Dear All
For years I have been searching for my x4 great grandfather (see:
http://the-ridouts.com/2011/07/10/john-ridout-iv-a-man-of-mystery/). I know him as John RIDOUT, born in ~1753, probably in Sherborne. He married Susanna SHORE in 1781 in Sherborne Abbey; both were buried in Sherborne Abbey - Susanna in 1817 and John 1827. Their children were also baptised in the Abbey. It is reasonable, I think, to assume that the family lived in Sherborne town, not in an outlying village.
My problem has always been to find any mention of John & Susanna in any Dorset records. But I have found a possible candidate for John which has me all fired up. There are two mentions of what might be 'my' John RIDOUT: Militia List (1798) for Westbury tithing in Sherborne and Land Tax records (1780 & 1782) for the tithing of Nethercombe in Sherborne.
I cannot find a map of the historic tithings of Sherborne but I believe that Nethercombe and Westbury are both situated to the left side of the town and may be adjoining. I am excited about this because other members of this family lived in Primsley, Hyle and West Mill. In the 1677 Sherborne Manor Survey, I found reference to a John RIDOUT 'of Combe', aged 45 and son William (18) and I believe another son John (20) 'of Acreman Street', which I think runs through both Nethercombe and Westbury? Their ages match known RIDOUT research subjects and this could be the same family - the three men were sharing the lease of 'Banwell's tenement' in Nether Combe.
Please can anyone point me to the source of an old map showing Westbury, Nethercombe and, if I'm lucky some labelling of properties and/or land. I live in Wales but would travel to see such a map if it existed :-) Failing that, can anyone please help from personal knowledge of the area?
Thanks
Regards
Karen Francis