Horbury Common Lands Trust

The history of the Trust starts towards the end of the 17th century in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

The River Calder forms the natural boundary between land belonging to Horbury and land belonging to Nether Shitlington, now known as Netherton. During the 1590's, on an occasion when the River Calder was in full flood, the force was so great that part of the bank protecting the fields known as the Stayners or Stennards, was washed away. With the bank weakened, the river formed a new channel, which resulted in the river changing its course, the course that it maintains today. The township of Horbury found that about seven acres of its land was now on the Netherton side of the river. Certain inhabitants of Netherton did not waste much time in claiming that land for themselves and, as one can imagine, many disputes followed. These were finally settled when Horbury's legal right to the land was re-established.

Around this time there was also a great deal of unrest over the way that the common land and wastes in Horbury were being managed. Sir Gervase Clifton, who was Lord of the Manor of Wakefield, sought to put an end to the disputes by founding the Horbury Common Lands Trust in 1653, when he appointed five trustees to manage certain common fields in Horbury.

The first Trust did not solve all the problems, however, and a new Trust Deed was made in 1683, which allowed for 13 trustees to be elected. The deed also stated how the income from the common land had to be managed. The Trust was to pay the Minister of the church £6.13s.0d in half-yearly portions at Christmas and midsummer. Any remaining profits had to be used to repair water banks, carry out repairs to the fabric of the church, bridges and highways of the town and for other necessary uses that the trustees should decide. It also stated that the lands were to be let by the Constable.

From its inception in the 17th century, the Trust contributed towards the management of the town. The Churchwardens, the Constable, the Overseers of the Poor and the Surveyor of the Highways were given grants, which helped to keep rate assessments lower than they would otherwise have been. Some of the accounts of the various officers have survived and from these one can see the impact that the Trust had, and still has today, albeit to a lesser degree, on the Township of Horbury.

After the Horbury Local Board was formed in 1863, the Trust continued to contribute considerable amounts towards keeping the rates low, and this practice was maintained after the formation of Horbury Urban District Council in 1894 up until the reorganisation of local government in 1974.

Horbury Common Lands Trust still owns and manages land in the town and the income, together with income from investments, is used to benefit all the churches and chapels, various organisations in the town and local schools. Christmas Grants are distributed to certain senior citizens.

Income from investments and the rents from the three remaining common fields combine to form the total income of the Horbury Common Lands Trust. In 1686 the income of the Trust was £22.4s.6d. The Trust income for 2006 was over £16,000, more than £9,000 of it being distributed throughout the year by the Trustees. The trustees have a policy of re-investing some of the income to allow for inflation.

Some of the rules laid down in the 1683 deed still apply today. For example, to be eligible for election to the Trust, interested persons must own land or property in Horbury. Trustees are elected for life, unless they leave the town and cease to own land or property here. When the number of trustees is reduced to seven the trustees must call an election.

The last election, which was held in 1996, saw the election of two women trustees for the first time in the Trust's history. The trustees hold five meetings a year and they still maintain the long tradition of having an annual dinner in memory of Sir Gervase Clifton. The cost of this is met not by the Trust, but by the trustees themselves. All trustees give of their services voluntarily.

Kindly researched and compiled by local historian, Mrs. Christine Cudworth, a Trustee on the Horbury Common Lands Trust.

The Horbury Common Lands Trust, Constable, Surveyor of Highways, Overseers of the Poor and Churchwardens accounts dating from the 18th century survive. Various deeds, dating from the 16th century, other documentation and letters relating to various customs, organisations, people and events in Horbury, can be researched at West Yorkshire Archives, Wakefield. Ref.C630.

Members of the Horbury Common Lands Trust

By HorburyVillageEditor
Jan 25, 2008, 10:41

<< back