134 BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM. 
‘*Suthfeld” in Leueseham, adjoining the land of the Prior of 
Leueseham, and in an extent of the Manor of Lewisham in 1370, it 
is recorded that ‘‘in the same manor there are in Suthfeld 4o acres 
of arable land of the value of 3d. per acre.” The land was ‘‘half- 
year” land, z.e.,it was open for the benefit of the freeholders of the 
manor yearly, from Lammas to ploughing time. These rights were 
ended by the Lewisham Enclosure Act of 1810. Under the name of 
Lewisham Park it was laid out for building about 1840, the houses 
being well set back from the high road, and the whole centre of the 
field left an open space, with houses built on the outer circle. If 
other landowners would follow this excellent example, there would 
be less danger of overcrowding and insanitary areas. 
PLATE 60.—ViEW OF MounT PLEASANT HOvSE, 1825. 
In some pleadings of the time of James I, it is recorded that a 
right of way was claimed through Southfield, and this is no doubt 
the footpath mentioned above. 
Continuing along the High Street, and passing No. 361, we 
come to Mount Pleasant. There formerly stood an old red brick 
house on the site of No. 363, which, in its later stage, was used as 
a home for boys of the Parish of St. George, Southwark. Mount 
Pleasant House itself stood on the brow of the hill, with the 
gardens stretching down the slope and farm buildings in the rear, 
near where Fordyce Road now enters George Lane. The orchard 
occupied the ground between Fordyce Road and Littlewood Road. 
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