You are in [Places] [High Street Properties] [53-54 High Street]
[-->51-52 High Street] [-->55-57 High Street]
Caveat:
The history of ownership and occupation of the properties at the southern end of the west side of High Street (modern numbers 45-65) is very speculative.
Records are sketchy, and confusing. This page is the current "best attempt" to clarify the history of these properties, but much further work still needs to be done. It is possible that the historic boundaries do not match the modern ones.
Summary:
Earliest information: 1663
Original estate: Hungerford
Common Rights? Yes (53 and 54 High Street, 29 ft frontage total; each property: 1 horse or 2 cows)
Date of current building: 17th century and later
Listed: Grade II (53 and 54)
Description of property:
From Listed Building records: Houses. 17th, late 18th and early 19th century. Tiled, central ridge chimney, one gabled dormer to left. Walls rendered and lined out. Two storeys and attic. Three light casement to left, central small two-light casement, two-light casement to right. Ground floor: two-light casement to left, two 20th century doors and 19th century glazing bar sash to right. Interior has some evidence of timber framing and chamfered and stopped beams.
Photo Gallery:
53-54 High Street, Feb 2007
- 53-54 High Street, Feb 2007
Timeline:
This property is the most southerly of those attracting Common Rights, and appears to be the most southerly occupied on the west side of the High Street in the 16th century. Research has been carried out by Derek Patience (a descendant of the Passion family), who finds:
1573 Survey: Nicholas Passion holds Two Tenement gardens one orchard & backsides to them belonging now in the tenure of George Beckwith & Raphe Samway as Tenants & be his freehold paying yearly quitrent to the Queen - 6d
1591 Survey: Edward Passion holds in fee as before two Tenements gardens and backsides yielding per Annum - 6d
1606 Survey: John West holds one Tenement and backside in the right of his wife, and Richard Yonge one other Tenement and backside of the same tenure being now in controversy of law, from the which two Tenements there is yearly paid quitrent to the King 6d
1610 Law-suit in Court of Chancery: Pashion v. Weste: In summary, the suit relates to two tenements and lands in Hungerford, formerly owned by Richard Batsford. On his death the property passed to his daughter Margaret, the wife of Richard Morris, by whom she had a son named "Boas or Roboas" and two daughters, Jone and Katherine. After Richard's death, Margaret married Raphe Jenaway, who "entered into the said lands in question and enjoyed the same as in the right of the said Margaret".
Raphe Jenawaye and Roboas Morris, in the lifetime of Margret, "sold and conveyed the lands in question to one Nicholas Pashion the complainant's father and for money or consideration", even though neither had good title to the property whilst Margaret was still alive. Nicholas Pashion is reported as telling John Yowle, one of the deponents, deponent that "he had bought Rafe Jenaway's lands whereunto this deponent replied that he could make no good estate, but during his wife's life, to which the said Pashion answered that he knew that well enough, but said that Roboas Morris the son and heir must join in the sale with Jenaway befor he should have his money, to which this deponent answered, and asked whether the said Roboas could make a good assurance being not seised of the said lands and tenements without the good will and consent of his mother, whereunto the said Pashion answered again and said that Roboas's mother was an old woman, and if the assurance was not good now, the said Roboas should make it good after his mother's death, and that the said Pashion further said that, if the worst came to the worst it did not cost him but a little money."
Unfortunately for Nicholas Passion, Roboas Morris died before his mother (according to one deponent in Speen in January 1574), and Raphe Jenaway, described by deponents as "an uncivil and lewd living man" , and went out off with another man's wife ( "one Bell a tailor in Hungerford") & "sold away as much as in him lay all his wife's living.". In her will Margaret bequeathed the property to her eldest daughter Katherine, who was married but without issue, but she predeceased her also, and the lands passed to Jone the youngest daughter, who was married first to John James, who was "hanged at Oxford for felony". They had no issue, and she later married William Gouldinge, by whom she had a daughter, also named Jone, the wife of John Weste, the defendant, who likewise "entered into the said lands in question and enjoyed the same as in the right of his wife".
An earlier suit between the same parties was referred to the arbitration of John Wyrrall, John Lucas, William Pottinger and John Curre, who awarded the lands to the defendant, to whom the plaintiff delivered the lands overseen by the arbitrators.
Deponents on behalf of the defendant were:
Stephen Whittington, of Hungerford, tailor aged 92.
John Yowle, of Hungerford, a clothier aged 72.
Humfrey Batte, of Hungerford, clothworker aged 55.
James Blackman, of Hungerford, yeoman aged 40.
Robert Hatte, of Hungerford, clerk aged 50.
Rafe Mackrell, of Hungerford, husbandman aged 56.
Richard Kellett, of Speenhamland in Speen, weaver aged 74.
John Pennocke, of Charnham Street, Innkeeper.
These premises are the last occupied property at the southern end of the High Street on the west side, which Norman Hidden has suggested equates with the current 53/54 High Street. It is interesting that, in spite of his somewhat doubtful tenure, Nicholas Passion is shown as the owner of the tenements, even though Margaret Jenaway was still alive at that date (she died in March 1578), which suggests that perhaps there was no dispute over ownership at the time of the sale. It remained in Passion hands (Edward is Nicholas's son, elder brother of William the plaintiff).
Although no outcome of this suit is known, the property is still in West hands at the time of the 1664 Hearth Tax (Widow West), which suggests that John West successfully defended the complaint.
1663 (NH) Hearth Tax returns (El 79/243/25) for the southernmost end of the west side of the High Street contains entries (each for one hearth) arranged (proceeding northwards) in this order:
- Widow West (?53/54 HS)
- John Sandes (?51/52 HS)
- Edward Plasted (?50 HS)
As the burgage plots south of 53/54 High Street (i.e. 55-65 High Street) appear not to have been developed into dwellings until the 19th century, the Hearth Tax entries may well relate to 53/54 HS, 51/52 HS and 50 HS, but this is very speculative at this stage.
Robinson, <1753-1753:
<1753 Thomas Robinson'
Poole, 1753-c1780:
1753-61 (QR) Thomas Poole, for his house and land late Thomas Robinson's, q.r. 5s 4d.
1774-90 (QR) The widow Poole (amended to William and Thomas Pike) for house and land late Robinson's, q.r. 5s 4d.
Pike, c1780-c1805:
1795-1805 (QR) William and Thomas Pike for house and land late Mary Pool's, q.r. 5s 4d.
Note: The quit rent of 5s 4d payable <1805 by Thomas Pike, seems to have become split in 1805 into three parts:
- 1. William Coxhead, for half … formerly …, q.r. 2s 2d [site of future Hungerford Waterworks]
- 2. Thomas Lanfear, for the remaining half and also for the house and land late Mary Poole's, q.r. 2s 2d [elsewhere in the town]
- 3. William Wiltshire for house and barn late Mary Poole's, q.r. 1s 0d. (Appears to be for 51/52 HS and 53/54 HS)
[1804 (Deeds of 53 HS) Jethro Ryman Curr sold to Thomas Major for £42 a piece of land at the southern end of the High Street- to the East a barn in the occupation of Benjamin Salisbury, to the North in occupation of George Bulpit]
Wiltshire, c1805-c1836:
1805-17 (QR) William Wiltshire for house and barn late Mary Poole's, q.r. 1s 0d. [Thomas Pike for house and barn 5s 4d deleted. This rent was then split between William Coxhead, 2s 2d, and Thomas Lanfear, 2s 2d and William Wiltshire 1s 0d]
1818-23 (QR) William Wiltshire for house and barn late Mary Poole's, q.r. 1s 0d.
1832 (QR) Devisees of William Wiltshire for house and barn, q.r. 1s 0d.
Andrews, c1836-c1847:
1836 (QR) Thomas Andrews, for house and barn late William Wiltshire's. q.r. 1s 0d.
The property split into two - 53 and 54 High Street, c1836-1847:
Note: The 1s 0d quit rent was further spilt into two equal parts of 6d each [either 53/54 HS and 51/52 HS or 54HS and 53 HS] at some stage between 1836 and 1932 [when Miller and Mills are shown as q.r. 6d each], probably around 1836-1847.
53 High Street:
1847 (CL) 53: Devisees of Thomas Andrews (own); William Low (occ)
1851 (CS) Charles Tanner (20), blacksmith.
1861 (CL) ??
1896 (CL) Thomas Miller (own); Henry Gregory (occ)
1902 (T&M Register) Thomas Miller (owner)
1903 (T&M Register) Henry Gregory (occupier)
1914 (CL) Fanny Miller (own); Henry Gregory (occ)
1920 (T&M Register) Francis Jepp (occupier)
1932 (QR) Mr Miller: "House and Barn formerly Mary Poole's then Wm. Wiltshire's then Trustees of J. Andrews", q.r. 6d.
[18 Aug 1932 (Deeds of 53 HS) Abstract of Will of Fanny Miller (sister of Giles Henry Miller, and friend of George Henry Neale), of 6 Park Street. bequeather House & land in High Street and her freehold cottages at Down View to G H Miller.]
1936 (T&M Register) William Jepp (occupier)
[31 Aug 1939 (Deeds of 53 HS) G H Miller (of 6 Park St) and G H Neale (of 7 North View), executors of Will of Fanny Miller, who died 4 Apri 1939. G H Miller inherited 2 cottages (53 & 54 High Street) formerly occupied by John Bennett and Henry Gregory, now William George Jepp and Ernest Cottrell, and the piece of land near Propsepct Road]
1939 (Blacket's) F. Jepp
20 May 1946 (Deeds of 53 HS) G H Miller sold to G H Neale, for £400.
1947-1968 (CL) Henry Charles Tilley
[27 Aug 1956 (Deeds of 53 HS) G H Neale sold 17 & 18 Prospect Road to Norman Cyril Harris (Driver Mechanic) for £400]
1 Jan 1962 (Deeds) George Henry Neale (formerly of 7 North View, then 6 Park Street, Painter & Decorator) sold 53 & 54 High Street to Henry Charles Tilley (of 53 High Street, Painter & Decorator) for £900. This included a piece of land off Prospect Road.
1970 (CL) Henry Charles Tilley
1968 (T&M Register) Henry Charles Tilley (owner and occupier until 1971)
2 Sep 1971 (Deeds) Henry Charles Tilley sold freehold (of the property and a nearby piece of land off Propsect Road) to Ronald John Rowett for £3,650.
1972 (T&M Register) Ronald John Rowatt (owner until 1973; occupier 1972)
1974 (T&M Register) Frys Fisheries Ltd (owner); Peter Frederick Wood (occupier 1974-75)
1974
1976 (CL) Void
1983 (CL) Void
1984 (CL) Void
1985 (CL) Void
2000 (CL) Timothy Mark Wilder
2005 (CL) Neil Westbrook
2011 (CL) Christopher A R Irby
2016 (CL) Christopher A R Irby
2017 Garry Rees
54 High Street:
1851 (CS) William Low (74), pauper, late fishmonger.
1861 (CL) ??
1896 (CL) Thomas Miller (own); John Bennet (occ)
1902 (T&M Register) Thomas Miller (owner)
1903 (T&M Register) John Bennett (occupier)
1907 (T&M Register) Ann Liddiard (occupier)
1908 (T&M Register) William Rosier (occupier)
1909 (T&M Register) Ernest Martin (occupier)
1911 (T&M Register) Charles Hutt (occupier)
1912 (T&M Register) George Macklin (occupier)
1914 (CL) Fanny Miller (own); George Macklin (occ)
1915 (T&M Register) Nimrod Humpohries (occupier)
1922 (T&M Register) Harriett Morley (occupier)
1931 (T&M Register) Ernest Cottrell (occupier)
1932 (QR) Mr Miller: "House and Barn formerly Mary Poole's then Wm. Wiltshire's then Trustees of J. Andrews", q.r. 6d.
1939 (Blacket's) E. Cottrell
1947-1968 (CL) Ernest Cottrell
1968 (T&M Register) Henry Charles Tilley.
1970 (CL) Jenny Cottrell (deleted) Void
26 Jul 1971 (Deeds) Henry Charles Tilley sold 54 High Street to Bryan Charles Geater.
1972 (T&M Register) Brian Charles Geater (owner until ?1980?)
1976 (CL) Evelyn Edith Kate Geater
1983 (CL) Peggy Flessella Fry
1984 (CL) Peggy Flessella Fry
1985 (CL) Peggy Flessella Fry
2000 (CL) Peggy Flessella Fry
2005 (CL) Void
2011 (CL) Void
2016 (CL) Ann Walker
See also:
- Abstract of deeds and documents relating to 53-54 High Street and 17-18 Prospect Road.
The Canal Wharf, 2011