300 Notes on the History of Great Somerford. 
Mayo’s AND SARGENT’S. 
There are two other small properties concerning which I must 
say a few words—Mayo’s Farm and Serjeant’s. Mayo’s Farm was 
purchased by Michael Weekes, Esq., of St. Mary’s Axe, London, 
from the Brunings in 1693. Two years later he conveyed it by 
deed, bearing date 17th March, 1695, unto trustees for charitable 
purposes. It is described as being “a messuage, situate in Somerford 
Bolles, or Broad Somerford, a close called Seech, containing eight 
acres; a Close called Wheatacre, containing four acres; a close 
called Fernhill, containing two acres; and twenty and a-half acres 
of arable land, lying dispersed in the common fields of Somerford 
Bolles.” The trustees were to give annually £10 from the net 
proceeds of the rent to the inmates of Burgess Almshouse, 
Malmesbury; £10 to the schoolmaster of the Free School, 
Malmesbury, “as additional profits for the better to procure an 
able and diligent schoolmaster”; 10s. to the Vicar of Malmesbury 
for a sermon in Malmesbury Church, to be preached on 19th July, 
being the day when Michael Weekes was born; 20s. for a dinner 
for the trustees on the same day, and the remainder employed for 
the relief of the poor of Malmesbury. Some alterations were made 
in the property by the award in 1809, and in 1839 the Charity 
Commissioners report that it then consisted of 32a. 2r. 7p. anda 
cottage, the messuage having been burnt down many years ago. 
In 1819 timber was cut down on the farm to the value of £260, 
and invested 29th October, 1822, in £300 three per cent. consols. — 
The farm house stood in the field adjoining the present school, and 
an old woman, who died a few years back, told me that she remem- 
bered when it was burnt to the ground, and that there was some _ 
difficulty in preventing the fire from spreading to the house in — 
which she lived. The benefits of this charity are still enjoyed by 
the inhabitants of Malmesbury. 
One of the most picturesque homesteads still remaining in the 
village is that called “ Sarjeant’s,” situate opposite the field in which — 
Mayo’s farm house formerly stood, now occupied by Mr.C. Turtle and 
owned by Mrs. Manley. This originally formed part of the Bruning 
estate, and was purchased by Mr. Richard Sarjeant, yeoman, of Broad 
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