Our progress so far – we have collected all the leases for the grammar school in Milton Abbas which are in the Dorset History Centre. These 34 leases from 1616 to 1774 prove that the feoffees of the school were active in the management of Little Mayne Farm which provided the funds for the payment of the master, maintenance of the buildings, and free schooling for local boys.
This shows that the statement of the lord of the manor in 1786 to his peers in the House of Lords was inaccurate, and that he misled them into allowing the school to be moved to Blandford. The feoffees were the great and the good of Dorset and fought hard to maintain the school in Milton Abbas.
Thanks to one of our transcribers we are making good progress on transcribing these leases. However there are more to do if anyone would like to have a go. The text is now quite easy to read.
| Date | DHC Catalogue | Title | transcriber |
| 25-May-1616 | D1 11744 | Will of Thomas Best of West Knighton. Mentioned: John, Elizabeth and Joane Moore children of son in law Moore, daughter Moore, Joyce Cossens my sister, Richard Moyes son of Peter Moyes, wife Elizabeth.. 25 May 1616 | BP |
| 29-Jun-1625 | D1 11746 | A Copy of Mr William Talbot’s Lease of the School Farme of Little Main | |
| 29-Jun-1625 | D1 11746A | Copy of lease of Little Mayne | SC |
| 3-Dec-1629 | D1 11741 | Award. Sir Francis Ashley, sergeant at law and William Noy of Lincolns Inn | SC |
| 24-Sep-1630 | D1 11740 | Note about division of land the subject of award D.1/11741 [the manor of Little Mayne to the use of the free school of Middleton] | SC |
| 17-Mar-1632 | D1 11743 | Power of attorney to Thomas Merry to receive rents of Little Mayne in West Knighton | SC |
| 13-Oct-1634 | D1 11745 | Bargain and sale. (1) Thomas Lord Arundell of Warder Castell, Wiltshire and Richard Swayne of Blandford Forum, esquire. (2) Henry Arnold of Milton. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton. Witness: Matthew Davye, Ambrose Vincent and John Cox. 13 Oct 1634 | SC |
| 14-Oct-1634 | D1 11748 | Lease. (1) Thomas Lord Arundell of Warder, Wiltshire and Richard Swayne of Blandford Forum, esquire, feoffees of MiltonAbbas School. (2) Thomas Merry of Milton Abbas, schoolmaster. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton. Witness: Matthew Davye, Ambrose Vincent and John Cox | SC |
| 27-Sep-1692 | D1 11749 | Lease (1) Sir John Moreton of Milborne St Andrew, baronet, Robert Coker, senior of Mappowder, esquire, Robert Coker, junior of Dorchester, esquire and Robert Freke, junior of Upway, gentleman. (2) William Talbott of Little Mayne, gentleman. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton. Witness: Robert Swaffield, Thomas Delacourt and Richard Kaines | SC |
| 17-Oct-1709 | D1 11750 A | Lease. (1) Robert Coker, senior of Mappowder, esquire and Robert Freke of Upway, esquire. (2) John Jollie of Winterborne Stickland, gentleman. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton. Witness: Henry Humber, Henry Bestland and J. Lane | SC |
| 20-Oct-1709 | D1 11738 | Lease of Manor and farm of Little Maine (1) Robert Coker the elder Mapowder and Robert Hicks of Upwey (2) John Jollie of Winterborne Stickland | SC |
| 20-Oct-1709 | D1 11751 A | Counterparts to D.1/ 11750 A, B [Lease (1) Robert Coker, senior of Mappowder, esquire and Robert Freke of Upway, esquire. (2) John Jollie of Winterborne Stickland, gentleman. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton] | SC |
| 21-Oct-1709 | D1 11750 B | Release. (1) Robert Coker, senior of Mappowder, esquire and Robert Freke of Upway, esquire. (2) John Jollie of Winterborne Stickland, gentleman (3) Sir Nathaniel Napier of Critchell. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton | |
| 21-Oct-1709 | D1 11751 B | Counterpart D.1/11750 B Release.. 21 Oct 1709 | |
| 7-May-1728 | D1 11753 A | Lease (1) Robert Browne of Frampton, esquire and Richard Bingham of Melcombe Bingham, esquire. (2)Luke Harrison of Milton Abbas, gentleman. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton. Witness: Robert Symes, William Prickett, Thomas Applin and Richard Devenish | SC |
| 8-May-1728 | D1 11753 B | Lease (1) Robert Browne of Frampton, esquire and Richard Bingham of Melcombe Bingham, esquire. (2)Luke Harrison of Milton Abbas, gentleman. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton. Witness: Robert Symes, William Prickett, Thomas Applin and Richard Devenish | SC |
| 22-Jul-1731 | D1 11739 | Memorandum. At the Farm House at Little Mayne, Richard Noyes, William Talbott, Francis Aishley, William Noye | SC |
| 6-Aug-1731 | D1 11754 | Lease (counterpart). (1) Robert Browne of Frampton, esquire and others. (2)John Spratt of Little Mayne. Little Mayne Farm in West Knighton. Witness: Narcissus Marsh and Luke Harrison | |
| 1-Aug-1739 | D1 11756 | Lease (counterpart). (1) Sir William Napier of Moore Critchell, baronet and others, trustees. (2) John Spratt of Little Mayne, yeoman. Little Mayne Farm in West Knighton. Witness: John Chinn and Luke Harrison | |
| 1-Sep-1746 | D1 11257 | West Knighton. Lease | |
| 24-Apr-1749 | D1 11757 A | Lease (1) Sir William Napier of Moore Critchell, baronet and others. (2) Radford Gundrey of Dewlish, esquire. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton. Witness: Stephen Bowridge Lloyd and others | |
| 25-Apr-1749 | D1 11757 B | Release. (1) Sir William Napier of Moore Critchell, baronet and others. (2) Radford Gundrey of Dewlish, esquire. (3) Sir William Hanham of Deans Court, Wimborne Minster, Gerrard Napier of Middle Marsh, John Browne of Forston, John Stratham of Milton Abbas, Charles Bryune of Plumber, Edward Berkely of Winfrith, Thoms Gundrey of Dewlish. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton. Witness: Stephen Bowridge Lloyd and others | missing inside |
| 11-Jul-1754 | D1 11737 | Agreement (1) James Martin, clerk. (2)Richard Pearce of Affpuddle. That (1) to use his endeavors with Sir Gerard Napier, baronet and other trustees of Little Mayne Farm in West Knighton that (2) may be admitted tenant. Witness: Andrew Pearce and Roger Woolfry | SC |
| 1-Feb-1755 | D1 11758 | Lease. (1) Sir Gerard Napier of Moore Critchell, baronet and others, trustees. (2) Richard Pearse of Affpuddle, yeoman. Little Mayne Farm in West Knighton. Witness: Includes John Hutchins | |
| 1-Feb-1756 | D1 11351 | Lease. (1) Sir Gerard Napier of Moor Critchell and others, trustees. (2) Richard Pearse of Affpuddle, yeoman. Little Mayne Farm in West Knighton. Witness: Andrew Pearse and William Ricketts | |
| 31-Aug-1757 | D1 11736 | Lease (1) William Talbott of Broadmayne, gentleman. (2) Sir William Napier of Moore Critchell, baronet and others. Chapel Close and Little Mayne Farm in West Knighton. Witness: George Bingham and John Spratt, junior | SC |
| 26 Jul 1763 | D1 11760 A | Lease. (1)George Chafin, senior of Chettle, esquire and others. (2)Thomas Morton Pleydell of Blandford Forum, esquire. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton | |
| 27-Jul-1763 | D1 11760 B | Release. (1)George Chafin, senior of Chettle, esquire and others. (2)Thomas Morton Pleydell of Blandford Forum, esquire. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton | |
| 22-Feb-1765 | D1 11761 | Lease (counterpart). (1)Anthony Earl of Shaftesbury and others. (2) James Sherren of Little Mayne, yeoman.Relates to Milton School Little Mayne Farm in West Knighton. Witness: George Cooper and G. Stickland. 22 Feb 1765 | SC |
| 6-Jul-1768 | D1 11762 A | Lease. (1) John Bankes of Kingston Hall, esquire and others. (2) Thomas Morton Pleydell of Blandford Forum, esquire. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton | |
| 7-Jul-1768 | D1 11762 B | Release. (1) John Bankes of Kingston Hall, esquire and others. (2) Thomas Morton Pleydell of Blandford Forum, esquire. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton | |
| 30-Jul-1773 | D1 11763 | Lease (counterpart). (1) Feoffees of Milton School. (2) James Herren of Little Mayne, yeoman. Little Mayne Farm in West Knighton. Witness: George Cooper and G. Stickland. | |
| 17-Mar-1774 | D1 11764 A | Lease. (1) Sir William Hanham of Deans Court, baronet and others. (2) Harvey Ekins of Philiolls, esquire. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton | |
| 18-Mar-1774 | D1 11764 B | Release. (1) Sir William Hanham of Deans Court, baronet and others. (2) Harvey Ekins of Philiolls, esquire. Manor and farm of Little Mayne in West Knighton |
Milton Abbas Local History Group, Dorset, UK 