of some lands in Holywell, Flintshire, in the But apart from these indications, we learn from Norden's Survey that in 1620 Burton contained a large area composed of quilleted closes. This area extended eastward to a point near Croes Howel, and included a field called "Maes Croes Howel," "Kay Kymisk," that is, "Cae Cymmysg" (Commixed field), and others that cannot now be traced. "Burton field," or "Maes Burton," was another of these fields; and herein Thomas Powell, of Horsley, Esq., had "two separate parcels of land fit for sowing a bushel and a-half of barley, Winchester measure." "Burton field" and "Maes y dre" (Town field) are still the names of two closes slightly north of Hafod Alyn. There were also common meadow-lands in Burton, in which were separately-owned "doles" or daymaths." These were probably in the north part of the township, where the greater part of the meadow land now is. Here, strangely enough, was, in 1844, "Rough Meadow," divided into ten one-acre strips and three two-acre strips, but the whole of this meadow belonged to the Marquis of Westminster, and the strips were let to separate tenants. In the old common meadows of the early seventeenth century, the strips were owned by separate proprietors. The fact of the strips being of one acre or of two acres shows again that the arrangement in the case of "The Rough Meadow" is modern. The old doles and day-maths appear to have had an area of about three statute roods. Then there were fields of pasture containing so many "beast lays:" that is, fields in which certain persons were entitled to graze so many cattle. But I have allowed myself, by the interest I take in quilleted areas, to be drawn off from recording such notes as I possess relating to holdings in Burton, with which I have not yet adequately dealt. The name "Town Ditch," applied to a farm in the district of Honkley, is a tolerably old one. In Norden's Survey (1620) a cottage belonging to the Broadoak Farm is described as "prope locu' vocat. ffossam oppidalem, Anglice, the towne ditch." I cannot, however, discover with certainty who was the owner of the Town Ditch Farm in 1620, nor indeed until 1761, when it was conveyed by Mr. James Maskell, and others, to Edward Griffith, the younger, and contained about 103 statute acres. "John Griffith, Esq., of Heath Green, Warwickshire (only son and heir of John Dymock Griffith, late of the same place, Esq., who was the third son of Edward Griffith, theretofore of the city of Chester)" was in 1813 the owner of the Town Ditch Farm, as well apparently of other property in Burton. In 1766 a Mr. Thomas Griffith, who was succeeded by Mr. Alderman Griffith, was charged in in the Burton rate-books. I find that in 1734 Edward Griffith was one of the Sheriffs, and in 1748 Mayor of the city of Chester. In 1763 Thomas Griffith was one of the Sheriffs, and in 1775 Mayor; and in 1771 Mr. John Dymock Griffith was also one of the Sheriffs of the city. I have tried in vain to draw out a satisfactory pedigree which should show the connection of all the aforenamed, if indeed they did actually belong to one family; but I note the aftermentioned burials as having taken place at Gresford : 28 Nov. 1762. Mr. Alderman Griffith, of Chester. 3 Nov. 1773. Elizth. dau. of Mr. John Dymock Griffith. 6 Dec. 1810. Edward Griffiths, Esq., of Crain Street, Chester. The abovenamed Mr. John Griffith, who owned the Town Ditch Farm in 1813, and lived then at Heath Green, Warwickshire, lived afterwards at Alverston in the same county, and died May 30th, 1845, devising, among other things, his property in county Denbigh to his nephew, Henry Seale, of Dyffryn, Glamorganshire, ironmaster, and his friend John Boydell, the younger, of Rossett, upon trust that they should sell the same. In 1851 the Town Ditch Farm was broken up into several lots for sale by auction, which lots were purchased by various persons. As to the name "Town Ditch," the farm so called lies just within the boundary, between Burton and the township of Shordley in Hopedale. There must have been once a ditch here delimiting the two townships. of Further east than "Town Ditch," along the boundary between Burton and Kinnerton, is a field called "Llitcort." It lies on the west side of Stringer's Lane, and formerly belonged to the "Town Ditch Farm," although detached from the main portion of it. "Llitcort" probably represents a reminiscence "Llwydcoed" or "Llwytcoet" (Grey Wood or Hoar Trees), the name of a great park, well wooded, in the lordship of Hopedale, and extending into Kinnerton. It therefore was near the Burton border, and in 1620 one of the meadows on the Santhey estate in Honkley is described as " adjacent to llwyd coed." The wood, however, has now disappeared, and the name with it. Llwydcoed was formerly, nevertheless, of considerable extent and importance, as the following notes, taken from the 36th and 37th Annual Reports of the DeputyKeeper of the Public Records, will show : 1398. John Hope, appointed by the king as forester of Rustie and park keeper of Lloitcote in Hopedale. 1399. Lease to John Hope for six years of the agistment and pannage of the park of Lloytcoyt and forest of Rusty at 60s. yearly. 1407. Lease to "Dyo ap Mad" (= Deio ap Madoc) of the pasture, pannage, and honey of Lloytcoyt Park (called in the same year "the wood of Lloydcoyd"). 1412. Robert de Huxley appointed as keeper and surveyor of the wood of Lloydcoed. 29 Jany. 1415-6. Grant to Robert Balle of the office of parker of Lloytcoyt and keeper of the forest of Roste in Hopedale. 6TH SER., VOL. IV, 8 Apl. 1422. Recognizance of Mad[oc] ap Iorwerth], 11[ewelyn] ap Deio of Kynerton, Deio ap Jevan, Colier, Howell ap Jak, of Kynerton, Deio ap Jevan ap Meillir, Hona (Houa= Hova) ap David ap Jevan, & Grono ap Deikyn, to John Earl of Huntingdon [lord of Hopedale], & John de Cornwaille, knt. for £9. 6. 8 for the farm of the pasture of the park of Lloitcoyd. The park or wood of Llwydcoed did not, however, touch at every point the border between Burton and Hopedale. This border is described in 1620 as proceeding from Cae'r Estyn to a place called the Talwrn [in Shordley], thence to Porth y llwyd Coed, thence to "a place where the hoare wythen did grow neere the common Moore, and from thence. . it extendeth streight through the said Comons to Morwall, the w'h said Morwall doth part Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Cheshire"1. . . . thence to the south end of Pulford bridge, etc. "Morwall" is no other than the Moor Well, a spring or well in Dodleston or in Burton, on the common moor, as the notes from the Dodleston parish registers (given as an Appendix at the end of this chapter) show. And it is a very old name. In 1448, "Tomonforwell Bridge" is mentioned as being between Kinnerton and Pulford bridges, on the boundary of Burton. "Tomenfor well," or Moor-well mound, was one of "the known metes and bounds" along the northern boundary of Burton; unless, as is probable, we assume that "Tomonforwell" is a copyist's mistake for "Ffynnon Forwell"-The Moor well spring. If this were so, it would show that the Welsh inhabitants of a district which had before been partly Anglicized did not know what "Moor well" meant, and more 1 Appended to Norden's Survey of Burton manor is a rough plan of this "common moore," otherwise "Dodleston moore." Norden shows the boundary as extending west from the place where lately stood the hoare "withy" to the "Moore Well" east, which he places in Burton, whereas the Dodleston men claimed it to be in their parish (See Appendix). The boundary ditch between Dodleston and Burton was already in 1620, according to Norden, filled up. I owe my knowledge of Norden's plan to Mr. Edward Owen, India Office, prefixed to it the word "Ffynnon" (well or spring). In any case, in this hybrid word we seem to have the evidence of an English and Welsh wave of population, alternately advancing and receding. 'Holywell meadow" is still the name of a field on the northern border of Burton. 66 " But it is time to return to the Town Ditch farm from this long disquisition. On that farm was a field called the "Golley Croft." This has been, since 1852, the site of several cottages and a chapel—of a small hamlet, in short. What does the name "Golley" here mean? In 1620, Edward ap Roger had in Burton, among other fields, a close called "Y gole mawr." It should be said that the l in "Golley" is not the Welsh 7, so that the word should probably be written "Golé," for "Goleu," that is, in English, Light. One would expect the original form of the name to have been "Bryn y goleu," or the like. But more light is wanted before one can venture to make a suggestion. Llyndir is mentioned in 1620 as a "boardland holding of 27 customary acres, the tenant being then Robert Griffith, but I cannot trace the name of it in the rate-books until 1715. From 1735 to 1747, Benjamin Bruen, Esq., of Trefalyn House, was charged for it, and Mr. Bridge from 1748 to 1750. Also, in 1790, Little Llyndir is mentioned. I think Mr. Richard Barker, of Chester, bought the place about the beginning of the nineteenth century, and it still belongs to the Barker family, and is their home.1 The present house, called " Llyndir Hall," is good, and the grounds and lawns are charming. In 1844, Mrs. Barker, the widow of Francis Edge Barker, Esq. (son of the above named Richard Barker), is charged for Llyndir House estate, or for that part of it which was "boardland," as 381 1 Richard Barker, Esq., died Oct. 1818, aged 72. Mary, his wife, died March 1839, aged 87. Francis Edge Barker, Esq., died June, 1827, aged 48, and Harriette, his wife, February 1846, aged 65. Major F. H. Barker, of Llyndir, and 2, Hough Green, Chester, died March 11th, 1903, aged 68. |