1 1 8 ENGLISH FIELD SYSTEMS 



We have still earlier enclosure agreements from Oxfordshire. 

 In 1667 eight proprietors and three commissioners were parties 

 to a deed by which they divided " all the lands lying in the late 

 open and common fields of Finmere." ^ To the eight were 

 allotted 1273 acres. In 1662 Thomas Horde, Esq. entered into 

 an agreement with the freeholders and copyholders of Aston and 

 Cote, whereby it was declared " lawful at all times hereafter, as 

 well for the Lord of the Manor ... as for all or any the tenants 

 and owners of lands in Aston and Cote aforesaid, to inclose all 

 or any their respective arable lands there." The interest of the 

 lord of the manor seems to have been the motive force here, since 

 there is special proviso for his immediate action.^ That the 

 tenants did not fully avail themselves of their privilege is indi- 

 cated by the fact that most of the common arable field remained 

 open until enclosed by act of parliament in 1855. 



Earliest of the extant Oxfordshire enclosure agreements is one 

 relative to Bletchingdon. In 1622 the lord of the manor, the 

 rector, and the tenants drew up a tripartite indenture declaring 

 that " a general division is now intended to be had and made of 

 all and singular ye messuages lands and Tenements. . . . And 

 also of all . . . the Arable Lands, Meadows, Pastures, Heath, 

 Furzes, Commons, Wastes and Wast grounds hereafter men- 

 tioned . . . and also of and in all and every the Glebe Lands 

 lying dispersed in the fields of Bletchingdon." Thereupon are 

 enumerated and apportioned some 500 acres of open field and 

 600 acres of " Heath." Rights of common are renounced, and 

 the enclosure history of the township is brought to an end.^ 



^ The deed is with the clerk of the peace, Oxford. It is printed by J. C. Blom- 

 field, History 0} Finmere, Buckingham, 1887. 



2 The deed of agreement continues: " Mr. Horde may, as soon as he pleaseth, 

 inclose 54 field acres of arable land lying together in the Holiwell field next to 

 the capital messuage in Cote aforesaid, which said 54 acres is as much arable as 

 usually belongs to two yard-lands in Aston and Cote . . . [and he] may inclose 

 as much of Common called Cote Moor ... as the proportion of two yards of 

 common shall amount unto. ..." In other cases he and the tenants are to give 

 in exchange " other lands of as good value as those for which he shall so inclose." 

 J. A. Giles, History of the Parish and Town of Bampton (2d edition, Bampton, 1848), 

 Supplement, pp. 8-9. 



' The indenture is at the Shire Hall, Oxford. 



