Tithe Apportionment - Nursling

Introduction

For details about what Tithes where, how they came about, and the Tithe Commutation Act that gave us all this wonderful information read the article titled Tithe Commutation Act 1836.

The Award of Rent-charge in lieu of Tithes in the Parish of Nursling in the County of Southampton. Hampshire variously known as the County of Southampton, Southamptonshire, and abbreviated to Hants.

This is the fourth iteration of Tithe Apportionment articles, and the first of the new templated concept.

Details of the Parish of Nursling are included in the One Place Study about Nursling

Pending population

Notes and Stories

William Wakeford Attree

From the 'Know all Men' paragraph, the Assistant Tithe Commissioner responsible for Nursling was William Wakeford Attree of the Middle Temple Barrister at Law. He was also responsible for the Tithe Commutation for the Parish of Freefolk in the County of Southampton, and possibly others. 

I found an article in The National Archives which has some information about William Wakeford Attree and his family, extract below. The Atrree family do not live in Nursling but have an involvement by virtue of the Tithe Award.

THE HISTORY OF HOWLETT & CLARKE by Antony Dale

Howlett & Clarke is not only the oldest firm of Solicitors in Brighton but the only one that can be traced back to the eighteenth century. Its first known principal or partner was William Attree. He came of an old established Ditchling family. His grand-father, William Attree, was a brick-layer there. The latter died in 1767 but left a Will, so he must have been a man of some education. This William Attree's son, John Attree, was a prosperous malster. In 1745 John Attree married at Newtimber Susannah, daughter of Henry Scrase of Withdean, Patcham. He died on the 9th June 1772 and is buried in a table-tomb in Ditchling church-yard to the north of the church

John and Susannah Attree had one daughter and four sons

William Attree was the second of these sons and was born in 1749. In 1765 he was articled for 5 years to an attorney in Lewes named Henry Burtenshaw. He was admitted to the roll of solicitors before 1775. But this must have been at least two years earlier, as in 1773, when the Brighton Town Commissioners were first set up to pave and light the streets and to erect groynes in front of the town, he became their first Clerk and also Treasurer. The Commissioners' minutes have not survived from before 1789, but Bishops' "Brighton in the Olden Time" quotes an advertisement by William Attree as Clerk to the Commissioners of 1st August 1773, so he must have held this office since the initiation of the Commission. His salary as such in 1789 was £4-10-0 a year

He was also Clerk to the Brighton Vestry. The date when he was appointed to that office is unknown because again the minutes of the Vestry have not survived from before 1790. He may well have been in office for some time before that date and perhaps was even appointed Clerk to the Commissioners in 1773 because he was already Clerk to the Vestry. His salary as Clerk to the Vestry was £10-10-0 a year in 1790 and £30-0-0 a year in 1804

It is just possible that William Attree's legal connection may extend further back than this. His mother's first cousin, Charles Scrase, was also an attorney. He was born in 1709 and was Town Clerk of Seaford in 1733. In 1771 Scrase purchased a moiety of the manor of Brighton and lived in the Manor House there which was on the site of Royal York Buildings in Old Steine. Scrase was also the solicitor of Dr Johnson's friend, Hester Thrale, later Mrs Piozzi. She stayed with him at the Manor House and subsequently bought a house of her own in Brighton in West Street. William Attree acted as steward of the Manor for Scrase from 1778 onwards. So it is possible that he had been articled to Scrase. The latter died in 1791

When William Attree established his practice in Brighton, he built himself an office and a house where he also lived. In 1775 he bought a site in Ship Street for £50. On this he built No. 8 Ship Street and probably the adjoining house, No. 9. No. 8 was his residence and office combined until his death and after that the residence and office of his son until 1830. William Attree mortgaged the building for £2,000 in 1803, and this loan was not finally paid off by his son until 1824. The house was rebuilt in its present form, but still with a facade of Georgian character, at some time between 1830 and 1863. But continuity has been preserved as the building is still the office of Howlett & Clarke today

In or before 1800 there were few attorneys in Brighton, so William Attree easily acquired a near monopoly of the best legal work in the town. Amongst his fashionable clients was the Prince of Wales. When the Prince was acquiring land to enlarge the grounds of his Brighton house, he employed Attree in the various purchases which this involved. Attree's position will have been of benefit to both parties when, in 1803, the Prince sought the agreement of the Town Commisioners to divert the north end of Great East Street, as East Street was then called, which ran almost directly under his windows, and to give the town instead a piece of land further west which, in 1806, became New Road

The above is not really relevant to the Parish of Nursling but does give some background to the next extract where William Wakeford Attree, the Assistant Tithe Commissioner for Nursling and a number of other Hampshire Parishes.

Thomas Attree married about 1805. His wife's Christian names were Elizabeth Austin. They had a son and a daughter. The son, William Wakeford Attree, was born in 1806. He followed his father into the legal profession, but became a barrister in the Middle Temple. He was Recorder of Rye, Hastings and Seaford. He died in his father's life-time and at his father's Brighton house on the 28th January 1862 aged 56. He was buried in Ditchling church-yard

In his memory his father endowed a scholarship at Brighton College. To provide the money for this he conveyed to the Trustees of the College No 9 Ship Street adjoining his office and, if this Trust was invalidated by his death within 6 months of the date of gift, he substituted in his Will a bequest to the College of £1,000. Thomas Attree's daughter, Elizabeth Wakeford Attree, died when quite young. Stained glass windows in memory of both the son and daughter were inserted in the north wall of the nave of Ditchling Church in 1863.

Transcription of Agreement

APPORTIONMENT; of the RENT-CHARGE in lieu of TITHES in the    Parish         of      Nursling              in the County of         Southampton

Whereas    AN AWARD of RENT-CHARGE in lieu of TITHES in the    Parish         of      Nursling              in the County of         Southampton     was, on the twenty second Day of January in the Year One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty six confirmed by the Tithe Commissioners for England and Wales, of which Award with the Schedule therein comprised, the following is a Copy :---

Know All Men by these Presents That I William Wakeford Attree of the Middle Temple Barrister at Law having been duly appointed and sworn an Assistant Tithe Commissioner according to the provisions of the Act for the Commutation of Tithes in England  and Wales and having been also duly appointed to ascertain and Award the total sum to be paid by way of Rent Charge instead of the Tithes of the Parish of Nursling in the County of Southampton.

Do hereby Award as follows that is to say.

Whereas I have held divers Meetings in the said Parish touching the matter aforesaid of which Meetings due Notice was given for the information of the Land owners and Tithe owner of the said Parish.

And Whereas I have duly considered all the allegations and proofs tendered to me by all parties interested and have myself made all inquiries touching the premised subject which appeared to me to be necessary.

And Whereas I find that the estimated Quantity in Statute measure of all the Lands of the said Parish which are subject to payment of Tithes amounts to one thousand nine hundred and ninety acres three roods and twenty one perches which are cultivated as follows that is to say.

One thousand and forty seven acres and sixteen perches as Arable Land

Four hundred and six acres three roods and thirty perches as Meadow or Pasture.

One hundred and thirty six acres three roods and five perches as Water Meadow

Three hundred and eighty three acres three roods and eighteen perches as Woodland.

And Four acres and thirty two perches are Homesteads and the Sites of Buildings.

And Whereas  I find that the Glebe Lands belonging to the Rector of the said Parish amounting by estimation to Twelve acres statute measure is by prescription absolutely exempt from the render of all Tithes.

And Whereas  I find that all the Lands of the said Parish are save as aforesaid subject to payment of all manner of Tithes in Kind.

And Whereas in estimating the clear annual value of the said Tithes I have taken into account the rates and assessments paid in respect of such Tithes during the seven years of average prescribed by the said Act.

And Whereas due Notice was was given to me in the manner prescribed by the said Act that the clear average value of the Rectoral Tithes of the said Parish during the said seven years of average would not fairly represent the sum which ought to be the basis of a permanent commutation of the said Tithes.

And Whereas I have taken into consideration all the allegations and proofs tendered to me touching the matter of the said Notice before awarding the Rent charge hereinafter mentioned.

And Whereas I find that the Rector of the said Parish for the time being is entitled to all the Tithes thereof.

Now Know Ye that I the said William Wakeford Attree do hereby Award that the Annual sum of Five hundred and fifty Pounds by way of Rent Charge subject to the provisions of the said Act shall from the first day of October next preceding the confirmation of the Apportionment of the said Rent Charge be paid to the Rector of the said Parish for the time being instead of all the Tithes arising from all the Lands of the said Parish except the Glebe Lands.

And I do hereby Award and direct that no part of the said Rent Charge shall be apportioned on any Holdings of less extent than thirty five perches.

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this second day of January in the year One thousand eight hundred and forty six.

Signed

W^m Wakeford Attree

Now I Charles Fielder

of     the   Parish of     Sparsholt near Winchester              in the County of         Southampton

having been duly appointed Valuer to apportion the total Sum awarded to be paid by way of Rent Charge in lieu of Tithes, amongst the several Lands of the said    Parish         of      Nursling 

Do HEREBY apportion the Rent Charge as follows:--

GROSS RENT CHARGE payable to the Titheowner in lieu of tithes for the Parish  of   Nursling in the County of  Southampton

Five  Hundred and Fifty Pounds

The above Transcription can be seen in plain text on the pdf file linked below, which opens in a new window.

  Transcription Tithe Agreement - Nursling.pdf94.57 KB07/03/2022

Transcription of the Schedule

The schedule is transcribed directly into the Dataset by double entry typing, and is therefore not repeated here.

Transcription of the Summary

The Summary is transcribed directly into the Dataset by double entry typing, and is therefore not repeated here.

Transcription of the Ratification

We the undersigned Tithe Commissioners for England and Wales do hereby confirm the within written Apportionment.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our respective names and caused out official seal to be affixed this thirteenth day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty six.

The Tithe Commissioners whose signatures appear on the ratification are;-

William Blamire (chairman)
Thomas Wentworth Buller

At a later time than the original Tithe Commutation, the Apportionment was altered and attached.

Transcription of the Later Alteration

ALTERED APPORTIONMENT OF TITHE RENT CHARGE UNDER THE TITHE ACTS, 1836 TO 1891

WHEREAS certain Rentcharges in lieu of Tithes have been apportioned under the Tithe Acts upon certain lands in the Parish of Nursling in the County of Southampton as set forth in the First Schedule hereof

AND WHEREAS application has been duly made to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to alter the apportionment of the said Rentcharges.

NOW the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, in pursuance of the powers vested in them by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries Acts, 1889 to 1909, and the said Tithe Acts, 1836 to 1891, DO HEREBY ALTER the apportionment of the said Rentcharges in the manner and proportions mentioned in the Second Schedule hereof.

IN WITNESS AND CONFIRMATION whereof the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have hereunto set their Official Seal this nineteenth day of July nineteen hundred and fifteen.

Transcription of the Amended First Schedule

The amended first schedule is transcribed directly into the Dataset by double entry typing, and is therefore not repeated here.

Transcription of the Amended Second Schedule

The amended second schedule is transcribed directly into the Dataset by double entry typing, and is therefore not repeated here.

The Dataset

The dataset comprises all of the transcribed information from the Tithe Apportionment and Maps together with additional information, including, inter alia, geolocation and census data. All held in an Excel Spreadsheet. The data is both analysed within the spreadsheet and formed into reports for export as csv files to populate the StoryMap data.

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