| Description | Party: the dean and chapter of Canterbury Cathedral
Party: Sir Norton Knatchbull of Mersham parish, knight and baronet
The dean and chapter are lords of the manor of Mersham. They give Sir Norton licence to enclose a piece of common of the manor of Mersham called 'Hatch Heath', containing 8 acres, lying with the common to south and the 'Bowling greene', park and other lands of Sir Norton to west, north and east, on condition that Sir Norton obtains the goodwill of the tenants of the manor who have an interest in the common and causes this to be recorded in the court rolls of the manor. Sir Norton is also to enlarge the common by an equivalent amount of land and have this recorded in the court rolls. He is also to make 2 gates, 1 near the corner of the 'Bowling greene' and the other at the corner of a field belonging to the heirs of Searles Prude, esq, in the occupation of Ephraim Punett near 'the great Pond Bay' in Sir Norton's park. The tenants of the manor and the 'neighbours neere adioyning' are to have free access to to fetch water from the spring near the 'Bowling greene'.
If Sir Norton at any time encloses the piece of land he has given as an addition to the common or the piece of common he has enclosed is taken away from him, the agreement is to be void. Dean and Chapter's part of indenture.
Sir Norton's signature on plica.
Witnesses: Francis Hall; Robert Kingsnoth
Endorsed with description in mid 17th cent hand. |