Terminology

Prop. Ref. No.

Unique Property Reference Number. Each building or individual sub-unit of a building has been assigned a UPRN to facilitate searching for planning applications among other functions.

Shades

On the south-east coast, the name ‘shades’ was commonly used for taprooms located behind major inns and hotels. Shades bars came into existence because of the demands of the military personnel billeted along the south-east coast during the Napoleonic Wars.

scot and lot

Scot and lot is a phrase common in the records of English medieval boroughs, referring to local rights and obligations, in particular relating to taxation.

Beadle

The beadle kept order in the church during services, served as a town crier delivering news, dispersed noisy urchins, strolled the parish, solved squabbles between parishioners, took drunks to the round house (jail), and, at Christmas time, knocked on each parishioner’s door and delivered the Bellman’s verse.

Alderman

A co-opted member of council elected by his peers on the council, second in authority to the Mayor.

Letter of Marque

This letter, which could be purchased from the Admiralty, permitted the bearer to "arm, equip and set forth to sea" in a named vessel to "set upon by force of arms and to subdue, seize and take the Men of War, ships and other vessels and goods, monies and merchandise" of any enemy vessel.

seal

A device for making an impression, usually in wax, or the impression so formed, historically used to authenticate documents.

Chiltern Hundreds

A legal fiction utilised to permit Members of Parliament to resign, there being no means in law for them to resign their position. See Wikipedia for more information.

transom

A small horizontal bar in a window, separating individual glazed areas above and below.

mullion

A vertical (upright) dividing member of a window frame, separating individual glazed areas.

hopper

A small glazed element at the top of a window, separated by a transom, and usually opening inwards.

fanlight

A small glazed element at the top of a window, separated by a transom, and either non-

opening or opening outwards.