250 ENGLISH FIELD SYSTEMS 



a suggestion of open common field, except perhaps in the mention 

 of a few unusual " parcells " of arable at BoUington.' Apart 

 from these, the entire manor lay in small closes, containing 

 for the most part from one to two acres and consisting largely of 

 arable. 



None the less, there is seventeenth-century evidence that open 

 common fields existed in Cheshire. In 1649 the messuages and 

 lands of the dean and chapter at Chester were surveyed. After 

 an enumeration of several closes " situate without Northgate," 

 the account describes a series of " parcells," mainly arable and 

 usually of from one to two acres in extent. Though most of 

 these are not said to be in open field, a few at the beginning of 

 the Hst are so described: " In Chester Town Feild, One parcell 

 of Ground, called Long hedge Acre ... is in Estimacion 2 

 acres. . . . One parcell of ground more in Chester Town Field, 

 near Dee Bank, called Grange Acre . . . [is] in Estimacion 

 I acre, 2 roods. . . . One parcell of Arrable ground in the 

 Lower Town Feild . . . commonly caled Burtons Acre . . . 

 containeth by Estimacion 2 acres." ^ At least we are assured 

 of the continued existence at Chester, in the middle of the seven- 

 teenth century, of a " town field " the constituents of which were 

 small parcels of arable. 



Not much more informing is an account of the " rectory lands " 

 at Bowdon, dated 1654. This glebe was then leased to eight 

 under-tenants, each with a messuage, though two were cot- 



One dwelling howse and the outhowses thereunto belonginge 



One close Arrlable] called the Layefield by estimation 3 acres 



One close called the Meadow place by estimation 2 " 



One other Arr(ablel called the Hugh close by estimation i acre 



One other called the good crof te by estimation i " 



One other called the Goosie Meadowe by estimation i " 



One other Arr[able] called the Symentley Knowle by estimation 3 acres 



One other Arr[ablel called Symentley by estimation i acre 



One other called the litle Meadow by estimation J " 



One other Arr(able) called the Calfe crofts by estimation 3 acres 



One other Arr[able] called the Bancks by estimation 3 " " 



' One holding, for instance (Land Rev., M. B. 200, f. 321), includes: — 



" One parcell of Arrable in the towne field i J roods 



one other parcell of Arrable in the Neather or towne field . 4g yards by 5 yards 

 one other parcell of Arrable called the Butt in Page Croft . 20 " " 4 " " 



- Henry Fishwick, Lancashire and Cheshire Church Surveys (Lane, and Chesh. 

 Rec. See, 1879), PP- 226-227. 



