FORDINGTON MANOR

Com Dorsett/ [Back of folio 28]
Obseruacons

This Mannor consisteth most of comon feild Lande all in one most spacious feild
called fordington feild compasinge the south and weste parts of the Towne of
Dorchester home to the Dichs. In w^ch (which) generall feild all the custumarie and
freehold arable landes are dispersed in severall forlongs as shall att large
appear by a terrar⁽³⁾ of the same inserted in the generall booke./
The custumarie tenemts are nowe distinguished by whole places ⁽⁴⁾ halfe places and
farthingholdes and anncient cottages but formerly by yardlands halfe yardlands
and farthings small custumaries and cottages.. This Mannor as nowe it
appeareth seemeth much unlike to the annciente state of the same as by
consequente observacons it maie appeare especiallie in the demeisnes w^ch weere
a capitall messuage 471 acr(ers) of arable Landes 49 acres meadowe 38 acres _ of
frith w^ch laste hath a double understandinge frith in most places is taken for
underwoode in some places for pasture whether of theis it was now appeareth
not ⁽⁵⁾ A pasture worth in the time of Ed: i c s w^ch cannot be lesse than 100 acr.
for meadowe was then valued but att xij d per acr. this pasture was then ~
knowne by the name of Graiswicke not to be found wthn the royole Mannor
by relacon of the Tennts. but it is apparant if it maie bee accordingly considered
wch uppon accasion I will as I have formerlie donne att large explained There
was alsoe a pasture for 33 oxen in Burton meadowes from St Georges even
to Trinitie neerelie lost. There was alsoe a pasture for 60 sheepe nowe
swallowed upp unknowne howe or by whome. Alsoe a woode in Blackmore
100 acres of oake wth the herbage comon to the Tennts. But the pannage
was the Lordes theis acre carried and staid confuseolie [confusingly] untill diliberate ~
consideracon be had for reformacon. A water mill ther was and is there
rented wth a little ham (hamlet). Lvij^s iiij^d per ann./
There are more free holders as it seemeth then in the time when the Inquisicon was
taken after the death of Edmond Carle of Cornwall [?] whose free rents came
then but to 12^li-9^s.1d per ann. and nowe to xvi^li -xij^s -viij^d. Howe this may bee
wthout the grannte of some demeisnes or custumarie tents in fee I conceave not/
The Hospitall of St. Jo: in Dorchester helde of this Mannor vid virgat tenn
wth yarde lande seemeth to be helde as a customarie tenem^t and containeth
by veiwe as I have found by the perambulacon of the feildes 56 acr d wch
together wth a pasture containe neere 100 acres. knowne by the name of Loudes
feild formerlie Graiswick are passed by her Late Ma:tie as I take it in fee
to Mr Jo: Churchill of Dorchester in toto confused 153 acres comon feilds.⁽⁶⁾ Sr
George Trenchard kt. holdeth in the comon feildes by unknown title 137 –
acre __ of land besides 46 acres arable in whiteness 6 acr meadowe And
a pasture All then knowne by the name of a hamlett called Whitwell wch
hardlie be discovered whout Recordes or Sr Georges anncient evidence -
shewing howe this were dismembred from the Mannor. The particular /
freeholders theire names and rents as they are nowe taken shall more amplie
be declared hereafter.
There is a tente Livinge neere Winfrith twoe miles from Westbindon wch paith
yearelie to his Highness xiij^s. But howe the tennt is holden appeareth
not fitt to be enquired by vertue of Evidence./ [END PAGE]

Com Dorsett/ [Front of folio 29]
Obseruacons

There is due the acre by the fowerth parte of a Kn: ts [Knights] fee in Dalwood
xx^s but the paiment is discontineued./
The most parte of the demesne comon feilds Lands are grannted and
as appearith have bin held as customarie beyond memorie
and is generally knowne by the name of Bonde Lands.
There was some tyme a capitall messuage wthn the Manno^r
thereunto all the demesnes belonges but where it stoode there is
noe appearannce.
There was in the ib.⁽⁷⁾ yeare of queene Eliz: an informacon of
intrusion brought by the Attorney generall into Excheqe
against some of the customarie Tenants supposinge that they
had intruded uppon the demesne Lande of the Mannr whereunto
was pleaded that they were customarie lands held by custome
accordinge to the custome of the Mannr: It came to tryall
at the Assizes at Dorchester where they were found not guilty
of the intrusion whereof there is an exemplicacon under the
greate Seale of England.
After this tryall vizt about the 20 th yeare of the Late queene
Eliz .⁽⁸⁾ one Mawrice Browne took a lease of her Ma: tie of
certen Lands by the name of demesne lands of the Mannor of
ffordington for 21 yeares who exhibited and English Bill
into the cheqe chamber against some of the said customary
Tennts proposing that whoe pleaded that theis lands were customary
land not demesnes and the matter came to hearinge before the Lord
Th__ Burleigh: & Walter Mildmay.⁽⁹⁾ channcello:^e the lo: chieife
Baron.⁽¹⁰⁾ and others Uppon hearinge whereof it was demissede
and ordered that the said customary Tennante should enioy the
said extended demesne lande as customary accordinge to their
severall customary and coppiehold estates accordinge to the
custome of the Manno:^r. And the said Lease ordered to be
cancelled The decree exemplified alsoe under the seale of
the Excheqe wherein and manie perticuleriteis expressed ~
lendinge to the graete freedome and immunite of the said
customary Tennts. both for fines certaine gratuity
revercons and enioying of an hereditary estate whether
things much against his highnes proffitt if the decree be
confirmed and allowed by his highnes And for furder
satisfaction of his highnes likewise compell I have coppies
both of the exemplificaton of the verdicte as alsoe of the decree.⁽¹¹⁾ [END PAGE]

Com Dorsett/ [Back of folio 29]
COM DORS

The consideracon whereof hae: (have) course maie be taken for rectifieinge those
points that nowe remaine doubtfull both in his hignes behalfe for arbitratinge
fines And in the Tennts for establishinge theire legall customes – Tennres (Terriers)
herriotts & all wch for the pi_dte seeme questionable namely their customes
have bin held for the most parte unreasonable as will in pte (part) heareafter –
appeare theire Tennre is for lives and xtended to be of Inheritannce. Their
herriot are thoughte to be lewe in kinde the best beast and I affirme
to paie for a whole place v^s for a halfeplace xij^d for a farthinghold
vj^d and for a cottage nothinge
They hold that the custome of the Mannor will admitt noe forfeiture for neither
the ruininge of Tenem:^th denieing the Lords rente dwellinge from his Tenemts
cuttinge downe tymber Trees nor anie the like implieth a forfeiture wch stands
not wth reason.
The perch or pole of the mannor whereby their lande and measures is but
15 foote the statute measure beinge 16 ½ foote.
There is a hamlet distant from the Mannr about 7 miles to wch
belongeth a verie specious wast cont by reputacon 300 Acres or thereabouts
uppon some parte wherof there growe manie oke greate and smale
the nomber now valued as yet considered in the comon both the Township
of the hermitage and ffordington have comon for all commable cattle.
and as they extend comon of Estovers This comon lieth in Blackmore
having the name of a forest a verie spacious wast wheron the said
Tennants have comon the vicenage and containig neere by estimacon
10,000 acres The driste [?] whereof once a yeare belonge to the prince
And all the shairs there then taken doe belonge to his highness.
In the said driste the Tennants of ffordyngton as well as of hermitage
are to aid the Rieve
In or adioining to the said comon of hermitage there is a woode or
coppice wherein are some tymber Trees knowne by the name of
the Princes wood or the Princes eastwood containing by estimacon
about 60 acres worth yearely iiij^s per acre one with another This
wood or coppice is kepte inclosed by Sr Thomas ffreake knight
whoe taketh the proffite thereof to his owne use and soe hath donne
over Prince his Maj raigne and before. .By what right hee
claymeth it fitt it were his highness compell and comissioners
did consider and cause a final end of the question for his highn:^s
getts nothing by this kinde of delaies
There is alsoe a grownd or coppice wood called hexliffe longe
tyme usurped by the Tennants of Mineterne and yet lieinge wthn

[END PAGE]

Com Dorsett/ [Front of folio 30]
COM DORS

the limitte of that parte of the mannor of ffordyngton wch is called hermitage and
properly belonging to his highnes beinge nere 100 acres but the wood soe browses
as it will never bee profitable before it be cust and incoppied with land to
preserve it.
This Mannor appeareth by annciente Record out of the book of domesday
to be annciente demesne the Record exemplified under the greate seale of
Thexcheqe and the Tennts claime customs many and strange howe they
maie be thoughte consonante to reason I leave to be considered the pticulers
thereof because they would be soe tedious to be here inserted I forbeare –
beinge readie uppon occasion to deliver them at large as they have but
verbally delival wthout anie annciente custue Roll or Record/
The wief hath widdowes estate duw sole or caste vithout
There is marle wthin the Mannor wch the Tennts digge at pleasure
to marle their lands more of custuie th_ of rightes /
There is a viewe of ffrankpledge within the Mannor:
There are wthin this Mannor and wthin the viewe twoe Tithinge the
ouste and west Tithinge the Tithingmen whereof doe paie at twoo lawd
and Courte vizt at Easter and Michmas as mony collected in the
Tithinge xx l per Ann and twoe shillinge comon fine wch last is paid
to be for not bringing theire measures weighte _ to the Courte to
be certified with arguing that the comon clerke of the market ~
usurpeth the execucion of that office within this Mannor As he did
at my beinge there wch is a breach of his highnes liberties.
There is a Rieve chosen by the grand jurie and the Steward at
Michmas And there is alsoe for that yeare_ Bailiffe to execute
proces. And Cashe is Rieve to gather the rents of the 4. Rente
gatherde twoe in ech Tithinge And to mak Accoumple att the
Auditt for the same. And for all perquisitts of courte for that
yeare and hath fee xiij s iiij d p Ann. twoe loades of ffirewood
to be taken in hermitage woodes and the first share of three yarde
of meadowe or ¾ acr.
There are alsoe 4 lezors [?lessors?] whereof office is lse whether cattle keepe the
proporcon and graise in theire common fielding. There is alsoe a heyward
whoe oversees the feiled for trespasses committed whoe hath for his fee
the first share of aboute one acre of meadowe.
All Royalties are thers: the fishinge is granted by lease. /
There is a faire yearly at hermitage uppon the 15 th of August. /
And is worth his hygnes about viij s And _d the Reive /
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Com Dorsett/ [Front of folio 30]
COM DORS

Answeares at the Auditt for the same what it yieldeth were is concealed /
_ mannie other things fitt to be considered shal be delivered more att
Large in the generall Booke. onelie it behooveth some course be taken
in the examinacon of the lands [be]longing to the hospitall of St John in
Dorchester Lowdes feild ⁽¹²⁾ and reclaime nowe erenous made by Mr
John Churchill /
The Recordes of the Mannor are kepte in the church Tower of ffordyngton
under certaine keyes especially in theire owne keeping. /
James Gould dus seizis of halfe place and a farthinghold
and sixe cott gr. by theire extended custome be further examined
The like is uppon the death of Roberte Inghram John Windsor
Xtopfer Rasker Marie Savage wch as I take it is in the
princes hand beinge a farthinghold he paid for a whole
place also.
John and Robert Ashe alsoe surrender the revercon of a farthinghold
and noe admission quovsqe ../
Eliz Rasker vid hath forfeited her estate by inheritige
contrarie to the custome and Willm her supposed heire
claimeth but not admitted halfe a place. /

[END PAGE]