Hide Plot

Hide Plot

A former part of the great West Field of Kingston Manor

 

The Terrier of 1589, referring to the great West Field recorded "In Elizabeth Diers close next the way 5yds upon the Hide" - 'next the way' meaning alongside Ilchester Road. Originally a hide had been an area of land, albeit a variable unit but usually taken to mean about 120 acres. Originally the hide represented the amount of land which could be ploughed in a day by one plough team of eight oxen. A hide was considered adequate for the support of one free family and the term had originally meant a household. Apparently Hide Farm existed until 1950 but I have been able to find little trace of it in the records.

Hide Plot was a small triangular field just south of the eastern end of the field access track called Lower Larkhill Lane that would become today's Stiby Road. Hide Plot lay alongside Ilchester Road opposite the junction with Marsh Lane.

The 1846 Tithe Apportionment noted Hide Plot as 0a 2r 18p and used as arable for growing crops. The Apportionment noted that the owner was Yeovil Almshouse and the tenant was Edward Watts.

Hide Plot was bounded on the east by Hide Field (Parcel 1426), to the south by Great Hide (Parcel 1430) and to the east by Ilchester Road.

Today the former Hide Plot is occupied by the houses and gardens of the eastern end of the northeastern spur of Southway Drive.

For details on historic land measurement (ie acres, roods and perches) click here.

 

maps & Aerial Photographs


This map, based on the descriptions in the 1589 Terrier and the 1846 Tithe Map of Yeovil shows the approximate boundaries of the Manors of Kingston and Hendford as well as the manorial three-field system used in Kingston.

 

The Larkhill area reproduced from the 1842 Tithe Map. Hide Plot is at top right.

 

The 1946 aerial photograph - at this time Hide Plot remained as a small field.

 

The same area today 'borrowed' from Google maps.

 

The 1842 Tithe Map superimposed (only very slightly out at the bottom) over a modern map.