Court Rolls 52a to BL8

Willington Court Rolls Index

Willington Manor Court Rolls Introduction

Court Roll 52a

October 10th 1465

View of Frankpledge with Court of Lord John Wodeville, knight, and Katherine Duchess of Norfolk

• Three men and two women were essoined. Only nine tithing men are listed. They gave common fines of 7s 4d.
• The Prior of Newnham and another man should have come to court, but did not, so they were fined.
• One tenant 'made illegal recovery against the bailiff performing his office' and was in arrears with his rent.
• The same men were both constable and ale tasters, but one constable and both aletasters were replaced. Three men paid fines for brewing constantly.
• The twelve sworn men in the second jury were named and said that all was well.
• One tenant was ordered to repair the roof of his barn or pay a penalty.
• Two holdings were granted for three lives.
• Withies were allowed for the roof of the above barn and the bailiff, John Yarwey, was allowed sufficient large timber, one rood of withies and 8s in money for making a new bakehouse on his holding.

Full transcript of Court Roll 52a (pdf)

Court Roll 52b

April 8th 1466

Halmoot.

• One man was essoined. The twelve tithing men were named.
• Two pig shelters, three barns, one room, a malt chamber and a hall needed repairs.
• One tenant was ordered to make an enclosure between himself and another tenant.
• Hedges had been broken and carried away by one tenant.
• The ale tasters say that one of the common brewers 'does not want to sell ale by the gallon for one and a half pence and he buys a brewing for four shillings.'
• Timber and underwood was allowed to two tenants for repairs.
• Underwood was sold and some was given as tithe.
• Also underwood was given this year for the 'Plashing' possibly the ford.

Full transcript of Court Roll 52b (pdf)

Court Roll 53b

October 2nd 1466

View of Frankpledge with court, Lord John Wodeville and Katherine Duchess of Norfolk

• No essoins. The twelve tithing men were named. The Prior of Newnham did not attend court and was fined. Common fines of 6s 5d were paid.
• Two men brewed constantly two men and a woman also brewed. They all paid fines.
• The twelve men in the second jury were named and said that all was well.
• Two pigsties, one malt-house, one barn, two dwellings and enclosures needed repair.
• One tenant was deprived of his holding for not keeping it repaired. His goods were seized to pay for the repairs.
• A holding was granted for three lives; another was surrendered and re-let for three lives. A holding was granted for twenty years, and one was let to the bailiff, John Yarwey, for 60 years.

Full transcript of Court Roll 53b (pdf)

Court Roll 53a

April 7th 1467

Court Baron.

• There were no essoins. The twelve tithing men were named.
• One pigsty, one malt-house, one hall, and the barn in the holding 'facing the church,' all need repairs. One tenant was ordered to repair his hedges.
• Underwood was allowed to seven tenants for repairs and was also allowed for repairs to the mill dam.
• One tenant surrendered the holding that he held himself and it was re-granted to him, his wife and assigns.
• William Lawnslyn was granted 'from the Lord his several fisheries in Wyllyngton with 2 islands and the rabbit warren and the game of the warren within the whole aforesaid Demesne of Welyngton, with all of their fish' to the end of his life. 'And if it comes to pass that anyone hunting or fishing or taking geese contained within the aforesaid fisheries or warren, the Lord should prosecute in his own name by a brief against the hunters, fishers or takers of geese.' 'The aforesaid William should take each and every revenue recovered against them by legal means and all amercements made against them in whatever court of the Lord's tenants being held there.'

Full transcript of Court Roll 53a (pdf)

Court Roll BL3

October 15th 1467

View of Frankpledge with Court of John Wodeville knight and Katherine Duchess of Norfolk

•  Two women and three men were essoined. The twelve tithing men were named and the Prior of Newnham and another man were fined for not coming to court. Common fines of 7s 1d were paid.
• The ditch at Coppyd Hall, and ditches belonging to four other tenants, should be cleaned within fifteen days.
• The servant of a man from Cople 'broke into the common fold [and] from there took the sheep of his said master, impounded there, by trespassing in the several pastures of the lord.'
• A tenant had enclosed the common way on the north side of the township. He was fined and ordered to remove the enclosure.
• It was forbidden for anyone over 12 years to play at tennis at anytime of the year except at the feast of the nativity of the lord and not for money within the vill.' They were threatened with a heavy fine and 'of imprisonment for one day and a night.'
• There was an assault using a dagger.
• The three common brewers brewed constantly. They and three others paid fines.
• The twelve men of the second jury were named and said that all was well.
• Three tenants each took two holdings for three lives.
• One tenant surrendered his holding and was re-granted it for three lives. Another tenant, a widow, surrendered her holding and was re-granted it for the lives of her and her son.

Full transcript of Court Roll BL3 (pdf)

Court Roll BL4

May 11th 1468

Hallmoot.

• No essoins. The twelve tithing men are named.
• There is an important, entry in this roll which seems to say that the lane leading north from Shirehatch, as far as the river, belongs to the lord and is common way for his tenants and others, but only Willington tenants are allowed to pasture their animals there. Any others who do so without permission will have all their goods confiscated.
• The hedges which were previously ordered to be repaired had been put right, but the hedges which had been put up to make crofts to the north and south must be removed to allow access for ploughs, 'except for Myllefelde which is only a footpath.'
• Four tenants have not mended their ditches as they were ordered.
• It was alleged that the Abbott of Warden 'fished in the several waters of the lord.'
• Underwood was allowed to four tenants for repairs and for the mill dam.
• Underwood has been sold and some given as tithe. John Yarwey the younger is named as the bailiff.

Full transcript of Court Roll BL4 (pdf)

Court Roll BL5

April 26th 1468

View of Frankpledge with Court

• Two women and two men were essoined. The twelve tithing men in the jury were named. The Prior of Newnham had not come to court and was fined. Common fine of 7s 1d was paid.
• Two pieces of extra land at Willington Mare had been ploughed. They were to be put right before the next cultivation. Water overflowed from some land and this must be put right.
• It was ordered that no-one is 'to pasture any animals or cattle in any one, nor other, individual pasture without agreement.'
• Two assaults with open daggers, and assault with a cudgel, had taken place.
• Three men who brewed constantly, and another brewer, paid fines for brewing.
• The twelve members of the second jury were named. They said that all was well.

Full transcript of Court Roll BL6 (pdf)

Court Roll BL6

April 1469

Court Baron

• Four men were essoined. The jury was described as the Homage and the twelve men were named.
• Five barns and a hall needed repair. A bakehouse had been burned down and timber was given for it to be rebuilt.
• Six tenants were ordered to put their ditches into good repair. Another ditch had been made below the Dole Hedge, which needed to be put right.
• The offences with ploughs described in the previous court roll had not been put right.
• One holding was surrendered and taken by another tenant.
• The miller was ordered to ‘well and sufficiently grind the grain of the lord’s tenants as set out by the said tenants.’
• Underwood was allowed for repairs to the mill and to buildings belonging to four other tenants.
• Underwood was sold and some was delivered to the Rector as tithe.

Full transcript of Court Roll BL5 (pdf)

Court Roll BL7

October 21st 1469

View with Court of Katherine Duchess of NorfolkTwo women and three men were essoined. 

• The twelve tithing men who formed the jury were named. 
• Common fine of 7s 2d were paid. 
• The Prior of Newnham did not come to court and was fined.
• The two lands which had been illegally ploughed, said to be at Willington Baulk, had not been cultivated and must be put right t the next cultivation.
• A tenant had enclosed the common in the field facing Castle Mill and has put a Pea-stack on it. He was ordered to reach an agreement with the tenants.
• Two assaults had taken place; one with a stick, the other with an open dagger.
• Three men were described as common brewers and paid fines for brewing and selling ale. Another tenant paid a fine for selling ale.
• Two new constables were elected.
• The second jury is described in the heading as the Great Enquiry. All was well.
• One tenement has burned down, except for the barn. Timber for repairs was granted to the tenant. Four other halls and five barns needed repair.

Full transcript of Court Roll BL7 (pdf)

Court Roll BL8

May 8th 1470

Halmoot

• No essoins. The jury is described as the Homage, and the twelve names given.
• Three barns, three halls and a bakehouse still need repair. The tenants say that they cannot repair because of lack of straw.
• Five tenants have obstructed the water courses near their tenements by failing to clear the ditches there. One of them, Elizabeth Marion, has another watercourse which needs clearing.
• The servants of the Abbot of Warden have driven a cart and horses on the meadow called the Burymede and have trampled down and consumed the grass growing there. They were ordered not to do it any more or pay a penalty.
• It was ordered, that no commoners should pasture animals or their cattle or horses in Fulwell, Myttelmershe, Vyrtnell Furlong, Moutonswell Furlong, before the feast of Saint Peter in Chains or pay a penalty for each offence.
• It was ordered that no commoners should make any footpath on Fulwell Headland or pay a penalty for each offence.
• The Tenants of Cople and of this Demesne were previously ordered to make one drainage channel[1] at Willington Mare for Richard Hatley and Thomas Tyler and if this is not done by the week of Pentecost they will have to pay a penalty.
• One holding was surrendered and then granted to another tenant for three lives.
• On the order of the Steward the Bailiff supplied underwood to repair the Mill dam, the Causeway and the pynfolde. The bailiff sold underwood and delivered some as tithe. He made laths from the pleached hedge and some acres at Sherehatch.