Court Rolls 57 to 60

Willington Manor Court Rolls Introduction

Willington Manor Court Rolls Index

Court Roll 57a

October 2nd 1475

View of Court, Katherine Duchess of Norfolk

• There were three essoins. The main jury was named and headed 'The homage, sworn men.' Common fines of 7s 4d were paid.
• Three tenants incurred penalties for either not repairing their buildings or not repairing them sufficiently. Another tenant was fined for keeping a horse that was a nuisance.
• A tenant had been involved in three fights and was fined.
• Two women and a man paid fines for brewing.
• The second jury was named and said that all was well.

Full transcript of Court Roll 57a (pdf)

Court Roll 57b

April 30th1476

Halmoot.

• The twelve members of the main jury were named.
• Five tenants had ruined roofs and the bailiff was ordered to let them have timber to repair them.
• Thomas Passewater surrendered the mill for the use of Henry Parker for forty years. He agreed to maintain and  repair the Dam, the Moving Parts pertaining of the mill (the stones for Milling, the Hoops and Spindles and Cogs and the water wheel and cog wheel.)
• The Steward granted to John Launslyn the fisheries in Willington with two islands and the Rabbit Warren and the game of the Warren, for forty years.
• The roll finished suddenly, and no income was given.

Full transcript of Court Roll 57b (pdf)

Court Roll 58a

October 6th 1477

View with Court

• The twelve men of the main jury were named. Common fines of 7s 4d were paid. the Prior of Newnham owed suit of court and made default
• A tenant was reminded that he had not kept the water in his holding clear, or done his repairs. He was told to kill his ewe which was causing a nuisance.
• A tenant had driven his plough in the sown fields. It was ordered that 'none are permitted to trespass with their ploughs over the gores, that is triangular pieces of land, of the township.'
• Three women were brewers and paid fines.

Full transcript of Court Roll 58a (pdf)

Court Roll 58b

March 30th 1478

Halmoot.

• This roll is very short. The only business recorded was the listing of the jurors in the main jury and the penalties charged to the tenant who had not repaired his holding or his watercourse and had not killed his sheep.

Full transcript of Court Roll 58b (pdf)

Court Roll 59a

Novermber 2nd 1478

View with Court Katherine Duchess of Norfolk

• There were four essoins. The names of the men in the main jury were given. Common fines of 6s 10d were paid. The Prior of Newenham was fined for not coming to court.
• Two women and a man were brewers and paid fines.
• There were two fights, one with an iron fork and the other with a stick.
• The twelve men in the second jury were named and said that all was well.
• A holding was taken from the lady for two lives and two capons were given as entry fine.
• A cottage was taken from the lady for two lives. One capon was paid as entry fine.

Full transcript of Court Roll 59a (pdf)

Court Roll 59b

April 20th 1479

Halmoot.

• The twelve men in the main jury were named. They said on their oath that all was well. With the agreement of the tenants, it was ordered that no cattle should pasture in Stakes Mead causing damage to the seed.
• Two women should clear their ditches before the next Court.
• A tenant was ordered to repair his holding, which needs thatch.

Full transcript of Court Roll 59b (pdf)

Court Roll A1328

1480-1481

Willington Account of William Paryssh, Bailiff and Reeve there at the time within.

The account is the copyright of the Duke of Norfolk

The translation is from a partial photocopy of the original received from Arundel Castle Archives.

The layout of the account is very similar to that of the earliest surviving account of 1382 to 83. However most of the figures in the 'income' section of the later account are less than those about a hundred years earlier. The only figure which is the same is for half-virgates which in 1382-3 were said to be 'formerly held in bondage.' 

A spreadsheet summary of the accounts between 1382 and 1397 is contained in 'Willington Manor and the Honour of Mowbray' unpublished dissertation, 1999, by Dorothy Jamieson for the Advanced Research Diploma in Local History, University of Cambridge Board of Continuing Education, Madingley Hall. A copy of which is kept in the Record Office.

Full transcript of A1328 (pdf)

Court Roll 60a

October 22nd 1481

View of Frankpledge with Court, Katherine Duchess of Norfolk.

• Two were essoined. The two constables and twelve heads of tithings were named. They paid 6s 11d as common fine. 
• The Prior of Newnham and one other did not come to court. They were fined.
• Six tenants were involved in fights.
• Three women paid fines for brewing.
• A tenant caught two hens belonging to a neighbour. He was fined.
• Five tenants ought to clear their ditches.
• It was ordered that each tenant should drain his land in The Dolefield so that his water is flowing, before December 6^th.
• The twelve men of the second jury were named and headed 'The Great Enquiry, sworn men.' They said that all was well.
• A holding was granted by the lady to one man for his life. He was not given permission to let any of it.
• Another holding was let for one life. The new tenant was also not allowed to sub-let. He gave two chickens as entry fine.
• A tenant, who held his holding himself, handed it back and it was re-let to him for the lives of himself, his wife and their assigns. They were not allowed to sub-let without permission.
• The bailiff made deliveries of timber and underwood for the repair of a pigsty, doors and windows of a hall, a stable and other buildings.

Full transcript of Court Roll 60a (pdf)

Court Roll 60b

May 8th 1482

Halmoot.

• The eleven men of the homage were named. Two men owed suit of court and did not come, another 'broke the terms of his tenancy.'
• Two members of the local gentry came to this Court and took the lady's fisheries in Wyllyngton with 2 islands and the Rabbit Warren and the game of theWarren with the profits of all of them, until the end of the terms of their lives. 'The lady will provide brambles for them to put over the holes of the said Rabbits within the aforesaid warren. She will herself prosecute anyone who steals geese or fish.'
• A holding was surrendered and granted to another tenant for three lives. They were not given permission to sublet any of it.
• Another holding was granted for three lives, but they may not sublet without permission.
• Two messuages were let out for three lives, but the tenants were not to sub-let them without the lady's permission. They gave 2 chickens or 2d as entry fine for each messuage.
• The bailiff made delivery of 1 foundation beam, 1 side beam and 5 studs to repair a barn.

Full transcript of Court Roll 60b (pdf)