The hamlet of Essesole in 1501
Easole Street from the junction of Mill Lane back towards the present Beachamps Lane junction.
View the Easole area as it it now on Google Earth.
The location of Easole in Nonington in East Kent
Thomas Webbe
55 Thomas Webbe Holds in his messuage half an acre of land btwn the land of the Lord Abbot and Convent of St. Albans twds the N & S and land of the heirs of John Castell twds the W and the Kings Way twds the E RTY 2d.
(Now Home Farm).
Strip of land between these two plots belonged to the Lord Abbot and Convent of St. Albans. Later absorbed into 56.
56 The same Thomas holds half a rood of land between the land of the Abbot ect. twds the N and a messuage of John Walsche twds the S and the Kings Way towards the E and land of the heirs of John Castelle twds the W RTY 1/2d
(Now The Old Bakery, now two dwellings, and the Convent’s land- appr. ¼ acre in total).
John Walsche
26 JW holds half an acre of land in his messuage btwn the messuage of Stephen Creke twds the S and land of Thomas Webbe twds the N and land of the heirs of John Castell twds the W and the Kings Way twds the E RTY 2d.
(Part of this plot is now Lime Tree House- appr. ¼ acre).
Stephen Kreke/Creke
22 The same Stephen holds one messuage contg 3 roods of land btwn the lands of John Walsche twds the N and the lands of Richard Courthope twds the S and the Kings Way twds the E and land of the heirs of John Castell twds the W RTY 3d
(Includes The Old House & outbuildings, Harvey House, Store Cottage, Trinity Court and the houses on the corner)
Richard Chamberlayne
72 The same Richard holds 2 acres and 3 roods and 17 perches of land with his messuage and 2 crofts abutting between the Common Way (the present Easole Street) and lands of the heirs of Richard Courthope twds the W and lands of Rich Walche twds the E and the Common Way (Mill Lane) twds the N and le Shereway twds the S (Butchers Alley) RTY 11½ d
(The plot covers Hammond Close and the old St Michael’s House land, and the houses on the north side of Butchers Alley, but excludes the old butchers shop, now Southdown House. The messuage house was most probably the old thatched cottage on Butcher’s Alley).
Heirs of Richard Courthope
62 The same heirs hold half and acre and half a rood of land between the lands of Rich Chamberlayne twds the E & N and the Kings Way twds the W and le Shereway twds the S RTY 2 ½ d.
(The site of the butchers, now Southdown House. The site appears to have later been used as a chalk pit, possibly for making lime).
65 The same heirs hold ½ an acre of land next to the messuage of Stephen [Kreke] btwn the land of the heirs of John Castell twds the W and lands of the said Stephen twds the E & N and the Kings Way twds the S RTY 2d.
(Strip of land at the back of 22).
94 Md that Robert Coksall (Kocsal) had 24 acres with 7 roods-that now left out of the rental (sic) the whiche messuage (believed to be South Down Cottage but not positively identified as the description is incomplete. I assumed it was Southdown Cottage as it is not described anywhere else in the document and it should have been included as it was, presumably, part of Essesole Manor) Stephen Bayle hath so that SB hath the lands sometimes Coksalles 18 acres ½ rood
Heirs of John Castell.
30 The same heirs of John hold 5 acres of land and 3 roods of land btwn the land of Thos Webbe, John Walsche, Stephen Creke, the heirs of Rich Courthope twds the E and land of the Lord towards the N (St Albans Abbey) and land of Joan Taylor twds the W and Le Shereway twds the S RTY 23d
(The plot contains the old W.H. farmyard and runs from the road (the Shereway), now the barn conversions, opposite the Village Hall towards Old St Albans house).
Joan Taylor
53 The same Joan holds 3 acres and 9 perches of land btwn the land of John Castell twds the E and the lands ofWm Boys twds the W (Beachamps Manor houses site) and the Common Way (aka le Shereway) twds the S and a messuage of St Albans twds the N RTY 12 ¼ d.
[This plot appears to go up to the bank that runs through Beauchamps Wood just above White House Farm and appears to border on too the manor house site. The bank may well be an eastern boundary bank for the manor house and gardens ect. The plot runs from Beauchamps Lane (the Common Way or the Shereway, both are used) back towards Old St Albans house].