Court Officials and Attendance
| Lord of the ManorThe Lord of the Manor was the landowner with legal and economic control over a manor. They collected rents, administered... In full. | William Whitchurch (Esquire) |
| HaywardThe hayward was a manorial official appointed to protect the fields during growing and harvest seasons. Duties included maintaining hedges,... In full. | Robert Kember |
| The HomageHomage referred to the sworn body of tenants who served as the jury of a manor court. Selection for the... In full. | John Loder, John Carter, Thomas Sergeant, Robert Bullen, Ambrose Sergeant, Robert Kember, Richard Bishopp, Thomas Hobbs junior |
| Did not Attend | Free suitorIn the manorial system, a tenant's obligation to attend the manor court was called 'suit of court'. Suit of court... In full.: William Weston (Esquire) Tenants: Ambrose Forrister (gentleman), Richard Snoke, Robert Langman, Nicholas Farvis, Andrew Loder, John Durant, Elizabeth Hellier, Henry Snooke, Thomas Bingham, Robert Jollife, Thomas Hobbs senior, Mary Hellier (widow), Joan Chamberlin (widow), Elizabeth Hancock, Robert Chaffey, Joseph Snooke, James Carter, Margaret Miles, George Jolliffe junior, Bernard Chamberlin, George Jolliffe senior, William Clerk, George Snooke, George Crosse, John Smith (by marriageJure uxoris ('by right of wife') was how a husband gained rights over his wife's property. In the English property... In full.), John Banger, Anna Turner, John Paveatt, Margery Coombs, William Banger |
| AffeerersAn affeerer was a manor court official who assessed and adjusted amercement amounts. Selected from among the manor's tenants, affeerers... In full. | John Loder, Thomas Sergeant |
Property Transactions
| Transaction | Individuals, Relationships and Roles | Premises & Land |
|---|---|---|
| SurrenderSurrender was the formal procedure of returning a copyhold tenancy to the lord of the manor. It served several purposes:... In full. and ReversionThe automatic transfer of a tenancy upon the termination of the current tenant's interest. In manorial practice, reversions were commonly... In full. for 3 lives Ambrose Snook, Richard Snook and Samuel Snook (son of Ambrose) hold and surrender the reversion for joint lives on the property in the tenure of Anne Snooke (widow). Ambrose retakes the property in reversion for himself and his sons Samuel and William for the joint term of their lives. Their tenancy to become effective on the end of the existing tenancy by Anne Snook. Rent 15s HeriotHeriot was a duty the lord of the manor collected at the end of a tenancy. It traditionally consisted of... In full. when due FineA fine was a customary payment made to the lord of the manor upon changes to tenancy arrangements. It acknowledged... In full. £16 2s 6d | Ambrose Snook (surrenderer, first life admittedAdmission was the legal process granting a new tenant rights to copyhold property. The court 'admitted' someone following a previous... In full. in reversion) Richard Snook (surrenderer) Samuel Snook (child of Ambrose, surrenderer, second life in reversion) William Snook (child of Ambrose, third life in reversion) Anne Snook (widow, current tenant) | One customary tenementA tenement was any holding of land with at least one building. A customary tenement was held according to the... In full. and a farthingdealA historical unit of measurement for an area of land that is equivalent to one-quarter of a larger area. Sources... In full. of land with a communal enclosure for sheep and appurtenancesThe legally recognised rights, privileges, and physical elements inseparably attached to a property within a manor. These included both beneficial... In full. for the same tenementA tenement was any holding of land with at least one building. A customary tenement was held according to the... In full.. |
presentments by the Homage
| PresentmentPresentments constituted the formal declarations and findings submitted by the Homage at each sitting of the manor court. The Homage... In full. | Individuals, Relationships and Roles | Premises & Land or Rights |
|---|---|---|
| Customary RightsThe rules, rights and obligations by which a particular manor was governed/administered. These customs acquired legal force through long usage... In full. | It is our customThe rules, rights and obligations by which a particular manor was governed/administered. These customs acquired legal force through long usage... In full. to have firebootBoot (or Bote) was a customary right allowing tenants to take timber for designated purposes. Categories included: Fireboot (deadwood for... In full. without assignmentManorial custom might require agreement (assignment) to use common resources, such as wood for building or repairing houses (houseboot). In full. and housebootBoot (or Bote) was a customary right allowing tenants to take timber for designated purposes. Categories included: Fireboot (deadwood for... In full. and ploughbootBoot (or Bote) was a customary right allowing tenants to take timber for designated purposes. Categories included: Fireboot (deadwood for... In full. with assignment | |
| Customary Rights | No tenant is allowed to take any agistmentAgistment was an arrangement whereby landowners or tenants permitted others to pasture their livestock on lands for a specified fee.... In full. sheep to the commonLand over which manorial tenants held shared rights. These typically included common of pasture (grazing), turbary (cutting turf for fuel),... In full. and let them lodge or couchIn manorial usage, 'to lodge or couch' on the common means that animals grazing there remain resting or lying, typically... In full. there. They are to be penned, and if not penned by the tenant who allowed them onto the common, any other tenant is free to pen them. | |
| Death and Tenancy Change | William Kember (deceased) Robert Kember the elder (next taker, admitted) | Item we present that William Kember died since the last court and Robert Kember the elder is the next taker by CopyThe copy of an entry of a court roll recording the admission of a tenant to copyhold property. The copy... In full. for his life, and is admitted tenant and made fealtyAn oath of loyalty sworn to the lord of the manor. Every new copyholder was required to perform fealty upon... In full. |
| Death and Tenancy Change | Thomas Cook (deceased) Sarah Cook (widow of Thomas, declared next taker) | Thomas Cook who held a CopyholdA form of land tenure where the tenant held land 'by copy of court roll'. The manorial court roll recorded... In full. tenement for his life has died since the last court and a heriot was due. Sarah Cook his widow is the next taker. |
| Maintenance and Repair | A stile and bridge at Southground against the common need repairing and ought to be done by the lord of the manor | |
| Maintenance and Repair | George Snooke | George Snooke’s bridge at the lower end of Hemps needs repairing we order it to be repaired by Midsummer next on pain of'On pain of' was a phrase in presentments specifying the penalty for non-compliance with a court directive. When the court... In full. 5s. |
| Failure to do free suitIn the manorial system, a tenant's obligation to attend the manor court was called 'suit of court'. Suit of court... In full. / suitIn the manorial system, a tenant's obligation to attend the manor court was called 'suit of court'. Suit of court... In full. | We present the tenants and others that have made default this day. Amercements : free suitorIn the manorial system, a tenant's obligation to attend the manor court was called 'suit of court'. Suit of court... In full.: 2s 6d, suitors 6d each |