Where Is This? Another Old Document Puzzle.

[duckweed]

1448

April 15th

Norton view of Frankpledge with all legal formalities......... special inquest at Leghes held by John Archbishop of York and Cardinal of England in regard to certain encroachment namely of a certain Lane and Jurors say on their oath at a certain dispute and disagreement had lately arisen between the tenants of the lord namely between a certain William Blyth holding of a certain John Butcher, and a certain Robert York holding of the Abbot of Beauchief, near Leghes within the same lordship, to a certain lane there, used from ancient times, in width ten feet and for a long time with a certain hedge obstructing ....exists and abbuts on the Common Lane leading to the Mill and other places there on the East, which ancient lane ascends between the garden of the said John Butcher on the west and the loft of John himself on the East, and so right into a certain lane leading towards towards the fields on the south of the Church of Norton and all enclosures and land there lying and the jurors aforesaid found the Lane aforesaid had been so negligently and improvidently (against the legal form to be, in that manner) obstructed ....aforesaid hedge should be dug up from a certain door called Lydgate.

I know the court in Leghes was Norton Lees but wonder where the Mill was. Was it in what is now Graves Park, On the Meersbrook or the Sheaf? Any Ideas

[Guest Djelibeybi]

1448

April 15th

Norton view of Frankpledge with all legal formalities......... special inquest at Leghes held by John Archbishop of York and Cardinal of England in regard to certain encroachment namely of a certain Lane and Jurors say on their oath at a certain dispute and disagreement had lately arisen between the tenants of the lord namely between a certain William Blyth holding of a certain John Butcher, and a certain Robert York holding of the Abbot of Beauchief, near Leghes within the same lordship, to a certain lane there, used from ancient times, in width ten feet and for a long time with a certain hedge obstructing ....exists and abbuts on the Common Lane leading to the Mill and other places there on the East, which ancient lane ascends between the garden of the said John Butcher on the west and the loft of John himself on the East, and so right into a certain lane leading towards towards the fields on the south of the Church of Norton and all enclosures and land there lying and the jurors aforesaid found the Lane aforesaid had been so negligently and improvidently (against the legal form to be, in that manner) obstructed ....aforesaid hedge should be dug up from a certain door called Lydgate.

I know the court in Leghes was Norton Lees but wonder where the Mill was. Was it in what is now Graves Park, On the Meersbrook or the Sheaf? Any Ideas

"and so right into a certain lane leading towards towards the fields on the south of the Church of Norton and all enclosures and land there lying", sounds like Norton Lane to me! Obviously there's been alot of alterations to the landscape since 1448, and Oaks Park is just to the east of Norton Church. According to the Church of England website, Norton Church dates from around the 12th Century, so it would've been in situ before the date of the document you've presented. I wonder if the lane in question could be Blackstock Road or Warminster Road, with mention of the lane ascending from mills and there being the watercourse running down Gleadless Valley to Heeley.

[duckweed]

In later years the Blythes have connection with New Mill which would appear to be in Smithy Wood on the Sheaf (Not Norton Hammer) and Blythe Mill which was on the Meersbrook about where Rushdale Terrace is. There were of course other wheels on the Sheaf which the Abbey had connections with and leased out. But it is also thought there were wheels in Graves Park.

[southside]

1448

April 15th

Norton view of Frankpledge with all legal formalities......... special inquest at Leghes held by John Archbishop of York and Cardinal of England in regard to certain encroachment namely of a certain Lane and Jurors say on their oath at a certain dispute and disagreement had lately arisen between the tenants of the lord namely between a certain William Blyth holding of a certain John Butcher, and a certain Robert York holding of the Abbot of Beauchief, near Leghes within the same lordship, to a certain lane there, used from ancient times, in width ten feet and for a long time with a certain hedge obstructing ....exists and abbuts on the Common Lane leading to the Mill and other places there on the East, which ancient lane ascends between the garden of the said John Butcher on the west and the loft of John himself on the East, and so right into a certain lane leading towards towards the fields on the south of the Church of Norton and all enclosures and land there lying and the jurors aforesaid found the Lane aforesaid had been so negligently and improvidently (against the legal form to be, in that manner) obstructed ....aforesaid hedge should be dug up from a certain door called Lydgate.

I know the court in Leghes was Norton Lees but wonder where the Mill was. Was it in what is now Graves Park, On the Meersbrook or the Sheaf? Any Ideas

Is the ancient lane which ascends between the gardens- - - - - - - Bunting Nook? . with the mill somewhere over to the east!

[duckweed]

That is a strong possibility. Which map is this please? Is really good map