ECONOMIC HISTORY.
Three of the four
Domesday estates, all called Lexworthy, seem to
have occupied the valley at the eastern end of
the parish; they accounted for more than two
thirds of the cultivated area and for most of the
recorded population. Together the four holdings
comprised 10 ploughlands but there were only
9 teams. Demesne and tenant estates on the
Lexworthy holdings were of equal size. Only 8
a. of meadow were recorded, all at Lexworthy,
and 6 cattle and 5 pigs there were the only stock
mentioned. There were 8 servi. (fn. 90) A serf on
Enmore manor was manumitted c. 1381. (fn. 91)
The quality of the 16th-century buildings at
Tirelands and Stone Hall suggests agricultural
prosperity in the later 16th century. The wealthiest farmers in the 17th century appear to have
concentrated on livestock: one had a substantial
house, grain worth over £100, and cattle, horses,
sheep, pigs, and poultry valued at more than
£160. (fn. 92) A hop garden was recorded in 1656. (fn. 93)
Holdings remained small throughout the later
17th and the 18th century although a few farmers had leases of more than one. During the
1740s some of the larger farms on Enmore
manor became freehold but most were bought
back by John, earl of Egmont, before 1765. (fn. 94) In
the early 19th century Tirelands farm, one of
the larger holdings, was a mixed farm which
produced for sale wheat, barley, oats, peas,
clover seed, onions, broad beans, kidney potatoes, cider, bacon, butter, cheese, and wool. The
tenant bred his own cattle and pigs and bought
bulls, rams, and horses. He let his own grass and
put livestock in one of the parks, possibly Barford as the owner was his landlord. The farmer
also bought soap ashes and lime from several
kilns. In 1814 and 1815 over 2,000 lb. of cheese
were sold and between 1810 and 1820 sales of
wool totalled 1,111 fleeces weighing c. 5,000 lb.
and over 1,140 lb. of lamb's wool. His flock in
1818 comprised 102 sheep and 62 lambs. It had
increased to 218 in 1823 and 389 fleeces weighing
over 2,000 lb. and 500 lb. of lamb's wool were
sold in 1828 to Fox and Sons of Wellington. (fn. 95)
On Lexworthy manor rack renting began in the
1730s and by the 1780s almost the entire estate
was let for years. (fn. 96) Small tenants were being
evicted on Enmore manor and houses allowed to
decay c. 1809. (fn. 97) Rack renting on Enmore manor
had been introduced by 1833 but there was only
one large farm, Enmore Park farm (133 a.), and
the smaller holdings continued to be held on
leases for lives. The park had been divided up
and was let for grazing. (fn. 98)
After the sale of the Egmont estate the Broadmeads reorganized the farms. At first the park
was divided and let, and by 1837 a farm was
established which included the former glebe and
the land called Quantock Durborough, the
whole managed from Quantock, later Castle,
farm. (fn. 99) Tirelands had more than doubled in size
between 1837 and 1851 and by 1871 there were
four holdings in the parish with over 100 a., two
with over 200 a. In 1851 Tirelands gave employment to 8 labourers, Quantock farm to 7. (fn. 1) In
1868 housing conditions for labourers in the
parish were considered good, women worked at
harvest and dug potatoes and turnips, and boys
over 12 worked full-time on farms. (fn. 2) In 1871 and
1881 there were 34 farm labourers. (fn. 3)
The titheable land in the parish amounted in
1837 to 341 a. of arable, 567 a. of meadow and
pasture, and 65 a. of orchard and garden. (fn. 4) In
1905, after the inclusion of Quantock Durborough and Blaxhold, there were 862 a. of
permanent grass, the amount of arable remaining unchanged. (fn. 5) In 1982 grassland still
accounted for over 60 per cent of recorded land. (fn. 6)
In 1960 Castle farm, the largest in the parish,
specialized in pedigree beef cattle and among the
farm buildings was a 70-ton granary with a diesel
driven mill. (fn. 7) There were three dairy farms in
1982, and at least 1,051 sheep. Wheat, barley,
and fodder crops accounted for most of the
arable. (fn. 8)
Woodland provided grazing for pigs in the
later 13th century and timber was sold. (fn. 9) In 1813
nursery trees for sale included larch, Scotch
spruce, silver fir, and Balm of Gilead. (fn. 10)
There were four mills at Lexworthy in 1086,
and the rent was paid in iron. (fn. 11) During the 13th
century both William Malet and William of
Lexworthy appear to have had mills at Lexworthy and Malet gave Richard Furnell of
Lexworthy priority at his mill in return for being
allowed a watercourse through Richard's land. (fn. 12)
In 1696 two mills were recorded at Lexworthy,
one probably on Trokes farm and the other,
called Cutters, probably on the northern boundary stream. (fn. 13) Neither mill was recorded again.
Methuens or Prowses mill existed by 1767. It
belonged to Sir Charles Kemeys-Tynte but was
not included in his manor of Lexworthy. Prowses mill was kept by the Collard family from
1782 or earlier until its closure, probably just
before 1914. (fn. 14) The mill house survived in 1987
as Mill Farm, south-west of Enmore village, but
the machinery, including an iron overshot wheel
probably driving two pairs of stones, has been
removed. (fn. 15)
In 1401 Baldwin Malet obtained a grant of a
Monday market and a two-day fair at Midsummer, (fn. 16) but there is no evidence that either was
ever held.
Rents for mills paid in iron in 1086 suggest
iron making, (fn. 17) and from the mid 15th century
iron was imported through Bridgwater, including in 1607 an iron furnace. (fn. 18) There were smithies
beside the road at Enmore and Lexworthy in the
19th century. (fn. 19) A clothier was mentioned in the
16th century and a weaver in the mid 17th. (fn. 20)
Rack Close near Prowses mill possibly indicates
a former fulling mill on the site. (fn. 21) Tanning was
practised in the late 17th and the early 18th
century; one tanner had a horse mill and leather
and bark worth £35 and another had stock
valued at £300; his father and brother were also
tanners. (fn. 22) Harnessmaking was recorded in 1841
and a saddlery in 1861. (fn. 23) Malting was recorded
from the later 17th century. (fn. 24) There was a
soapboiler in 1725 and a chairmaker in 1753. (fn. 25)
In 1821 only 27 out of 55 families were employed
in agriculture. (fn. 26)
In the earlier 20th century a sawmill at Enmore
employed 20 men including a smith, a wheelwright, and a carpenter, and produced gates,
fences, carts, window frames, and coffins. The
firm also sank wells and installed hydraulic
rams, built houses and the village hall, acted as
undertakers, and later kept a petrol pump. The
sawmill closed in the 1950s. (fn. 27)