Duties of Westover Tenants in 1331

These extracts are from documents drawn up when Edward III gave the manor of Westover to his trusted friend, William Montacute. William later became 1st Earl of Salisbury.

The documents mention enclosures and detail land use consistent with the enclosures, evidenced by remnants of banks and ditches, unexpectedly identified in Queen's Park in 2003, and subsequently surveyed by Bournemouth University with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Lord and men of the homage of Westur' [Westover] were wont from ancient times to make and repair the path on Hengistbury in the hundred of Christchurch.

[From Christchurch Priory Cartulary, ed. Katherine A. Hanna]

William de Mordon' holds a virgate containing 28 acres and a ferling containing 7 acres. Annul rent at the four principal terms, 5s. 5d., and the same amount at the same terms for his customary work. And it is known that from time immemorial no customary tenant is to be certified as holding labour by service when he pays double rent in lieu of of his works.

The said William, if he has his own complete ploughteam, will plough and harrow an acre for rye at the lord's boonwork, and it is called garshurth', and he will receive nothing, and the work is worth 3½d. He will plough and harrow an acre for oats at the lord's boonwork and will have 2d., and, after deduction, the work is worth 1½d. He will find a man at two harvest boonworks for reaping and binding the lord's grain, and the man will have a loaf worth ½d at dinner and the same at supper, and he and his companions will share relish worth ¾d a day, and the two boonworks are worth, after deductions, 1d.

If he has a cart, William will carry at the lord’s boonwork a cartload of grain at Wick in the field and will receive nothing, and the work is worth ½d. If necessary he will carry other loads of grain and will have a loaf worth ¼d. If he does not have his own plough, he will find a man at the lord’s boonwork to stack the grain or to load the cart, and he will have food worth ¼d for all.

He will find a man at the lord’s boonwork to mow and lift [hay in] Saltmede, Muchelmede, and Bearemede, and when he mows in Saltmede, the man and his companions will have three loaves worth ¾d and relish for himself worth ¼d. When he spreads the hay he will have a loaf worth ¼d and will share relish with his companions worth ¼d. In common with all customary tenants, William will have 5 sesters of ale at the mowing and lifting of hay in the meadow. With other customary tenants he will carry all of the hay of Saltmede and Muchelmede. He will carry a cartload at Wick and will have no food, but he will have enough hay to feed his draught animal for a night. When he mows in Muchelmeade or spreads or carries, he will have bread and hay as in Saltmede. He will share with all customary tenants an ox worth 5s. for a meal and 2 sesters of ale for lifting hay in the said meadow. At the mowing and lifting of hay in Ydelesham, he will have in common with others 8d. When he mows Bearemede, he will have in common with others bread worth 1¼d, and he will share with his companions relish worth ¾d, and when he tends the hay in the same meadow, he will have for himself bread worth ½d and relish for himself worth ¼d. For mowing that meadow, he will share with other customary tenants 8 sesters of ale.

He will carry a cartload of wood a year from the wood of Holdenhurst to Christchurch Castle at Christmas, and the work is worth ½d.

William will be reeve or beadle, and if he is appointed reeve, he will be quit of 4s 4d rent and churchscot, and if he is beadle, he will be quit of 2s 2d and churchscot. If he is appointed shepherd, he will have exactly the same allowance as for beadle.

He cannot give his son or daughter in marriage outside the manor without licence, but they may marry within the manor without licence.

He can sell heath growing within his close and can fell his trees for housebote and haybote. He will have pasture in la Styrfeld [Stourfield] for all his animals, and can fetch clay and housebote and haybote from common land for repairing his tenement in accordance with ancient custom, etc.

The document goes on to list the names of the other tenants, their land holdings, rents and duties.

[From Christchurch Priory Cartulary, ed. Katherine A. Hanna]