The table below gives details about who owned and occupied the house. The sources for information vary; the records pre 1800 are mainly manor court rolls. Every time a property changed hands, even between family members, the transaction had to be recorded at the manorial court. The names of those who surrendered and those who were admitted and the entry fines they paid were written in the rolls of parchment by the clerk. An entry fine was paid to the lord of the manor and the new owner was given a written copy of the transaction, hence the term copyhold.
All records were in abbreviated medieval latin until 1752 except for a short period during the commonwealth between 1650 and 1660.Freehold property is rarely mentioned but can sometimes be found in the manor rentals. It is difficult to trace the history of a house as addresses are never given ad therefore the only way is to use the owners name or very occasionally the name of the house.
Post 1800 there are many more sources of information although actual addresses are not used until mid 20th century. One method of identifying a house in the records is by the description of the land that went with it or the annual rent paid to the lord of the manor which often didn’t change over a hundred years.
The table is arranged over five columns. The first gives the year of the record and the second is the source document sometimes with a reference number. The next two columns record the transfer of ownership and the occupier of the property. Click on the names to link to the people database. Sometimes there is no link to the database so go to the people page on the top navigation bar and simply type in the name you are searching for. The search function returns all documents where the name searched for appears in that document. Click on a name match to view the document in which that name appears. When viewing a record that contains other names, it is possible to perform a new search on that name by clicking on the name link.
The last column shows information about the property and any comments
This house was built on a plot which stretched from Great Green to the Back Lane of Priors Hill. The site was part of the planned medieval village which fronted onto the green just outside the bailey. Pirton House was also built on this plot. The piece of land on the other side of Priors Hill also belonged to this plot.
| date | source | owner/buyer | occupier | comment |
| 1811 | pre enclosure plan/Hofton | George Hailey | Yard and barn | |
| 1830 | HALS | John Hipgrave transferred ownership to Thomas Hipgrave | Land. | |
| 1832 | pigot – trade directory/HALS | Thomas Hipgrave | Wheelwright. | |
| 1832 | pigot – trade directory/HALS | Thomas Hipgrave | Shopkeepers & dealers in groceries & sundries | |
| 1841 | Census 1841 | Richard Trussell | Great Green. Richard Trussell – Agricultural labourer age 40 | |
| 1841 | Census 1841 | John Hipgrave | Great Green. John Hipgrave – Farmer age 80 | |
| 1844 | Register of electors/HALS | William Hipgrave | House and premises Near Great Green | |
| 1851 | Census 1851 | Thomas Trussell | Thomas Trussell – Ag Lab age 48 | |
| 1851 | Census 1851 | James Hipgrave | James Hipgrave – Grocer & Butcher age 22 | |
| 1853 | Manor court books/HALS | Thomas Hipgrave transferred ownership to William Hipgrave | Land. | |
| 1855 | Kelly – trade directory/HALS | Richard Trussell | Shopkeeper. | |
| 1861 | Census 1861 | Richard Trussell | Richard Trussell – Grocer age 60 | |
| 1863 | Rates/HALS | William Hipgrave | Richard Trussell | House and premises rateable value £8 0s 0d |
| 1869 | Manor court books/HALS | William Hipgrave transferred ownership to David Trussell | Land with dovehouse | |
| 1870 | Manor court books/HALS | David Trussell | Great Green. 183 and 184 on enclosure | |
| 1871 | Census 1871 | Sarah Trussell | Sarah Trussell – Grocer & postmistress age 66 | |
| 1874 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1875 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1876 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1876 | Manor court books/HALS | Harriet couzens | Messuage. Bounded On East By Road To Shillington, South By Land Of Jeff Lucas with stable built by Wm Hipgrave | |
| 1877 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1877 | Sanitation report/HALS | David Trussell | Mrs Thrussell | Grocer Shop with Yard. Well, drainage-Main. 6 inmates sharing 2 living rooms, 3 sleeping rooms and Privy |
| 1878 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1878 | Kelly – trade directory/HALS | John Trussell | General smith & carrier to Hitchin | |
| 1879 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1880 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1881 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1881 | Census 1881 | John Trussell | John Trussell – Blacksmith employing 2 men age 27 | |
| 1882 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1882 | School admission register/HALS | John Trussell | Philip Trussell born 21/2/1880 enrolled 12/6/1882 | |
| 1883 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1883 | School admission register/HALS | John Trussell | Philip Trussell born 21/3/1889 enrolled 7/5/1883? | |
| 1884 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1884 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | House, shop and land occupier Great Green | |
| 1884 | Manor court books/HALS | Fred Eddowes | Thrussell | Cottage. divided into 2 Great Green |
| 1885 | Register of electors/HALS | David Trussell | House and gardens Great Green | |
| 1885 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | House, shop and land occupier Great Green | |
| 1885 | School admission register/HALS | John Trussell | Nellie Trussell born 19/7/1881 enrolled 27/4/1885 | |
| 1886 | School admission register/HALS | John Trussell | Green Ethel may Trussell born /2/1884 enrolled 1886/87 | |
| 1888 | School admission register/HALS | David Trussell transferred ownership to John Trussell | Land bounded on S by land of F Radcliffe and north by land of John Sheppard. Great Green piece of land with the Dovehouse frontage of 47 feet on Great Green | |
| 1891 | Census 1891 | John Trussell | Great Green. John Trussell – Grocer and Postmaster age 37 | |
| 1892 | School admission register/HALS | John Trussell | Ethel Trussell born 13/12/1884 enrolled 1892 | |
| 1895 | Kelly – trade directory/HALS | John Trussell | Shopkeeper & carrier to Hitchin post office | |
| 1898 | Kelly – trade directory/HALS | John Trussell | Shopkeeper & carrier to Hitchin post office | |
| 1901 | Census 1901 | John Trussell | Great Green. John Trussell, Grocer shopkeeper sub postmaster age 47 | |
| 1902 | Kelly – trade directory/HALS | John Trussell | Shopkeeper & carrier to Hitchin post office | |
| 1909 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | John Trussell | House Great Green |
| 1909 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | Post Office Great Green | |
| 1910 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | John Trussell | Post Office Great Green |
| 1910 | Rates/HALS | John Trussell | John Trussell | Shop & post office Great Green. 29 perch gross value £13 10s rateable value £10 5s |
| 1910 | Rates/HALS | John Trussell | John Trussell | Land. Holwell Road 3 rood 24 perch gross value £1 17s rateable value £1 15s |
| 1910 | Rates/HALS | John Trussell | John Trussell | Blacksmith shop Great Green 1 perch gross value £4 0s rateable value £3 0s |
| 1910 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | Post Office Great Green | |
| 1911 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | John Trussell | Post Office Great Green |
| 1911 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | House. | |
| 1911 | Census 1911 | John Trussell | Great Green. 6 rooms 3 in household John Trussell Shop Keeper & Sub Postman – age 57 | |
| 1911 | Census 1911 | Helena Trussell | Great Green. 6 rooms 3 in household Helena Jane Trussell Assisting in the business – age 29 | |
| 1911 | Census 1911 | Ethel Trussell | Great Green. 6 rooms 3 in household Ethel May Trussell School Teacher – age 26 | |
| 1912 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | John Trussell | House. Great Green |
| 1912 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | House. Post Office, Great Green | |
| 1912 | Kelly – trade directory/HALS | John Trussell | Post Office shopkeeper | |
| 1913 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | John Trussell | House. Great Green |
| 1913 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | House. Post Office, Great Green | |
| 1914 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | John Trussell | House. Great Green |
| 1914 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | House. Post Office, Great Green | |
| 1914 | HALS | John Trussell transferred ownership to Hitchin Mutual Building Society | Chipping Green. conditional surrender for £258 | |
| 1915 | Register of electors/HALS | Albert Trussell | Dwelling house Great Green | |
| 1915 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | Post Office Great Green | |
| 1915 | Register of electors/HALS | John Trussell | John Trussell | House Great Green |
| 1926 | Kelly – trade directory/HALS | Walter Carter | Old Post Office. Great Green builder & carpenter | |
| 1926 | Kelly – trade directory/HALS | Walter Christmas | Old Post Office. Great Green builder & carpenter | |
| 1929 | Kelly – trade directory/HALS | Walter Christmas | Old Post Office. builder, carpenter & portable building manufacturer | |
| 1935 | Original rates/Hofton | Walter Christmas | Walter Christmas | House, workshop & premises Great Green gross value 21 rateable value 14 |
| 1935 | Original rates/Hofton | Walter Christmas | F Males | Smithy and premises Great Green gross value rateable value 4 |
| 1935 | Kelly – trade directory/HALS | Walter Christmas | Old Post Office Great Green carpenter | |
| 1937 | Kelly – trade directory/HALS | Walter Christmas | Old Post Office Great Green carpenter | |
| 1939 | National Registration Identity Cards/National Archives | Walter F Christmas | 4 Great Green. married DOB 6/5/1888 Builder Age 51 | |
| 1939 | National Registration Identity Cards/National Archives | Lily J Christmas | Married. DOB 30/4/1892 Unpaid domestic duties Age 47 | |
| 1939 | National Registration Identity Cards/National Archives | Elizabeth J Williams | Single. DOB 9/5/1916 Domestic Science Teacher Age 23 | |
| 1939 | National Registration Identity Cards/National Archives | Gertrude B Standish | Married. DOB 11/6/1887 LCC teacher Age 52 |
