Description:

Photographs of sale particulars for the outlying portions of the Michaelchurch Court Estate in the parishes of  Craswall, Llanveynoe, Michaelchurch Eskley, Newton and St Margarets containing 356 acres 1r 14p in ten lots for sale by auction by Mr Montague Harris at the Angel Hotel Abergavenny on Tuesday November 11^th 1919. The lots are:

1. The Green, a freehold farm of 113a 0r 27p in Newton and St Margarets, in the occupation of Mr Henry Watkins
2. The Lordship, freehold pasture land of 15a 2r 8p in St Margarets, in the occupation of Mr Henry Watkins
3. Stormy Castle, a freehold farm of 76a 2r 18p in Newton and Michaelchurch Eskley in the occupation of Mr John Saunders
4. Rhy-Du-Bach, a small holding of 31 acres in Michaelchurch Eskley in the occupation of Mrs W Shaw
5. Pasture land of 1a 1r 16p in Michaelchurch Eskley in the occupation of Mr A Challoner
6. Pasture land of 0a 3r 14p situate in Llanbaddan farm, Michaelchurch Eskley in the occupation of Mr George Williams
7. Gwyrlod- Faen, a freehold farm of 68a 0r 30p in Michaelchurch Eskley and Craswallin the occupation of Mr John Watkins
8. Wern-Wen, a small agricultural holding of 42a 1r 36p in Craswall and Michaelchurch Eskley in the occupation of Mr Thomas Smith
9. Pasture land of 3a 1r 28p in Craswall in the occupation of Mr John Watkins
10. Pasture land of 3a 2r 37p in Llanveynoe in the occupation of Mr John Watkins

There is a schedule of field references and areas for each lot, and it is noted that the sale is by order of the trustees of the Michaelchurch Court Estate. Title is asserted by reference to the will of a testatrix who died in the year 1890 [not named in the particulars, but certainly Elizabeth Rawson].

Observations:

Maps are not included in these papers. Documents reference M5/6A/13 and M5/24/35 at Hereford Record Office appear to be identical particulars but include plans and sale results.

This is an interesting addition to the picture of the Michaelchurch Court Estate, and falls into the period after Henry Trafford's death in 1910 but before his heir Randolph Trafford came of age and formally  inherited in 1928. Trustees ran the legal and financial affairs in the intervening period  under an arrangement dating back to Elizabeth Rawson's will when she left her interests in the estate to the Trafford male line on her death in 1890. There is evidence of wrangling between the Traffords and the trustees around this time over living allowances including a court case by the Traffords to force an increase the amounts paid out to them. It therefore seems likely the property disposals were made to help maintain the Traffords in their accustomed lifestyle, including their villa on Lake Geneva and Randolph's education – and perhaps later to fund his motor yacht and aeroplanes