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THE CARS AND COMMONS.

Anciently these cars and commons were the property of William de’ Anne, Lord of Noraisfee, of Greenley, who held them along with other lands adjoining in that parish, until the year 1319, when he granted "to at the men of Rettforde," their heirs and assigns, the "common pasture, with all manner their cattle in the Mikelmore of Rettforde, and in Dallcroft, and in the marsh, which is called Rettforde Karre, and in the Holmes which are between the waters," as they had been accustomed to have, so that they might be able at any time of the year to common in the aforesaid places "with all manner their cattle, and to mow with scythes, and to take away what they had mown." provided that they should not afterward "mow or common in Greenley meadows which are between the waters." He also granted to the said "men of Rettforde, their gates in all places in the circuit of the town of Rettforde, to have free ingress and egress to their gates, and with free chase and rechase with their carts and animals, in all places in the circuit of the said town." He also further granted that they should "have and hold their fair in Dallcroft as usual without impediment, so that they and their heirs, and any merchant or other person coming to the said fair should not be disturbed or distrained of their goods in the aforesaid place, during all the time of the fair ;" for all of which grants, the "men of Rettforde" gave him "a certain sum of money," not specified therein.

Formerly a considerable portion of the cars and commons was of little value, being chiefly marsh; latterly, however, considerable improvements have been made, (chiefly under the direction of the late John Kirke, Esq.) so that instead of a bog, they present a fine open space to the south and west, and as they will not be built upon, they are likely to embellish the environs of the town, and contribute in a great measure to the health and longevity of the inhabitants. The quantity of land in the whole is about 50 acres, and the right of pasturage is vested in those freeholders who have obtained "GATES," either by purchase, or by heiring property in the town to which they were attached. Of these gates there are 276, the value of each being estimated at about £20.

Connected with this subject, in some measure, is the common-sewer which divides the borough from the hamlet of Little Greenley, because, it proceeds from the common, which was, on the 1st April, 1282, granted by Alexander fitz Henry le Norays, as follows.—."All that Foss which is called the Beck between my Fee of Grenelay, and the Fee of the Lord the King and of the Burgesses of Retteford, with all its length from Est-croc-sich, unto the water of the Yddel without any retenement, have I procured to be impleaded to the said Burgesses; to have and to hold to the said Burgesses and Commonalty and their heirs, freely, quitely, &c. in right, in fee, and in inheritance, for ever, with free regress and ingress and other easements to the said Foss pertaining."

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