Yeovil's Virtual Museum

Mount Pleasant (2)

Now occupied by West Coker Road houses and gardens

 

Mount Pleasant was originally a much larger field spanning both sides of West Coker Road but that part south of West Coker Road was shown on the 1842 Tithe Map to be divided into three parcels under separate ownership (here called Mount Pleasant 1, 2 and 3). The 1846 Tithe Apportionment, however, described the westernmost Mount Pleasant (3) (Parcel 721) as arable and the total acreage 4a 0r 15p. It noted that William Neal was the owner and it was occupied by Benjamin Donn. Mount Pleasant (2) (Parcel 722) was not included in the Tithe Apportionment at all despite being shown on the Tithe Map. The total acreage of Mount Pleasant 1, 2 and 3 was reckoned at 16 acres therefore Mount Pleasant (2) would have been around 6 acres. Its ownership is not included in the Tithe Apportionment but is likely to have been in the ownership of William Neal and in the occupation of Benjamin Donn.

The Turnpike Minutes of 12 June 1753 record ".... meeting adjourned to Mount Pleasant in the parish of Yeovil" and that the "Turnpike Road belonging to Yeovil.... from Crossways at Bowling Green to to Mount Pleasant 4f 10p"

Mount Pleasant (2) was bounded on the north by West Coker Road, on the east by the future Wraxhill Road, to the south by a farm track which formed the parish boundary with East Coker and to the south and west by Mount Pleasant (3).

As seen in the aerial photograph of 1946 below, by this time the former Mount Pleasant (2) had been occupied by houses and gardens of West Coker Road - as it remains today.

 

Map based on the 1842 Tithe Map with field names added from the 1846 Tithe Award. The three parts of Mount Pleasant are at left.

 

The 1842 Tithe Map superimposed over a modern map of the area. Although the field boundaries do not align precisely, remember that the 1849 survey was undertaken by hand using primitive surveying equipment.

 

The 1946 aerial photograph with West Coker Road running across the centre of the photograph and Wraxhill Road just seen at centre right. The photograph shows both Mount Pleasant 2 and 3 which I've outlined in red to give their location - 3 is at left and 2 at right.

 

The modern satellite image shows both Mount Pleasant 2 and 3 which I've again outlined in red to give their location - 3 is at left and 2 at right. At bottom right, Beaconfield Road has been completed.