Stone Farm
Stone Farm
A large farm in both Yeovil and Preston Plucknett parishes
Most of Stone Farm, certainly that part lying either side of Stone Lane and north of Mudford Road (see map below), actually lay in a detached part of the parish of Preston Plucknett - which is why it appears in the Preston census returns and so on, rather than those of Yeovil.
in 1800 James Harris of Stone Farm offered a reward for the return of his dark bay mare colt 'stolen or strayed'.
From a lease for four years, dated 24 June 1801, it would appear that Stone Farm was co-owned by Maria Goodford, Widow of Yeovil and Emanuel Pester, Gent., of Preston Plucknett. From the next lease, for 25 years, dated 25 March 1806, ownership of Stone Farm had passed to John Old Goodford, Esq., 'of Yeovil' (although he actually lived in Chilton Cantello) and Emanuel Pester. At this period it appears from the list of parcels making up the farm (see below) that it was much larger than the Stone Farm of 1846 including, for example, much of the land from Fiveways Roundabout to Combe Street Lane and between Ilchester Road and Mudford Road as well as Higher and Lower Lyde off to the east.
In 1810 the farm was still part-owned by Emanuel Pester of Preston and the advertisement below, when he sold his stock, shows that the farm was a mix of dairy and sheep (although a glance at the field names of the farm show that a large acreage was orchards). On 9 March 1818 a notice of auction was placed in the Salisbury & Winchester Journal for the 'live and dead stock' of Mr Spear "who is about to quit the Farm." From notices of auction of the sale of standing timber on the farm in 1838 it would appear that the owner of the Stone Farm at this time was Mr Newman - almost certainly the Yeovil solicitor Edwin Newman who is known to have had extensive land holdings in Yeovil at the time.
Phillis Cary was born at East Pennard, Somerset, in 1799 the fourth of the ten children of William Cary, Gentleman (1757-1840) and Phillis née Vincent (1769-1831). On 16 December 1821, at East Pennard, Phillis married Stephen Coles (1790-1827). Stephen had already been married to Sarah née Welsh (1794-1819) and they had four children all aged under four when Sarah died, most likely in childbirth with twins Stephen and William in 1819.
Stephen and Phillis moved to Stone Farm where their first child Phillis Cary (1824-1915) was born (when she married William Russell in 1865, she and her husband farmed at nearby Chilton Cantelo. They most likely moved to Stone farm not long after her brother Edmund, who ran the farm after the death of his mother, died in October 1885). Three sons were to follow, all born at the farm; William Cary (1825-1882), Edmund (1827-1885) and Stephen Henry (1828-1895). Sadly Stephen Jnr, known later as Henry, was born posthumously since his father Stephen died in the summer of 1827 at Stone Farm and was buried in Evercreech, his birthplace, on 29 July 1827.
Phillis took on the running of Stone Farm, which was by now owned by Henry Goodford Esq. of Chilton Cantello and somewhat reduced in size from the farm of 1810. As well as her own children she also raised Stephen's children by his first marriage. In 1836 Stephen's daughter Jane married John Gear of Combe Down, near Bath. In the 1841 census Phillis was listed at Stone Farm with John, her husband's son from his first marriage, as well as her own three children; Phillis, William and Henry (Edmund was elsewhere). Phillis gave her occupation as 'Farmeress' and was possibly a bit evasive about her age - she was listed as being 35 but, even allowing for the rounding up in blocks of five years in this census, it wasn't even close to her real age of 41 or 42.
During the 1840s Tithe Maps were drawn up showing all lands in the parishes, field by field. The Tithe Apportionments were documents drawn up to show who owned which parcel of land and who occupied it. Phillis appeared as the occupier of extensive lands in the parishes of both Preston Plucknett and Yeovil as tabulated below and shown on the map below. The Yeovil Tithe Map was drawn in 1842 and the Yeovil Tithe Apportionment was completed in 1846 while the Preston Plucknett Tithe Map was drawn in 1849 and the associated Tithe Apportionment was completed in 1848. At this time all the parcels occupied by Phillis Coles as tenant were owned by Henry Goodford of Chilton Cantello.
In 1847, at the Yeovil Agricultural Society's annual show, Phillis won a prize for two pigs and William won £1 first prize for exhibiting the 'Best Breeding Sow'. In the Society's 1850 show, held in the Sheep Fair, Edmund won first prize for "the best pair of stock heifers in calf, bred by the claimant, not exceeding three years old" and was presented with a piece of silver plate valued at three guineas and presented by Henry Goodford. Clearly both William and Edmund were running Stone Farm with their mother. At the 1860 show Phillis won a prize for a cheese weighing 105lb (47.6kg). In 1864 Edmund won second prize for the best boar.
In the next census of 1851 Phillis was listed with her four children, her brother William Cary, her daughter-in-law Jane Geare (married to farmer John Geare) and baby grandson John Geare, 6-year old Ann Geare (listed as a visitor) and two servants. Phillis listed her occupation as 'Farmer (280 acres employing 8 labourers)'.
The 1861 census found Phillis listed as a 61-year old widow with the occupation given as 'Farmer'. 38-year old daughter Phillis was still unmarried and sons William (married but no sign of his wife - in 1857 William had married his first cousin Ann Lovell, the daughter of his mother Phillis’ sister Jane. William and Ann had a daughter, Jane, born in Preston Plucknett and baptised there in 1859. But by the 1861 census, Ann and her daughter were back at her parents in London where they appear to have remained for the rest of their lives) and Edmund (unmarried) both gave their occupations as 'Assisting Parent'. Phillis' brother William was listed as a Visitor and gave his occupation as Gentleman.
In the 1871 census Phillis gave her occupation as 'Farmer - 145 acres Preston, 189 acres Yeovil (total) 334 acres. Principally dairy'. Living with her was William (now aged 46 and still married although no signs of a wife), Edmund (now aged 44 and still unmarried) and Phillis' 13-year old granddaughter, also called Phillis.
On 14 April 1877 Phillis Coles died at Stone Farm, aged 78. Her will was proved in the October and her effects estimated as 'Under £3,000' (around £300,000 at today's value). Following her death Stone Farm was run by William and Edmund and in the 1881 census 52-year old Edmund was listed as the head of the household and gave his occupation as Farmer while 57-year old William was listed as a 'Retired Farmer'. Living with them was their niece Phillis, who worked as their housekeeper, together with a general domestic servant.
In a lease for one year dated 1878 The Rev. Charles Old Goodford of Chilton Cantelo, Provost of Eton College, leased to Edmund Coles of Preston Plucknett, farmer, "Farm and lands situated in Yeovil and Preston Plucknett known as Stone Farm, currently occupied by Edmund Coles" at an annual rent of £860 (around £86,000 at today's value).
William Coles died at Chilton Cantello in 1882 aged 57 and Edmund died at Stone Farm in 1885. He was aged 58.
Parcels of Stone Farm in 1801 and 1806
Below is the list of parcels comprising Stone Farm at the time of the 1801 and 1806 leases of Stone Farm. The 1806 lease, for a period of 21 years, had an annual rent of £600 per year (around £50,000 at today's value).
The total acreage of the farm was reckoned at 417a 1r 8p. In the list below, those parcels marked with an asterisk * reappear in the 1846 list of parcels.
|
Stone
farmhouse,
barn,
barton
and
garden
0.2.17 * |
Hundred
Stone
Ground
9.0.8 * |
map of Stone Farm in 1846
This map, based on the Yeovil Tithe Map of 1842 and the Preston Plucknett Tithe Map of 1849, shows in yellow the parcels of land farmed by Phillis Coles that were technically in the Parish of Preston Plucknett and in pink are the parcels she farmed that were technically in the Parish of Yeovil.
Parcels of Stone Farm in 1846
The first list below are the parcels farmed by Phillis Coles in the detached part of the parish of Preston Plucknett and are derived from the Preston Plucknett Tithe Apportionment of 1848. The second list are those parcels she farmed in the parish of Yeovil and are derived from the Yeovil Tithe Apportionment of 1846.
| Owner | Occupier | Parcel | Parcel Name |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 153 | Higher Broadmead |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 154 | Lower Broadmead |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 155 | Lower Five Acres |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 156 | Lower Ground |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 157 | Furze Leaze |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 158 | Home Mead & Plot |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 159 | Dairy House Plot |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 160 | Pit Orchard |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 161 | Orchard Close |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 162 | Long Orchard |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 163 | Great Orchard |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 164 | Square Orchard |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 165 | Eight Acres |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 166 | Middle Ground |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 167 | Higher Ground |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 168 | Hanging Orchard |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 169 | Hartwells Orchard |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 170 | Cottage & Garden |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 171 | Hetts Orchard |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 172 | Plantation |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 174 | Plantation |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 175 | Home Close |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 176 | Farm House, Offices & Garden |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 177 | Garden Field |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 178 | Hetts Mead |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 179 | Daniells Mead |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 180 | Waste Plot |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 181 | Bishops Ground |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 182 | Hundredstone |
| Owner | Occupier | Parcel | Parcel Name |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 936 | Collins' Ground |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 937 | Loydes |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 940 | East Swincombe |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 944 | Spitt Croft |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 945 | Long Close |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 948 | West Swincombe |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1025 | Hangerlawn |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1026 | Holloways |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1027 | Gold Spitt |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1039 | Cottage & Garden |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1041 | Beacon |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1042 | Collins' |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1043 | In Old Nursery |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1044 | Barn Close |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1045 | Furzehedge |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1046 | Cottage & Garden |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1047 | Green Cross |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1048 | Plot |
| Goodford, Henry | Coles, Phillis | 1049 | Bullslough |
Gallery
Reward offered by James Harris of Stone Farm for the return of his dark bay mare colt as placed in the 3 March 1800 edition of the Sherborne Mercury.
A notice placed in the Salisbury & Winchester Journal's edition of 5 October 1812 shows that the farm was a mix of dairy and sheep.
A notice placed in the Salisbury & Winchester Journal's edition of 9 March 1918 shows that in addition to the mix of dairy and sheep (guaranteed sound and free from goggles), there were several horses, pigs and a goat.... and 40 hundredweight (over 2,030 kg) of household cheese!
Courtesy of
Chris Shoemark
Stone Farm seen from the rear of Chris' bungalow on Mudford Road.
Stone Farm seen from Stone Lane (and 'borrowed' from Google Earth).
.... and finally
From the 14 August 1874 edition of the Western Gazette.
