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 (gentleman) |
| The HomageHomage referred to the sworn body of tenants who served as the jury of a manor court. Selection for the... In full. | Robert Kember (foreman), Robert Joyliffe, Nicholas Hobbs, Robert Hellier, John Loader, John Chaffey, Thomas Cooke, John Clarke senior, Laurence Hobbs, John Snooke, Robert Langman, William Loder |
| Attended | Richard Snooke, Thomas Bingham, Elizabeth Loader, Frances Lane |
| 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.: Thomas Weston (Esquire) Tenants: William Thornhull (gentleman), Bernard Chamberlaine, James Ellis, Robert Clarke, Thomas Snooke, Thomas Vervis, Richard Buishopp, Thomas Stone, Ambrose Browne, John Carter junior, George Hancock (by marriageJure uxoris ('by right of wife') was how a husband gained rights over his wife's property. In the English property... In full.), Joan Locke (widow), Barbara Chamberlaine (widow), Grace Snooke (widow), Joan Loader (widow), Margaret Snooke (deceased), Elizabeth Snooke (deceased), Mary Loader (deceased) |
| 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, Robert Hellyer |
Property Transactions
| Transaction | Individuals, Relationships and Roles | Premises & Land |
|---|---|---|
| AdmissionAdmission was the legal process granting a new tenant rights to copyhold property. The court 'admitted' someone following a previous... In full. Admission after death of his mother. | Richard Snooke (AdmittedAdmission was the legal process granting a new tenant rights to copyhold property. The court 'admitted' someone following a previous... In full.) Elizabeth Snooke (Mother of Richard, Deceased) | The tenementA tenement was any holding of land with at least one building. A customary tenement was held according to the... In full. and premises recently in the tenure of Elizabeth Snooke |
| Admission Admission after death of previous tenant. | Thomas Bingham (Admitted) John Ridout (Previous Tenant) | The tenement and premises recently in the tenure of John Ridout |
| Admission Admission after death of previous tenant. | John Loder (Admitted) Margaret Snooke (Previous Tenant, Widow, Deceased) | The tenement and premises recently in the tenure of Margaret Snooke |
| Admission in ReversionThe automatic transfer of a tenancy upon the termination of the current tenant's interest. In manorial practice, reversions were commonly... In full. for 2 lives Francis and Thomas Cooke are granted a reversion on an enclosure held by Margaret Seager. The reversion to come into effect when the existing tenancy ends. Rent 2s p.a. FineA fine was a customary payment made to the lord of the manor upon changes to tenancy arrangements. It acknowledged... In full. £18 10s. | Francis Cooke (Admitted in Reversion) Thomas Cooke (Admitted in Reversion) Thomas Cooke (Father of Francis and Thomas Cooke) Margaret Seager (Current Tenant) | One enclosure of pasture called Stephen Ford currently in the tenure of Margaret Seager |
| SurrenderSurrender was the formal procedure of returning a copyhold tenancy to the lord of the manor. It served several purposes:... In full. and Admission for 3 lives Edward Hellyer surrenders premises and land, including the interests of Thomas and Robert Hellyer (sons of Robert Hellyer). Edward then retakes the same premises and land for himself, Edward his son and Elizabeth his daughter. Rent 8s p.a. HeriotHeriot was a duty the lord of the manor collected at the end of a tenancy. It traditionally consisted of... In full. 40s. Fine 1s. | Edward Hellyer (Surrenderer and Admitted, Current Tenant) Thomas Hellyer (Surrenderer, Son of Robert Hellyer) Robert Hellyer (Surrenderer, Son of Robert Hellyer) Robert Hellyer (Father of Thomas and Robert Hellyer) Edward Hellyer (Admitted in reversion. Son of Edward Hellyer) Elizabeth Hellyer (Admitted in reversion. Daughter of Edward Hellyer) | A cattle shed, the other part of a house with barn and cattle shed, and the BacksideRefers to the small area of land at the rear of a property. There is one example where the size... In full. and the new orchard adjoining, one enclosure of pasture called the Home Close (7 acres), one enclosure of arable land called Innox (2 acres), one enclosure arable and pasture called Erridge (40 acres), one enclosure of meadowland called Ricksbedd (3 acres) and commonLand over which manorial tenants held shared rights. These typically included common of pasture (grazing), turbary (cutting turf for fuel),... In full. of pasture for 25 sheep in Stalbridge Weston common. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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. AmercedAn amercement was a monetary penalty imposed by the court for breaching custom. The origin of the word reflects the... In full. 5s. Assessed at 1s. | Thomas Weston, esquire | |
| Failure to do SuitIn the manorial system, a tenant's obligation to attend the manor court was called 'suit of court'. Suit of court... In full. Amerced 3s. 4d. Assessed at 3d. | William Thornhull (gentleman) Thomas Snooke Ambrose Browne James Ellis Bernard Chamberlaine John Carter Richard Buishop Robert Clarke George Hancock Thomas Vervis | |
| Customary RightsThe rules, rights and obligations by which a particular manor was governed/administered. These customs acquired legal force through long usage... In full. | To have sparsSpars were thin, straight wooden poles cut from coppiced woodland for construction and agricultural purposes. In manorial records, spars appear... In full. and wattles from Frith Wood to repair their houses, and to have access to Frith Wood through Rewthornes, Woollans and Freth House grounds. | |
| Maintenance and Repair | Toogoods gate was presented at the last court as being in need of repair and this has not happened. To be repaired by the next court 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. | |
| Customary Rights | To have ploughbootBoot (or Bote) was a customary right allowing tenants to take timber for designated purposes. Categories included: Fireboot (deadwood for... In full. and 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. with assignment. | |
| Death and Tenancy Change Heriot: One cow valued at 40s | Margaret Snooke (Deceased) John Loder (new tenant) | Margaret Snooke died since the last court. John Loder declared to be the next tenant. |
| Death and Tenancy Change Heriot: A feather bed valued at 40s | Elizabeth Snooke (widow, deceased) Richard Snooke (son of Elizabeth Snooke, next tenant) | Elizabeth Snooke died since the last court. Richard Snooke her son declared to be next tenant. |
| Required attendance | Richard Snooke (next tenant) | To be admitted tenant at the next court, on pain of 10s. |
| Antisocial Behaviour | William Myles (Offender) | William Myles has been digging up and fencing part of the wasteThe lord's waste referred to uncultivated land within a manor not held by tenants. These were typically open, unimproved lands... In full. without consent of any of the tenants |
| Antisocial Behaviour | Edward Hellier (Offender) | Edward Hellier has been overusing the Commons by taking in of jestments |