I've been reading some depositions of the mid C18th and c 1830, the
latter probably in relation to enclosures. These relate to the
moorlands of the Pennines, particularly to the boundaries between
Holmfirth and Saddleworth and/or Tintwistle. The boundary with
Tintwistle was also a county boundary.

It's clear that the boundaries had been in dispute for a long period of
time but when the OS arrived to make 6" maps about 1850 boundaries
between counties and between Holmfirth and Saddleworth Marsden were all
marked out with a series of mounds (the boundaries seem to have survived
the later C19th and even worse 1970s upheavals of local government
although the nature of the entities they separated didn't). One of the deponents of c1830 mentioned that there "now" were mounds which suggests
they were fairly recent and another refers to before the line with
Saddleworth was settled.

It appears that there must have been some sort of authority which
determined these and ensured that they were demarcated on the gorund but
the circumstances seem to indicate that it was before the enclosure
awards were made. I suppose it would be possible that the enclosure commissioners might have reached some decision before final awards were
made but would setting external boundaries have even been part of their
remit?

Was there some sort of boundary commission operating at a level capable
of determining county and lesser boundaries in the early C19th or
possibly slightly earlier?

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On 06/05/2021 17:15, Ian Goddard wrote:

Was there some sort of boundary commission operating at a level capable
of determining county and lesser boundaries in the early C19th or
possibly slightly earlier?

There are a lot of references to the Boundary Commission(s), have a look
in Hansard.



Morning Advertiser - Monday 20 July 1835
Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

BOUNDARY COMMISSION. On Thursday, on the motion of Mr. Miles, a copy was ordered by the Commons of the Boundary Commission, and of the
instructions issued to and by the Commissioners appointed to settle the boundaries and wards of the cities and boroughs of England and Wales.
These documents were subsequently presented, and ordered to be printed.
The Commission, by writ of Privy Seal, is dated the 15th of July. It constitutes Mr. C. Shaw Lefevre, an Honorary Commissioner, with Mr. J.
G. Pennington, Mr. J. E. Drink water, and Mr. Edwd. Rushton, London
Board of Commissioners, with Mr. Joseph Parkes, Secretary, to determine
the metes and bounds of the cities and boroughs in the schedules of the Corporation Bill, and to settle the wards; empowering the Board to send Commissioners to inquire into such boundaries. The Circuit Commissioners
are Messrs. Samson A* Rumball, Geo. Barrett Leonard, Daniel Mande, John
Buckle, John Aldridge, John Hammell, Harry David Jones, John Watson
Pringle, John James Chapman, Henry Rowland Brandreth, Gustavus Du Platt,
and William Thomas Denison, six barristers and six civil engineers, who
have all left town on their respective circuits, one barrister and one
civil engineer to each circuit. The Distriet Commissioners will report
to the London Board, the general report of which Board will be
ultimately made to the Privy Council. The instructions generally direct
the Commissioners to recommend the enlargement or restriction of the
municipal boundaries according to circumstances, and to divide certain
classes of towns into wards of certain numbers. No time has been lost in
this important object, and the Commissioners are now actively employed
in various parts of the country. It is expected that the whole will be concluded by October latest.— Observer.

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On 08/05/2021 17:27, MB wrote:

On 06/05/2021 17:15, Ian Goddard wrote:

Was there some sort of boundary commission operating at a level capable
of determining county and lesser boundaries in the early C19th or
possibly slightly earlier?

There are a lot of references to the Boundary Commission(s), have a look
in Hansard.

 Morning Advertiser - Monday 20 July 1835
Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Thanks. That one is a little late & deals with boroughs. However it
set me off in the right direction. There was a Division Of Counties And Boundaries Bill in 1832. The witness who stated that "there are now old
clods & heaps standing showing the division of the boundaries" could
have been speaking as late as early 1833 which could well fit in with
the demarcation being the result of that Bill.

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