AGRICULTURE.
In 1086 the manor of Ham, held
jointly by Robert Gernon and Ranulph Peverel and
formerly by Alestan, contained 8 hides and 30 a. (fn. 1)
It probably comprised most of West Ham. The
arable land was being cultivated by 16 ploughs (4 on
the demesne and 12 belonging to the tenants), compared with 13 in 1066 (5 demesne and 8 tenants').
There were 60 a. meadow, woodland for 100 swine,
and 8 mills. Gernon's livestock comprised a rouncey,
9 beasts, 12 sheep, and 11 swine; when he received
the manor there had been only a rouncey, a cow,
6 sheep, and 5 swine. Peverel's livestock had also
increased during his tenure, from a rouncey, a cow,
and 3 swine, to 2 rounceys, 2 colts, 2 cows with
calves, 20 swine, and 60 sheep. The value of the
manor, which had been £16 in 1066 and only £12
when Gernon and Peverel received it, had risen to
£24 by 1086. The recorded population had increased from 51 in 1066 (32 villeins, 16 bordars,
3 serfs) to 130 in 1086 (48, 79, 3).
The most striking of the above figures are those
relating to the mills, the value of the manor, and the
population. West Ham had more mills in 1086 than
any other place in Essex. In the Middle Ages these
supplied a large local baking industry, and they
remained an important feature of West Ham's
economy down to the 19th century. (fn. 2) The increase
in the value of the manor reflects the restocking that
had taken place since the coming of Gernon and
Peverel. The growth of population, however, was
proportionately much larger than that of values, or
ploughs, or stock. The arrival of 79 new families
(63 bordars and 16 villeins) in a small community
within 20 years was one of the 'obscure little revolutions in the Essex villages' noticed by Maitland. (fn. 3)
The villeins had increased in the same proportion as
the number of tenants' ploughs, and there may have
been a connexion there, but the much greater increase in the number of bordars must have been
related to a new economic activity not fully reflected
in the other Domesday figures. The newcomers were
probably engaged in some pioneering enterprise and
it seems most likely that this was forest clearance.
In the manor of (East) Ham, also held by Robert
Gernon, there was a large woodland area in 1086,
but most of it was cleared away during the next two
centuries. (fn. 4) At (West) Ham there was comparatively
little woodland left by 1086. How much there had
been in 1066 is not stated, but forest clearance was
no doubt part of the intensive farming practised by
Gernon. (fn. 5) This may well have included the carving
out of Woodgrange farm, which in the 12th century
was given by his successors to Stratford Abbey. (fn. 6)
After the 11th century woodland did not figure
largely in the economy of West Ham. (fn. 7) The northern
fringe of the parish lay within the legal boundaries
of the Forest of Essex, but as early as 1189 this
comprised heath rather than woodland: in that year
Richard I granted to Stratford Abbey protection
against interference by foresters or others with the
pasture in the heath extending between the Frith
(Hamfrith) and Walthamstow, in which heath he
granted the abbey extensive sheep pastures. (fn. 8)
Much that is said about the medieval agriculture
of East Ham applies to West Ham, since the manorial
boundaries in several cases cut across those of the
parishes. (fn. 9) Fourteenth-century references to 'worn
out' land, relating to both parishes, (fn. 10) suggest that
the intensive farming introduced by the Domesday
lords had continued. West Ham, like East Ham,
also suffered from flooding in the 14th and 15th
centuries, but by the 16th century reclamation of
the marshland was well under way. (fn. 11)
Open fields and meadows undoubtedly existed at
some time in West Ham. The rental of Sudbury
manor (1527) shows that most of the land there lay
in small parcels, usually between ½ a. and 2 a., which
are otherwise difficult to explain. (fn. 12) Among the field
names are the Hide, Half Hide, Hole (or Hoole)
Hide, Bradymead, and Woodfields. Woodfields,
which lay near Woodgrange, (fn. 13) was evidently a
demesne field, for no fewer than 40 of the tenements
of Sùdbury were charged with rent in lieu of the
service of reaping rye there. The rental also contains
a number of references to 'dayworks', by then
measures of land but originally measures of labour.
Several of these were in Woodfields. Others were in
the Hide, Ashen field, Downings field (near Green
Street), Newerk Pightle, and the Hoopes in Newerk
Knok. The rental also proves the earlier existence of
'leazes' or common pastures. One freeholder of the
manor was charged with several separate rents for
the right to pasture cows in Tunmanleys, Goodwyns
(probably in West marsh), (fn. 14) and Sewalls. Several of
the fields mentioned in the rental appear in earlier
documents. Half Hide occurs in 1409–35. (fn. 15) Bradymead can be traced from 1202 when William of
Stratford acknowledged the right of William Wrench
to ½ virgate of land in West Ham, from which
Wrench granted to Stratford 6 a. (2 a. in Brademade,
3 a. in Sagodesmade, and 1 a. in Monemade). (fn. 16) In
1527 one free tenement in Wrenchefield comprised
6 a., while another of 2½ a., in the same field, was
said to have belonged at one time to Richard Sagore.
John James's 18th-century survey of Plaistow shows
that Bradymead was in New marsh. (fn. 17) By then it had
been cut up into a number of parcels, held in
severalty, but showing in their shapes obvious traces
of strips arranged in an open meadow. These field
shapes were still preserved in 1867, immediately to
the north of the Victoria Dock, between the present
Prince Regent Lane and Freemasons Road. (fn. 18) James's
survey provides further evidence of common pasture.
South of Tunmarsh Lane, in Trinity marsh, was a
33-acre field called Cow leaze, (fn. 19) while another of the
same size, called Horse leaze, lay east of Prince
Regent Lane opposite Bradymead. (fn. 20) All the above
'leazes' were at Plaistow, but there was at least one
such field at Stratford: Oxleas in High mead (12 a.). (fn. 21)
Corn-growing must have been important in West
Ham during the Middle Ages, to supply London
and the retinues of visiting royalty and dignitaries. (fn. 22)
In 1403 the king granted the bishop of Lincoln
lodging for his household at Stratford during his
visits to London. (fn. 23) Similar grants were made in 1408
to Sir Thomas Beaufort and in 1414 to the earl of
Dorset, (fn. 24) while in 1414 also the bishop of Norwich
was granted lodging for his horses at Plaistow and
West Ham. (fn. 25) The few figures available (fn. 26) suggest that
in and after the 13th century arable land predominated, at least in the upland areas of the parish. It is
probable that until the floods of the late 14th century
substantial parts of the marshes were under the
plough. This may be inferred from a reference of
1421 to '101 a. arable land, parcel of 145 a. marsh
submerged under water', belonging to Burnells
manor, (fn. 27) from the field names Wheatfield (or Whitfield) and Wheatcrofte, both in Trinity marsh, (fn. 28) and
from the ancient pattern of settlement at Plaistow. (fn. 29)
In the later Middle Ages cattle grazing and slaughtering, on a commercial scale, began to develop.
The local meat trade, mainly with London, was
established by the 14th century. In 1331 some
London butchers complained to the City corporation that many butchers who had bought their
freedom and were sworn of the franchise were renting houses at and near Stratford and were not taking
their proper part in City affairs. (fn. 30) Later in the 14th
century the Stratford trade was stimulated by royal
ordinances that livestock destined for London
butchers should not be brought into the City but
should be slaughtered either at Stratford on one
side or Knightsbridge (Mdx.) on the other, and no
nearer. (fn. 31) Whether Stratford here means Stratford
Langthorne or the adjoining Stratford Bow (Mdx.)
is uncertain, but the purpose of the edicts, the
banishment of an obnoxious London trade to the
suburbs, is clear. By the 16th century there were
many butchers with London connexions. (fn. 32) There
was a slaughterhouse at Stratford Abbey just before
the Dissolution. (fn. 33) It was stated in 1597 that much
land in the parish was occupied by 'foreign' butchers
and graziers. (fn. 34) Some of the then butchers were also
cattle thieves. (fn. 35) Grazing continued to be important
until the early 19th century. (fn. 36) It was said in 1734
that the largest ox ever bred in England had been
fattened on Old Tunmarsh. (fn. 37) Henry, duke of Cumberland (1745–90), brother of George III, kept a
racing stud at Cumberland House, Plaistow. (fn. 38) The
prince of Wales, later George IV, is also said to
have grazed his horses on Plaistow marshes. (fn. 39)
In 1796 West Ham was estimated to contain about
2,000 a. of arable and 2,500 a. of meadow and
marshland. (fn. 40) Some 500 a. of arable were then being
cropped with potatoes and 200 a. with turnips.
According to the crop returns of 1801, thought
'tolerably accurate' by the vicar, only 1,026 a. were
under cultivation, including 575 a. of potatoes, 272 a.
of wheat, 87 a. of turnips, 67 a. of oats, and 25 a. of
rye. (fn. 41) Potatoes had been grown commercially since
the 1730s. (fn. 42) The labour for this was provided mainly
by immigrant Irish, of whom there were about 50 in
West Ham by 1767. (fn. 43) In the north, west, and central
areas of the parish in 1800 the arable lay mainly
north of Romford Road and to the east and west of
Plaistow village. Most of the meadows adjoined the
coastal marshes, but there were small patches at
Plaistow and elsewhere. The market gardens,
paddocks, and parks were mainly at Upton. There
were also small patches of osiers beside the Channelsea river and the other branches of the Lea above the
Three Mills. (fn. 44) Osiers had been cultivated in West
Ham at least as early as 1539. (fn. 45)
In 1853 the parish contained some 1,100 a.
of arable (including market-gardens), 2,600 a. of
meadow and pasture, 8 a. of woodland, 62 a. of
domestic gardens and orchards, and 82 a. of osiers
and reeds. (fn. 46) By 1905 there remained only 127 a. of
arable and 51 a. of permanent grass. (fn. 47) Most of that
farm-land lay in the south of the borough, adjoining
Prince Regent Lane. (fn. 48) The last market-garden at
Plaistow is said to have closed in 1905, (fn. 49) and in the
same year the closure of some watercress beds near
Temple Mills, suspected of spreading cholera, was
recommended. (fn. 50)