High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Local History

From the Goodearl Furniture Factories Title Deeds the extent of the various meadows in Newland which existed from the 16th to 19th centuries can be determined. Their boundaries are shown in colour on the map below.

Some of the boundaries are along small drainage ditches and these formed the boundaries of the 19th century terrace cottages which were built there.

Munday's Mead

1st. reference in the Hovenden map of 1596:- Owned or occupied by Wm. Chalfonte.
2. Part of Old Temple Mead.
3. Sold in 1767 by the Rectory and Chantry of Chepping Wycombe.

Agnes's Mead

This area of 5 acres is believed to be part of Munday's Mead.

Bowdery's Meadow

1st ref. 1799 Temple Mill became Bowdery's Mill at about this time and the approach lane changed from St.John's Lane to Bowdery's Lane.

2 Sold to James Thurlow. Later sold to Barnett Myers then to Skull.

Chapman's Meadow

1st ref. 1644
2 1668-1676 owned by Hugh Hobbes and called Hobbe's Meadow.
3 Later owned by Jo. Salter until 1748. Probably this name was the origin of the alternative name of Soulden's Meadow in 1824.

Newland Meadow

1st ref. 1663 as Bulbarrows Mead but both names used from 1751.
1.64 acres

Hop Garden

1st ref. 1653
1 acre.

Remaining Area

The area surrounding Denmark St. was known as Town Lands in 1663 and "The Town Land called Pagans Mead" in 1824.

The entire area appears to have been originally Temple Meads.

Image produced from the www.old-maps.co.uk service with permission of
Landmark Information Group Ltd. and Ordnance Survey

How the original development related to the boundaries of the old meadows.

Areas Green - Munday's Mead Red - Agnes Mead Orange - Bowdery's Meadow Magenta - Chapman's Meadow Yellow - Newland Meadow Blue - Hop Garden

Streets 1 - Oxford Road 2 - Bridge Street 3 - Mendy Street 4 - Denmark Street 5 - Desborough Road 6 - Temple Street

Back to Ken's
Local History Page