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. and a 

 cottage, the messuage having been burnt down many years ago. 

 In 1819 timber was cut clown 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 



