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From A.D. 1611 to 1617 reference is made to the Commom Fields and
Lammas" ground, showing that, the two terms were no doubt used intentionally
to embrace the two different systems of cultivation, for instance:
It is ordered .
Item, that no man or woman within this Parish that soweth carrots or
turnips' in the Common Fields, or upon any Lammas Grounds, nor any of
them shall handle or hurt with dogs or otherwise any man's cattle after
corn is carried out of the lields.
1612. Item, that no inhabitants within this Parish of Fulham shall at any
time or times hereafter until harvest be all innod, "keep any kind of cattle
in the Common Fields within this Parish of Fulham; or suffer their cattle
to go into the Common Fields or Meads, whereby to spoil any man's corn
or grass.
1615. Item, that all these persons or person that shall presume to put
any cattle into any of our Commons before the accustomed times, that is
to say into Wormwold Wood and Helbook, from Candlemas next until May
eve, nor into our Common Fields nor Meadows until all our corn and hay be
cut down and carried away out of the fields or meadows, shall forfeit, etc.
1617. Item, that all the Landholders of land in the Town Meadows shall
scour their ditches and make drills for draining of the meadows before All
Hallow Day (November 1st).
Now it seems to me, that these entries place beyond doubt that there
were in the Parish Meadow lands subject to what are popularly known as
Lammas Eights of grazing, that is, a right of grazing the lands after the
crop has been carried away, and there is somo evidence even if these entries
stood alone, that the Town Meadows were among such Lammas Lands.
It seems obvious that unless the community as a whole had an interest in
Charley Meade and the Town Meadows, that the Homage would not have
any jurisdiction to order them to bo drained or fenced; but any doubt upon
the point seems to be cleared up by an ontry upon the lvolls, in A.D. 1678,
of certain Orders or Bye-Laws of the Homage respecting the Commons and
Common Fiells generally, among which this occurs: The Town Meades
are to be laid opon after the first crop is off "witheut stint."
Proceeding with the question of identity, Domesday Book (A.D. 1086)
tells us that there was Meadow for 40 teams, which would probably be
320 beasts; in A.D. 1448 there is the reference to the Stanbridge leading
to Fulham Mead; in A.D. 1483 we have the Fulham Marsh referred to as
commonable; in A.D. 1541 the tenants of Charlow Mead were ordered to
fence their land; in A.D. 1545 the Highway leading to Town Mead is
mentioned; in AD. 1558 and 1560 the persons having lands abntting the
Lane from the Common Meade to Walham Green are ordered to cut the
trees,and Charlow Meade is again referred to.
In A.D. 1605 persons having Meadow Ground in Charlow Meade are
ordered to scour their ditches.
In A.D. 1613 osiers in Charley Mead are ordered to be protected from
cattle.
In A-D. 1617 the landowners in the Town Meadowes are ordered to scour
their ditches.
1647, William Powell, alias Iliuson, is admitted a Tenant of
(1) Two parcels of Meadow and Osiers-one called the Owle Acre—both
lying in the town Meade, and abutting upon the Thames on the south, and
Lands called the Bandalands upon the North; (2) to a piece of Meadow,
situate in Wild Mead, next the Thames; and (3) to three parcels of Meadow
in Charley Meade.
These entries are all from the Court Polls of the Manor, and leave but