Farming
While only a small number of sheep remain in Goxhill today, they were once a cornerstone of the village economy, with records of a sheepfold for 300 sheep dating back to the thirteenth century. The marshes provided extensive common grazing land, though the management of these areas—particularly the balance between mowing hay and stocking sheep—led to complex legal agreements among the principal farmers to regulate land use and prevent disputes.
I have always enjoyed listening to the sound of sheep and lambs in the fields. Unfortunately only a small number of sheep are to be found in Goxhill now but for many years sheep were an important part of the economy of the village. In the thirteenth century there was a Sheepfold for 300 sheep. It belonged to the Convent and Priory of Bridlington.
Sheep were kept on the common land but enclosures were needed in to which the sheep could be penned for shearing and marking etc. These areas were enclosed with walls in other parts of the country where rocks and stones were available but here in the marsh where there are no suitable building materials Hedges Ditches and Hurdles would have been used.
Antient Inclosures and the Marsh
The map of the Award of land for the Act of Inclosure in 1775 shows ten existing (Antient) inclosures. These were owned privately and were not part of the common land they were about one or two acres in size. Some of these enclosed places appear on the map as islands surrounded by water. This is because deep ditches or land drains surrounded them. There may also have been buildings for shepherds to live in.
Because the marshes were common land it was not easy to regulate the grazing and husbandry. We know that grass was cut to make hay. Each year there is a record of the area of meadow in the East and West marsh that was mown and of the payment made for the work. Clearly the sheep would need to have been kept out of the area to be cut for hay. There were probably conflicts of interest and disputes.
The Agreement of 1755
A record of an agreement in 1755 from the notes of Thomas Hardy contains much interesting information. The principal inhabitants agreed that the East and West Marsh "Shall not be Stocked with Sheep until ye tenth day of October Next Ensuing." If any person broke this, the Common Pinder was to impound the sheep, and the group agreed to hire attorney Wm. Hyldyard of Great Grimsby to defend any resulting legal actions.
No reason is given for this date, though it may relate to the introduction of the Tup to the Ewes or the confusion caused by the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in 1752. It is clear that some very compelling circumstance must have existed to cause the making of this agreement which seems to carry with it the prospect of dissent and the promise of the expenditure of a large sum of money.
"It is reasonable to suggest that at least 40 and probably more people had some interest in grazing sheep... the total number of sheep in the Marshes could have been more than a thousand. Now that flock of sheep and lambs would have made a sound worth hearing!"
Flock Estimates
From Thomas Hardy’s records we see that in June 1755 he had 146 sheep and lambs. It is probable that Thos Cavill and at least one or more others had a similar number. If the rest had no more than 10 or 20 sheep each, the total flock in the Marshes was significant. Based upon the farm records kept by Thomas Hardy (1726-1793) and Joseph Hardy (1753-1812), an extract of numbers of sheep and wool sales from 1753 to 1800 is available.
Exploring Collection: Working the Land & Industry
A Note on the Authors
The vast majority of this archive was penned by the late Maurice Brawn, whose wit and meticulous research brought the 18th and 19th centuries to life for Gander readers for decades. We also feature the architectural insights of Kees van den Bos and the educational history of former Headmaster A. J. Regan. We are honoured to preserve their legacy here.
