Manuscript minutes and resolutions, taken by Richard Pryce, of a meeting held in 1833 at the Red Lion public house, Aston, Bampton, Oxfordshire, to oppose the enclosure of common land in the parish; with copies of letters to Charles Leake and others.

Folio, 7 pp. Stitched into orginal brown wraps. In good condition, lightly dogeared and aged. On Britannia laid paper watermarked 'WE | 1833'. The minutes of the first meeting, and the copies of the two letters, are all signed by Pryce as chairman. The four pages of the minutes of the first meeting are headed 'Red Lion Aston Bampton Oxon. Novr 12th 1833'. They begin 'This day a special meeting was called of the Freeholders and Proprietors of Lands in the commonable fields of the Hamlet of Aston & Coate [sic] in the Parish of Bampton Oxon to take into their serious consideration the nature of the measure that is now in progress for the inclosure of all the commonable Lands of the aforesaid Hamlet'. A list of the twenty-one individuals present follows. After recording Pryce's unanimous appointment as chairman, seven resolutions are recorded. The third resolution records that 'Caroline Anne Horde Spinster is the largest proprietor of Land in the said Hamlet the Revd Thomas Barrow the Revd [gap] Kirby and the Revd Dr Winstanley Clerks are the present vicars & Incumbents of the Parish Church of Bampton and as such are entitled by law to the great and small Tithes of the aforesaid Hamlet'. It is also resolved that 'a deputation be appointed' to wait upon the priests and Miss Horde's agent. The copies of the two letters, both signed by Pryce and dated from the Red Lion on 12 November 1833, are on the same page. The first is headed 'Copy of the Letter sent to Charles Leake Esqr Witney'. It announces the meeting at the Red Lion, 'which has been adjourned to 12 Oclock in the forenoon of Saturday next'. Ryder requests Leake's views on the matter, as Miss Horde's agent, and informs him that the freeholders have 'appointed a Deputation to wait upon you for the purpose and also on the Revd J Barrow & the Revd Dr Winstanley vicars of Bampton respectfully to solicit of them their views in reference to the proceeding and if they will please to state either in person or in writing the proportion and amount of arable pasture commonable & meadow Lands which they may deem an adequate compensation in lieu of Tithes'. The second letter is headed 'Copy of the Letters sent to Revd J Barrow & Dr Winstanley Vicars of Bampton'. It again announces the meeting, and repeats the request reported in the letter to Leake. The last page carries four lines of text by Ryder, reporting that 'The adjourned meeting reassembled to consider again, the propriety of the measure for inclosing the Hamlet of Aston & Coate', and ending abruptly.