264 



Notes on the History of Merc 



The Chantry Lands. 



In the " Vabr Ecclesiasticus" Anno Domini 1534, it is stated 

 there are three chantries in Mere Church, and that that they were 

 all of the foundation of John Berkeley, Knight. Henry Duvall, 

 custos of the three chantries, affirms his portion thereof to be worth 

 annually £6 13s. 2d., subject to a deduction of 14s. Id. ; John 

 Smith, another cantarist, £6 6s. ; and Richard Swayne, a third 

 cantarist, £7 12s. 2d., with a deduction of 25s. ; making together 

 an annual income of £18 12s. 3d. Out of this sum 10s. was 

 distributed yearly to the poor, that they might pray for the soul of 

 the founder ; a rent of 10s. paid to Eoger Stourton ; and a third 

 sum of 5s. to the Dean of Sarum ; again reducing the clear annual 

 value to £17 7s. 3d. 



In the first year of Edward YI. (1547), when chantries were 

 suppressed, it was found that the annual income of the " Barkelye 

 Chauntrie " amounted to £23 10s. 10d., with the following 

 deductions : — 



£ s. d. 



A rent to the King's manor of Mere 115 

 A like rent to the Dean and Chapter of Sarum 0 6 4 

 Two like rents on land called " Saddleborne," 



to Mr. Morton and Peter Grreene 0 13 4 



£2 1 1 



leaving £21 9s. 9d. as the clear annual value. 



" The lands belonging unto Barkelyes Chauntvie consist of two parts, and are 

 scitnate in two several places, viz. : Clopton and in Meere. The lands in Clopton 

 are one particular, and the rent of assias goeing out of the same is £5 6s. 8d. 

 The lands in Meere are thirty-two parcels or particulars and the rent of assias 

 is £18 4s. 2d. ; one of which parcels are six acres of arable lande lyinge in the 

 fieldes of Meere, late John Alford's ; the rent per annum is 4?. 6d. The total 

 rent of assias is £23 10s. lOd. 



" It appears on the Rolle of Particulars, where the premises were passed away 

 from the Crown to Sir John Thynn, Knight and Lawrence Hyde Esq. for Thomas 

 Chafyn Esq. that the said repris's paid to the Manner of Meere were extinguished, 

 both mannors being in the Crowne ; soe that all the repris's are but 6s. 8d. to 

 the deane of Sarum and 13.?. &d. to Morton and Greene out of Saddlebourne ; so 

 the remainder is £22 Us. 2d." 



