Geography in Kent > Place Names

Commority?

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CAT:
These might help with understanding the immediate historical layout Mike Gunnill?


The first is an extract from the 1871 O.S. map showing Little Commodity standing on its own adjacent to the cross roads of the Pilgrims Way. It is interesting to note there are two O.S Bench mark positions shown (B.M. 435.4 on the south-eastern corner of the house) with another (B.M. 435.4) in the middle of the cross roads. By 1897 the house shown on the earlier map has been enlarged with the addition of a rear extension giving the footprint of the property an almost square plan as opposed to the L-shape shown previously. This later map has a few other amendments with the loss of the second benchmark in the cross road, but the site of the well is shown as a circle next to the path heading eastwards to the road. By 1907 the construction of a series of secondary buildings to the west of Little Commodity may be the 'barns' known to have been on the site, whilst others could represent a stable, cart lodge, or even a stock house for animals? The biggest change being the construction of another property not too far away to the northeast. Today this is known as Harpwood, and judging by its location in a small terrace cut into the sloping hillside may have been a quarryman's cottage? The 1929 map shows very little difference from the 1907 map.

Nemo:
Little Commodite (sic) shows as a house name in the 1851 Census in, you've guessed it, Trotterscliffe. Commority (little or no) doesn't so show. Neither show as a house name in the 1841 Census.


'Little Commodity' is the name used in the following Grade II listing, though the associated map also shows a dwelling/structure named 'Commority': https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1236223 . The KCC predecessor of the Listing dates from 1956 according to the National Archives.

CAT:
Looking at the tithe award schedule for Trottiscliffe there are two entries with the use of Commodity in their description. The first, Commodity Croft being numbered 171, a plot of arable land measuring just under 2 1/2 acres (2.3.1), in the ownership and occupation of William Smith. The second being Little Commodity Field 203, an arable & pasture plot measuring just over 2 acres (2.1.14) under the ownership of Charles Gustavus Whitaker and under the occupation of John Luxford.

Nemo:
Given proximity of r and d on a Qwerty typewriter/keyboard, I'd be more inclined to think that Commority was intentional if it could be found to have existed prior to 1873.


The following is a quote from the Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser of 7 May 1896: "Mr Terry drew attention to the state of a part of the Pilgrims road between Pines Field and Little Commodity".

So, a sort of Boadicea thing, probably caused by the primitive predictive texting that was all the Victorians had access to?

Mike Gunnill:

--- Quote from: Sidw on November 06, 2020, 11:13:59 AM ---Commority Road is recent and apparently related to the Waterlow Estate, taking the name from existing Little Commority and Commority Down, which it led to. The people to answer this problem are the English Placename Society, and the person responsible for Kent is Dr Paul Cavill at Notingham University.

--- End quote ---




Thank you CAT and Sidw


Grateful for your help on this. Very useful detail from both of you, so thank you very much.




I knew about the Waterlow Estate connection but agree this pre-dates that. I have emailed Dr Paul Cavill to see if he can help.  Small steps forward at last, thanks chaps!


Mike

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