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.
The following column shows all the information about the property and the last one gives any comments.
| Date | Source | Owner/Buyer | Occupier | Comment |
| 1552 | Manor Court roll 48458 | Edward Sam | The tenement in Cotmore End called Crabbes in the tenure of Edward Sam is remiss and he has to make sufficient repairs before the Feast of All Saints next under a penalty 13s 4d | |
| 1553 | Manor Court roll 48458 | Edward Sam | George Manerde | Edward and Elizabeth Sam are admitted to a messuage called ‘Crabbes’, formerly Thomas Auncell’s, formerly Sam’s, and formerly Turner’s, and twenty eight acres of land and meadow, now in the occupation of George Manerde |
| 1558 | Manor Court roll 48456 | Edward Sam transfers ownership to John Hemmings | Edward Sam surrenders one messuage called Crabbes and 28 acres to John Hemmings, with conditions | |
| 1586 | Manor Court roll 48461 | William Collison | William and Elizabeth Collison hold one Messuage called Crabs and 28 acres of land | |
| 1596 | Manor Court roll 48463 | William Collison | William Collison and Elizabeth his wife own the messuage and surrender land in Ballands to Thomas Docwra | |
| 1610 | Manor rental 48545 | Robert Collison | Robert Collison holds mess and land ,rent 12sh | |
| 1629 | Manor rental | Robert Collison | Robert Collison | Robert Collison holds mess and land, he dwells in ,rent 12sh |
| 1632 | Manor Court roll 48482 | Robert Collison transfers ownership to his son Robert | Robert Collison surrenders to the use of his will, to Robert his son and his wife | |
| 1647 | Manor Court roll 48456 | Joan Collison | Joan Collison wife of Robert received 13 acres of land from Thomas Sam her father | |
| 1658 | Manor Court roll 48487 | Robert Collison transfers ownership to his son Robert | Robert Collison the younger is admitted | |
| 1662 | Manor Court roll 48488 | Robert Collison | Robert Collison lives in the messuage and home stall | |
| 1663 | 1663 Hearth tax | Robert Collison | ||
| 1663 | Manor rental | Robert Collison | Twelve shillings | |
| 1663 | Manor bylaws | Robert Collison | Robert Collison is an old cottager | |
| 1663 | Hearth tax | Robert Collison | Robert Collison has five hearths | |
| 1698 | Manor Court book 48500 | Robert Collison transfers ownership to his son Robert | Robert Collison senior leaves property to son Robert Collison ,and Ann wife of Robert Collison senior | |
| 1699 | Manor Court roll 48621 | Robert Collison | Robert Collison and Ann his wife, and Ann Blows Robert’s mother were admitted? | |
| 1720 | Manor Court book 48500 p74 | Dorothy Collison | Dorothy wife of Robert Collison and held the house for life after Robert died in 1720? | |
| 1722 | Manor Court book 48500 | Robert Collison | Edward Lacy | Robert Collison of Hitchin owns mess and 30 acres in the tenure of Edward Lacy |
| 1735 | Manor Court book 48500 | Robert Collison | Messuage is occupied by Robert Collison | |
| 1753 | Manor Court book 48500 | Robert Collison transfers ownership to Mary Lucas | Edward Lacy | Robert Collison of St Ippolyts. surrenders messuage and 30 acres in tenure of Ed Lacey to Mary Lucas |
| 1760 | Manor Court roll 48682 | Robert Collison transfers ownership to John Collison | John Collison, seedsmen and admitted to land on surrender of his father Robert Collison St Ippolyts. | |
| 1764 | Manor Court book 48516 | John Collison transfers ownership to John Midwinter | Richard Everett | John Collison, coal merchant of Hitchin, surrenders to John Midwinter, surgeon of Hitchin, now in the occupation of Richard Everett. House and 30 acres and close called homestall |
| 1780 | land tax | Richard Reay | Thomas Fullwood | Owner Richard Reay Esq, farmed by Thomas Fulwood |
| 1792 | Land tax | James Whittingstall | Mrs Fullwood | Owner Mr Whittingstall farmed by Mrs Fulwood |
| 1797 | Land tax | James Whittingstall | John King | Owner James Whittingstall farmed by John King |
| 1811 | 1811 pre enclosure | George Whittingstall | John King | Homestead |
| 1818 | 1818 enclosure | George Whittingstall | Homestead | |
| 1841 | 1841 census | James King – Farmer | ||
| 1851 | 1851 census | James King – Farmer | ||
| 1855 | register of electors | Charles Gurney | Near Little Green | |
| 1856 | register of electors | Samuel Allen | Charles Gurney | |
| 1857 | register of electors | Charles Gurney | Near Little Green | |
| 1858 | register of electors | Samuel Allen | Charles Gurney | Near Little Green |
| 1858 | register of electors | Samuel Allen | Charles Gurney | Near Little Green |
| 1859 | register of electors | Samuel Allen | Charles Gurney | |
| 1860 | register of electors | Samuel Allen | Charles Gurney | Near Little Green |
| 1861 | 1861 census | Charles Gurney – Farmer | ||
| 1861 | register of electors | Samuel Allen | Charles Gurney | Near Little Green |
| 1863 | 1863 rates | Stafford & George Allen | Charles Gurney | Farm |
| 1864 | register of electors | Samuel Allen | Charles Gurney | Near Little Green |
| 1865 | register of electors | Samuel Allen | Charles Gurney | Near Little Green |
| 1866 | register of electors | Samuel Allen | Charles Gurney | Near Little Green |
| 1867 | register of electors | Samuel Allen | Charles Gurney | Near Little Green |
| 1868 | register of electors | Samuel Allen | Charles Gurney | Near Little Green |
| 1871 | 1871 census | Charles Gurney | Farmer 140 Acres 10 Men 3 Boys | |
| 1877 | 1877 sanitation | Stafford Allen | Ann Gurney | Farmhouse with farmyard. Well, drainage-none. 3 inmates sharing living rooms, sleeping rooms and privy |
| 1881 | 1881 census | Ann Gurney – | Farmer Employing 6 Men 2 Boys | |
| 1889 | School admission books | Francis Gurney | John Gurney , | |
| 1890 | School admission books | Frank Gurney | Miriam Gurney , | |
| 1890 | 1890 Land sales | Stafford Allen Sold To Frank Gurney For £1,950 | Frank Gurney | Elm Tree Farm Garden In Front, Enclosed Partly By A Stout Wooden Fence On Brick Foundation, And Partly By A Brick Wall.Large Cattle Yard, With Entrance From The Road, With Numerous Farm Buildings, Viz.:Store-House, Chaff-House And Open-Shed, A Timber And Thatched Building Used As A Chaff-House With Granary Over. Cow-House, A Timber And Thatched Barley-Barn Enclosed With Folding Doors. Piggeries, A Newly Erected Timber, Thatched, And Pantiled Cart-Horse Stable, Timbered And Thatched Piggeries, Chaff-House, A Timber And Pantiled Hen-House. Lean-To Timber And Pantiled Chaise-House, A Timber And Tiled Wheat-Barn With Boarded Floor, Enclosed By A Pair Of Folding Doors; An Enclosed Chicken-Yard, A Timber And Pantiled Cart-Shed, A Timber And Thatched Implement-Shed.7 Bedrooms, Dining Room, Drawing Room, Kitchen,Large Store-Room, A Brick Built Slated Cool Dairy, And Wash-House.Brick, Lath, Plaster And Tiled Dwelling House99A 0R 19P |
| 1891 | 1891 census | Francis Gurney – Farmer | ||
| 1893 | School admission books | Francis Gurney | John Gurney born 12/1/1887, son of Frank | |
| 1893 | School admission books | Frank Gurney | Charlie Gurney , son of Frank | |
| 1894 | School admission books | Frank Gurney | Annie Gurney ,daughter of Frank | |
| 1895 | School admission books | Frank Gurney | Miriam Gurney , daughter of Frank | |
| 1898 | School admission books | Frank Gurney | Miriam Gurney born 13/3/1888, | |
| 1899 | School admission books | Frank Gurney | Charles Gurney born 17/4/1890, | |
| 1901 | 1901 census | Francis Gurney – Farmer | ||
| 1909 | register of electors | Francis Gurney | Elm Tree Farm tenement and land | |
| 1910 | 1910 rates | Francis Gurney | Francis Gurney | House & Homestead |
| 1910 | register of electors | Francis Gurney | Elm Tree Farm tenement and land (joint) | |
| 1910 | register of electors | John Gurney | Elm Tree Farm tenement and land (joint) | |
| 1911 | 1911 census | Francis Gurney – Farmer | ||
| 1911 | register of electors | Francis Gurney | Elm Tree Farm tenement and land (joint) | |
| 1911 | register of electors | John Gurney | Elm Tree Farm tenement and land (joint) | |
| 1912 | register of electors | Francis Gurney | Elm Tree Farm land and tenement | |
| 1912 | register of electors | John Gurney | Elm Tree Farm land and tenement | |
| 1913 | register of electors | Francis Gurney | Elm Tree Farm land and tenement | |
| 1913 | register of electors | John Gurney | Elm Tree Farm land and tenement | |
| 1914 | register of electors | Francis Gurney | Elm Tree Farm land and tenement | |
| 1914 | register of electors | John Gurney | Elm Tree Farm land and tenement | |
| 1915 | register of electors | Francis Gurney | Elm Tree Farm land and tenement | |
| 1915 | register of electors | John Gurney | Elm Tree Farm land and tenement | |
| 1935 | 1935 rates | John Gurney | Francis & John Gurney | Agric. Dwelling House |
| 1941 | 1941 Farm survey | J Inns Of Springfield Stevenage | J Gurney, Full Time Farmer |
