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The Parish of Merton in 1844:
The Tithe Apportionment Map
Local History Notes 12: ed. Peter Hopkins
The tithe apportionment of 1844 provides a very detailed picture of a large part of Merton, although it does not cover the whole of the ancient ecclesiastical parish. The map identifies each field and building with a number, and the accompanying schedule gives the name or a description of each numbered property, its area (in acres, roods and perches), and the use to which it was put, together with the name of the owner and the occupier. Unfortunately for us, over 40% of the parish was not liable for tithes, and was therefore not surveyed.
This edition follows the original apportionment by listing landowners alphabetically, with the lands then arranged by occupants. A much-reduced copy of the map is reproduced on the centre pages, followed by an extract, on a larger scale, covering the main residential centre. This is followed by an index in numerical order, giving owners and occupiers. An extract from the Post Office Directory for 1845 provides further information on some of the individuals mentioned in the apportionment, although it also overlaps into Wimbledon parish. Finally some small-scale maps are included to show the various estates of the landowners and tenants, the recipients of the rent charge, and the state of cultivation of the land.
Extract from the Introduction
