The remarkable survival of a documentary source from 1492 describing the grant of Sewell's makes this tenement of particular interest (56). The records of the descent of freehold tenements are sparse but those that survive suggest that these tenements, apart from the new grant of 1836, were merged from the 16th century.

The 18th century modernizing façade of the house successfully disguises the surviving core of the late 15th century timber-framed building with decorative mouldings on the beams and carving on the door frames that suggest a building of high status. Handlye Common was enclosed by 1574 and the common land adjacent to Sewell's appears to mark the northern boundary of the original common.

The curious assessment of the Rodmell tenement as 100 acres in 1787 (see P113/50b) is probably derived from knowledge of the acreage of the whole landholding and does not describe only the Rodmell land.

Tithe Data

Pike Mead

1841 Census

Tenement Analysis

Buildings

Archaeology

Old Maps

Further Information