Monument MPM1805 - Site of Baffins Farm

Former farmstead near the south-east corner of Baffins pond. A farm existed at Baffins from at least 1737 until the mid-1930s when the farmstead was demolished. The farmhouse was situated within the area now occupied by tennis courts.

A farm existed at Baffins from around the early 1700s until the 1930s. The farmstead was located towards the south-east corner of Baffins Pond. A farm is not marked within the area on 17th century maps of Portsea Island and a saltworks and a 'Fresh Marsh' are shown within the general area (1, 2). The pond is shown on the west side of the salterns on a map dated 1660/70, but no buildings are marked (9). The 1716 map by Edwards (3) shows the pond, possibly with a building nearby. A lease of 1737 concerns the right to dig sand to the east of the farm, showing it existed from at least this date (4). The farm was split in two in 1798 with 106 acres leased to William Sheldon and 120 acres together with the farmhouse to George Smith (5). The 1838 Portsea Tithe Apportionment records the farmstead as being the second homestead of Andrew Nance junior, the land being leased from Sophia Leeke (6). A fire in 1852 destroyed all of the buildings except the farmhouse (5). The farmstead was demolished between 1932 and 1938, and was located within the area now occupied by tennis courts (7, 8). The pond remains.

<1> La Favelure, c1600, Map of Portsmouth Haven, Portsea Island, Hayling Island, and adjoining country, drawn by La Favelure (Map). SPM404.

<2> 1666-1670, 1666-70 Portsea Island, Hayling, Gosport (with Cosham, Portchester etc.) (Map). SPM405.

<3> Edwards, Talbot, 1716, A Plan of Portsmouth and parts adjacent, finished in the year 1716 (Cartographic materials). SPM406.

<4> 1737, Right to dig sand at Baffins Farm (Unpublished document). SPM413.

<5> Shuttleworth, Suzanne, 1993, Farms and Market Gardens on Portsea Island 1770-1880 (Bibliographic reference). SPM403.

<6> Owen, Thomas Ellis, 1838, Portsea Tithe Map and Apportionment (Map). SPM235.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1932, Ordnance Survey Map 1932 (Map). SPM354.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1938, Ordnance Survey Map 1938 (Map). SPM378.

<9> 1666-1670, 1666-70 Portsea Island, Hayling, Gosport (with Cosham, Portchester etc.) (Map). SPM405.