FOREST MONEY - An Ancient Marston Charity
There is annually given to the poor of this parish a sum of money, called Forest Money, of the origin of which we could obtain no information.
It accrues from the rent of an estate of about an hundred acres, being extra-parochial, adjoining the liberty of Elsfield. This land is let from time to time for the benefit of the proprietors of Marston and the poor, by a committee, who are appointed for the purpose, and by whom a certain portion of the rent is assigned to the poor, according to an ancient scale of division, which appears to have been long acted upon.
The estate was let, till lately, at 155l. a year, upon lease. At Lady-day 1832, a new agreement was made with Daniel Chapman, for a term of seven years at the rent of 115l.
When the rent was at 155l., 18l. 18s. 2d. was the share appropriated to the poor. The churchwardens and the overseers make out a list of all the poor inhabiting within or belonging to the parish, and the amount is distributed amongst them according to the number in the family. No distinction is made whether the person receives relief or not.
The distribution generally takes place about Christmas, and the whole is disposed of every year, within a week after the rent is received.
COW COMMONS
There is in this parish a piece of bushy land, containing about 26 acres, on which 12 of the poor have right of common for a cow.
We could not discover the origin of this right, and it is doubtful whether it could be referred to any charitable foundation; these 12 cow commons are, however, always enjoyed by 12 poor persons, of whom the Parish Clerk is one. If a man having a cow common dies, his widow continues to enjoy it for her life, but it does not descend to the children; and whenever a vacancy occurs, such poor person, whether a householder or not, who obtains the votes of the greatest number of land owners, is appointed by the vestry to the vacant common right.
The poor are at liberty either to stock the common of to let their right; the latter course is always pursued, and they individually make the best bargain they can. Each common right lets for from 25s to 2l a year.
BRETT'S CHARITY
The particulars of this charity are given in our report of those in the Parish of Elsfield. The sum of 10s. is paid and distributed to the poor of Marston, together with the amount of forest Money before mentioned.
