Bury Farm Tilsworth

Bury Farm in 1804 (note that the top of the map is north-east, not north)

Virtually all of Tilsworth was owned by Tilsworth Manor until the 19th century. In the Tilsworth Estate sale particulars of 1804 [AD534/4], Bury Farm was tenanted by Richard Partridge and comprised the farmhouse and a total of 173 acres 2 roods 12 perches of land. The farmhouse is described thus: "FARM HOUSE, Brick, Brick panel and Thatched, containing Parlour, Kitchen, back Kitchen, Dairy, cellar, pantry, and Five Bed Chambers, Three Barns containing twelve Bays, insulated Wheat Barn, Stable, Cattle Lodge, Woodhouse, and Hogsties, Timber, Weather Boarded and Thatched; and Croft".

The land forming the farm was as follows:

• Dryness; 34 acres 2 roods 23 perches;
• Collands Ash; 43 acres 18 perches;
• Flaxen Baulk; arable 11 acres 1 rood 19 perches; meadow 15 acres 1 rood 30 perches;
• Top of Little Brook; 27 acres 2 roods 7  perches;
• Croft Lands; arable 13 acres 3 roods 26 perches; meadow 12 acres 2 roods 4 perches;
• Upper House Close with house and barn; 5 acres 3 roods 4 perches;
• Norman's Pingle; 3 roods 23 perches;
• Little Orchard; 1 acre 32 perches;
• spinney; 3 roods 27 perches;
• spinney; 2 aces 1 rood 11 perches;
• spinney; 1 rood 30 perches.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 ordered every piece of land and building in the country to be assessed to determine the rates to be paid on it. The valuer visiting Bury Farm [DV1/H28/52] recorded that it was owned by Miss Lovell and occupied by James Price, who also owned and occupied Manor Farm. The rent was only £1 an acre per annum, which had been fixed as long ago as 1885 and the farm comprised 175 acres, suggesting that it might have consisted of the same fields as in 1804. The valuer commented: "Wet land. Buildings poor. Son lives in house".

Bury Farm December 2008

Sadly the farmhouse was not described, the valuer merely saying "House Let Off". The farm buildings comprised: a wood and corrugated iron hen house; a two bay open cart shed; a wood, brick and corrugated iron three bay open hovel; a wood, brick and corrugated iron two bay hovel; a wood and corrugated iron two bay open implement shed and two brick and slate piggeries. The North Yard comprised: a brick, wood and corrugated iron loose box; an old cow house; a stable for six; a chaff place and a brick, wood and slate four bay open hovel. The valuer commented: "All buildings in this yard nearly derelict".