Churchwarden of the said parish for the time being as Trustees of the Church Land instead of all the Great Tithes except Tithe of Hay arising from those Lands of the said parish which are specified in the Fourth Schedule hereunto annexed.

And it is further agreed that all the Lands included in this agreement shall be discharged from the payment of Tithes from and after the first day of January next preceding the confirmation of the Instrument of apportionment to be made in pursuance of this agreement.

In Testimony whereof the said parties to these presents or their respective Agents thereunto duly authorized in their names and on their behalf have to these presents subscribed and set their respective hands and seals at the said adjourned Meeting.

First Schedule to the above Articles of Agreemts

The whole Parish of Illmire aforesaid contains Six hundred and seventy acres two roods and thirty perches of land by estimation exclusive of Public Roads and Waste the whole of which are subject to the payment of Tithes.

The whole quantity of land subject to Tithes within the said parish which is cultivated solely as Arable Land is Two hundred and forty acres two roods and ten perches by estimation.

The whole quantity of land subject to Tithes within the said parish cultivated solely as Meadow or Pasture Land is Four hundred and twenty two acres one rood and nine perches by estimation

The whole quantity of Roads and Waste Land within the said parish is three acres two roods and thirty three perches by estimation and the Scites of Parish Cottages thirty six perches by estimation

The whole quantity of land subject to Tithes in the said parish occupied as Homesteads and not included in any of the above mentioned quantities is Six Acres three roods and eight perches by estimation.

The Glebe Lands of the said parish including the Church Yard which if not in the hands of the Owner or Owners would be subject to Tithes amount to One acre and three perches by estimation which belong to the said William Edwards Partridge as such Owner.

Second Schedule specifying those Lands of the said parish of the Great Tithes of which except the Tithe of Hay Moreton John Edward Frewen Esquire is entitled

The several Farms Closes Lands and Gardens now in the respective occupations of John Eggleton Ann Wooster widow and Anne Gomme as Tenants of the said Moreton John Edward Frewen or their respective undertenants containing together by estimation Four hundred and thirty six acres one rood and thirty three perches

Third Schedule specifying those Lands of the said parish to the Great Tithes of which except the Tithe of Hay Vice Admiral Henry Raper is entitled

The farm Closes Lands & Gardens now in the occupation of John Tapping (or his Undertenants) as Tenant of the said Henry Raper containing by estimation Two hundred and thirty one acres and four perches.

Fourth Schedule specifying those Lands of the said parish to the Great Tithes of which except except [sic] the Tithes of Hay the Vicar and Churchwardens of the said parish for the time being as Trustees of the Church Land are entitled

Land containing by estimation One acre three roods and thirty four perches now in the occupation of the said John Tapping.

Moreton John Edward
Frewen by James
Grace his Attorney

William [sic] Raper
by Joseph Rose
his Attorney

William Edwards Partridge
by Joseph Rose
his Attorney

John Tapping
Churchwarden

Name of Witness

John Rowley Fowler
White Hart Inn
Aylesbury
Bucks

Illmire
Bucks.

Copy of Agreement
for the
Commutation of Tithes

Seen and Approved
J. Lincoln

For approval of the Lord
Bishop of Lincoln
Palace, Buckden

Tithe Commission

REPORT on the AGREEMENT for the COMMUTATION

of the TITHES of the Parish of Illmire

in the County of Buckingham

Visited the twenty third day of May 1839

by Thos Smith Woolley Assistant Tithe Commissioner

QUESTIONS.

1. Date of Notice, when and where affixed?

2. Date and Place of first Meeting?

3. When and in what Papers advertized?

4. Chairman of the Meeting; and, if any Adjournments, the dates and places of Adjournment?

[Written diagonally across the lower half of the page in pencil/ink:] Upon this Mr Woolley's attn is called to the fact that all the Great Tithes are included in the Agreement, & so of the Vicarial Tithes, & it is not so stated in the Agreement.

[Bottom left corner, encircled note:] Query why not merge their own tithes? R J

ANSWERS.

[1.] The Notice was dated August 21st 1838 and was affixed on the Church door on the 22nd August

[2.] The Meeting was held in the Parish Church on the 17th September

[3.] In the Buckinghamshire Herald of December the 1st and 8th

[4.] Mr Grace – the Agent for — Frewen Esquire was Chairman – it was first adjourned to 18th October 1838 at the White Hart Aylesbury to 8th January 39 @ the White Hart Aylesbury when the Agreement was executed —

[Pencil note written diagonally at bottom left:] Raper is calld Wm by mistake in Agreemt – Set right from Engrossd Agt

[6.] Called by Moreton James [sic] Frewen Esquire Owner of a very large proportion of the Parish

[7.] There are three Landowners all of whom have signed

[9.] The Rector is sole Titheowner and has signed the Agreement

Lord Chesterfield is the Patron — Each Landowner is also owner of the Tithes of Corn and Grain on his own Estate

QUESTIONS.

10. State Quantity and Value of Glebe?

11. Describe the Parish, and the quality of the Lands, the system of Farming, and whether the quantity of produce has been affected by any extraordinary instances of high or low Farming?

There is a tract of low Meadow Land part of which is good and part cold and inferior

The Gardens are not large but well cultivated there is a considerable quantity of Orchard Ground – and many Pigs and Calves are reared on the "skim milk".

[Written diagonally in bottom left corner in pencil:] Agt examined for engrossment 1054 & sent to party with order thereon To inspect – see Mr Woolleys note

ANSWERS.

[10.] The present quantity of Glebe including the Churchyard is 1a . 3r . 0p – The house a small Cottage – the Annual value about £6 – the ancient Terriers describe other Glebe, all trace of which is lost.

[11.] Illmire is a small Parish in the Vale of Aylesbury – a short distance from the foot of the Chiltern Hills – it is entirely on a substratum of Clay and quite level – The Village consists only of 4 Farm houses and a few Cottages

The Arable Land is all very heavy working "Wheat and Bean" Land requiring great labour but growing good crops both as to quantity and quality when well farmed the system generally adopted being a 4 field

The Grass Land is used principally in the Butter Dairy a very large quantity being made in the District for the London Market – there are some pastures exceedingly well adapted for this purpose – indeed the proportion of inferior Land is very small

[12.] No Tithes taken in Kind during any part of the 7 years

[13.] The present Rector has only held the Living the 2 last of the 7 years

[15.] The rates were paid by the Occupiers – the average total annual expenditure as ascertained from the Parish Books appears to have been £132 . 3 . 9 about 2/– in the pound – about 1/2 the Statute duty was done suppose 6d in the £ on a two thirds rental

QUESTIONS.

16. Was the Composition so paid, an average Composition as regards neighbouring Parishes similarly situated?

17. Personal Tithes, as Fish, Minerals, &c.; if any, state the amount of Receipts in each year during the seven; and if included in the Agreement, the increase to the Rent-charge on account of them?

18. If Easter Offerings, Mortuaries or Surplice Fees are included in the Agreement, state the average Receipts for each, and the increase to the Rent-charge on account of them?

ANSWERS.

[16.] This question does not admit of an answer in this case none of the neighbouring Parishes are similarly situated – endowed as the Vicar is here with Hay, and all small Tithes

[17.] none

[18.] not included

QUESTIONS.

19. State your opinion as to the accuracy of the Schedule, especially as to any Moduses or Exemptions set out therein; and if there are any objections to the Schedule on this or other points, state them, with the Names and Interests of the objecting Parties, and your opinion thereon?

ANSWERS.

[19.] The Schedule is from a Map on a large scale of recent date – and is doubtless sufficiently accurate for the purpose

No moduses or exemptions are claimed

QUESTIONS.

20. State your opinion as to the fairness of the Agreement; if any objections are made to the amount of Rent-charge, or to any proceeding relative thereto, state them, the Names and Interests of the objecting Parties, and your opinion thereon?

ANSWERS.

[20.] There are no objectors—all the parties have signed the Agreement – it is no doubt sufficiently favourable to the Landowners as the Tithes would be of great value if strictly taken in kind from the large number of Cows milked in the Parish

I consider however that the Agreement has been made on fair principles and that the Rentcharge is equitable all things considered

As the Tithes of Corn and Hay belong to each Landowner – I have not thought it necessary to notice that Tithe at all the Rentcharge affecting no other parties

QUESTIONS.

21. Whether the Agreement should be confirmed?

ANSWERS.

[21.] I think the Agreement may be confirmed with justice to all parties.

22. A Description and rough Estimate of the Amount of the Titheable Produce, and of the Value of the Tithes, after deducting the Expenses of Collection, with a Statement of the Grounds of adopting any Rate per Cent. as the Expenses of Collection; Specifying also the Rent-charge of the several Quantities of Titheable Land as in the Schedule.

Calculations

Arable Land 240 . 562

Grass Land 422 . 306 acres

T S Woolley
Ass Tithe Commr
June 6 . 1839

TITHE COMMISSION.

ECCLESIASTICAL TITHES.

Gentlemen Illmire Bucks Tithe Commutation

We the undersigned duly authorised Agents for upwards of three fourths of the Land Owners in the Parish of Illmire aforesaid beg to represent to you that in the Instrument of Apportionment the state of cultivation would be useless to be and therefore should not be stated and we remain

Gentlemen
Your most obedient Servants

James Grace
Agent for
Moreton John Edward Frewen Esquire

Joseph Rose
Agent for
Admiral Henry Raper

Aylesbury
12th August 1839.

To the Tithe Commissioners for England and Wales
London

6 June 1840

Gentlemen

We the undersigned being all the Land Owners and Tithe Owners within the Parish of Illmire in the County of Bucks or their Agents duly authorised having examined the Draft of the Apportionment of the Rent Charges in lieu of Tithes made by Mr James Grace the Valuer agreeably to the Tithe Commutation Acts and the Voluntary Agreement for the Commutation of the Tithes of the said Parish made pursuant to such Acts do hereby signify our consent to the Apportionment so made on the Lands of the said Owners respectively and that it is not our intention to appeal against the same

We have the honor to remain Gentlemen
Your most obedient Servants

Moreton John Edward Frewen by
James Grace His Attorney.

Henry Raper by
Joseph Rose his Atty.

William Edwards Partridge by
Joseph Rose his Atty.

John Tapping

March 31st 1841

GENTLEMEN,

WE beg to acknowledge the receipt of a sealed copy of the Confirmed Apportionment of the Rent-charge in lieu of Tithes in the Parish

of Ilmer in the County of Buckingham

We have the honour to be,
GENTLEMEN,
Your obedient Servants,

W E Partridge Incumbent,
Francis Reading Churchwardens,
of the Parish of

To
The Tithe Commissioners
for England and Wales.