Isleham, Cambridgeshire Beggars Bush 1806

Philip Saunders, Principal Archivist at Cambridgeshire Archives tells me:
“The Isleham Beggars’ Bush appears on a map of the estate of John Buller Esq of c.1787-1806 (Cambs Archives, 311/P1). It is on a byway in the former open fields, apparently east of the surviving road about half-way between Isleham and Chippenham, west of Freckenham (Suffolk), and is marked by a small tree in elevation. It is not so marked on the OS 1:2500 of the 1880s or 1901 (Cambs XXXVI.3) and appears to have disappeared as a name . . .
“I looked hopefully at some superb 15th-century terriers we have of the open fields of Isleham Manors but without success, though came across the intriguing field-name Cattes Braynes which appears to be in something like the same area.”

Cats Brains is an expression for soil consisting of rough clay mixed with small pebbles, not unlike the consistency of cats brains according to Pewsey, S., Cats Brains in Loughton, Loughton & District Historical Society Newsletter 149, October 2001 p.2-3  and other sources. This would be unlikely to be productive without significant investment in improvement so consistent with the derogatory explanation.

OS Grid

TL653723

Thanks

Philip Saunders (personal communication)

Posted: April 24th, 2011 | Filed under: Places | Tags: Cambridge, Isleham, derog | No Comments »