Location of Brook Hall Ditches / Brook Hale Ditches (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Sunday, September 11, 2011, 17:38 (4909 days ago) @ Jefff

I'm NOT particularly au fait with the Parkend/Whitecroft area so I'm more than happy to be corrected. However after much Googling, searching the FoD website including Advanced search of this place name in the PRs, and studying old maps sites I wonder if it's related to what is now the hamlet of Brockhollands ?.

From this highly recommended website you can enlarge & study several old maps.
Drop down the menu above the map and select the B&W C19th map, click on "bigger map" to enlarge it around Parkend/Bream. "Drag" cursor to move around the map, or further enlarge it.

http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/index.jsp?layer=europe&xMin=3163681.93101&am...

To me this map appears to clearly read BrookHollands Farm (ie NOT Brock) just north of the Meer Brook, just south of Whitecroft. There are other brooks north of here.

This development was built-up and called "Brockhollands" largely after the above Baptisms etc were recorded; where did they get the name from ?.

Also see http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=23266&strquery=brockholland

and track down past the map of Bream (which can be enlarged) until you see "Brockhollands" highlighted in green, which states.

"South-west of Whitecroft there were half a dozen cottages on Saunders green in 1834. (fn. 52) Later the small hamlet of Brockhollands, on a hillside above Cannop brook, was formed north-west of an ancient farmstead within Newland parish. (fn. 53) A row of brick cottages had been built near the road from the Tufts to Bream by the early 1870s when, following the diversion of a new road to Whitecroft, a land society sponsored by a Conservative building society laid out roads for a housing estate lower down the valley side.

I happily look forward to yet another of my "good" theories being scotched !

ps regarding variations of spellings,
the Old English word "broc" means "brook" or "stream", whereas the Old English word "brocc" means "badger".
Simple, eh ?.