Remarkable Social Heritage in Sherborne

Yesterday I posted here part of a c1815 plan of the eastern end of Sherborne, showing the various estate tenants and where they lived, by name. It seems to have interested many of you.

This afternoon I was contacted by Martin Hayward, born and brought up in the village with generations of local family history and heritage. He has examined the plan, which I show again here, as well as the 1820 tenant list and has a remarkable thing to tell us.

Amongst the names of the tenants living in Sherborne in 1815 -1820 he is related to a significant number:

John Sly is Martyn’s 4 x great uncle

William Sly is one of Martyn’s 4 x great grandfathers

James Spencer is also one of Martyn’s 4 x great grandfathers.

John Hitchman is another of Martyn’s 4 x great grandfathers

Widow Dodges is also a distant relation, but the details are not clear

??? Long (Christian name not clear) is likely one of Martyn’s 5 x great grandfathers (Ann Long married William Sly in 1811)

I knew that Martyn was also related to the Taylor family in Sherborne and I asked if this was the Taylors shown in these documents but alas no - Martyn’s Taylor antecedents were not these Taylors, but another family of Taylors arriving here in 1823.

I think that’s a fabulous piece of social history. It shows that the heritage of this place we live in is bound together incredibly tightly. I reckon Martin could walk through the village and point to dozens of homes where his family members once lived. Isn’t that something? (And if Martyn doesn’t mind me pulling his leg, it’s also a sign that “incomers” like me and my family bringing in fresh blood should be very welcome!).