Archives catalogue

My house was owned by New College

New College has and had property in many parts of the country. The places which have been part of the college's endowment for many years, possibly from the later 1300s until the later 1800s or even the present day, include:

Berkshire: Bourton, Buscot, Cumnor, Drayton, East Hendred, South Hinksey, Steventon, West Hanney

Buckinghamshire: Akeley, Chackmore, Great Horwood, Hardwick, Newton Longville, Radclive, Tingewick, Weedon

Cambridgeshire: Steeple Morden

Essex: Birchanger, Bradwell, Dengie, Hornchurch, Lindell, Stansted Mountfitchet, Takeley, Widdington, Writtle

Gloucestershire: Lechlade, Marshfield

Hampshire: Heckfield, Mattingley

Hertfordshire: Bishop's Stortford

Kent: Chislehurst

Norfolk: Great Witchingham, Little Witchingham, Weston Longville

Northamptonshire: Paulerspury

Oxfordshire: Adderbury, Bodictoe, Broughton, Chesterton, Deddington, Headington, Horton cum Studley, Iffley, Kingham, Milton, North Leigh, Oxford City, Shipton on Cherwell, South Newington, Stanton St John, Swalcliffe, Tadmarton, Upper Heyford, Wootton

Wiltshire: Alton Barnes, Alton Priors, Colerne, Inglesham, Stert

For each of these places, some of the types of records held that might be useful to you include:

Maps: these may be marked up Ordnance Survey maps, but they may date back on occasion into the 16th century and can provide block plans or elevations of properties though whether these are accurate or rather representational is questionable.

Deeds: the archive is rich in deeds which might even take the story of your property back before the college might have become the owner, generally in the later 14th century.

Wills: these may well be associated with deeds but for wills you will generally need to look elsewhere such as your local record office as New College did not grant probate. If you are lucky, an associated inventory may even detail the layout and fittings of your house.

Land tax: there may be some of these records in the archive in the later 18th and earlier 19th centuries.

Sale particulars: these may survive in the archive from the later 19th and 20th centuries and can provide plans and even images.

Rentals: New College will probably have rented out your property and should have been receiving, and recording, a rent from the tenant.

Manorial court rolls: if New College was the lord of the manor, it would have run, and usually retained, many years' worth of court rolls possibly dating back to before it became lord and there could be lots of fascinating administrative insights about its tenants

Manorial accounts: again, if New College was the lord of the manor, accounts should survive for the later medieval period which, if you live in the manor house or a barn conversion, may, but only may, record every last detail about its construction.

Most of these possible sources will be listed in the Individual Estates section of the catalogue, under the relevant county, and then place, and then just scroll down from there. Alternatively, just search for the relevant place or even house name in the general search box. The Archivist & Records Manager may even be able to help. It is usually easier to find out about people than places so linking occupiers/tenants' names with where they live can be crucial.

Other sources will be available at your local record office. What could be very helpful there will include:

Maps, especially comprehensive sets of OS maps, tithe maps and awards, and enclosure maps

Electoral registers

Directories

Census

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