LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Manor Courts
Before 1241 Richard, earl of Cornwall, as overlord, (fn. 1)
transferred the suit of Brize Norton and Astrop from
Bampton hundred court to his court of North Osney. (fn. 2)
In 1279 the lords of the Fritwell manor and of Astrop
reportedly owed suit every three weeks, while free
tenants on both Brize Norton manors were required to
attend view of frankpledge twice a year at Clanfield, head
of a division of the North Osney court. (fn. 3) By the 1530s the
view was apparently held annually, in springtime. (fn. 4) It
belonged from 1540 to 1817 to the honor of Ewelme, (fn. 5)
and is last recorded in 1827, owned by William Ward,
when all males in Brize Norton aged 12 and upwards
were summoned to the Masons Arms in Clanfield. (fn. 6) The
view probably lapsed soon afterwards.
In 1296–7 Brize Norton and Astrop-with-Caswell
each formed a tithing at the view of frankpledge. (fn. 7) From
at least 1462 until 1715–16 or later the latter tithing was
known as Caswell with Astrop. During that period each
tithing usually chose one tithingman, though two were
recorded for Brize Norton in 1462, 1464, 1542, and
1715–16. (fn. 8) In 1296–7 Brize Norton paid 3s. for fixed
view, 20s. for hidage, and 10d. for ward penny, while
Astrop-with-Caswell paid respectively 6d., 2s. and 1d. (fn. 9)
During the 15th–17th centuries and presumably later
the obligations were paid as combined cert money, 23s.
10d. for Brize Norton and 2s. 8d. or thereabouts for
Caswell with Astrop. (fn. 10) From the late 13th to early 16th
century individual inhabitants were presented for
breaking the assizes of bread and ale, and for assaults.
The court also ordered the scouring of obstructed
ditches and streams. (fn. 11) In 1539 men were fined for playing
illicit games. (fn. 12) Thereafter the court mainly collected cert
money. (fn. 13) In 1640 the lessee of the Grange claimed that his
estate also owed service to Ewelme and implied that it
constituted a tithing: it paid 3s. in cert money and
appointed a tithingman. Cattle found trespassing on the
Grange's land were impounded separately rather than in
the common pound. (fn. 14)
A hallmoot of Brize Norton was mentioned in 1167 X
1173 when it witnessed the settlement of a dispute, and an
Astrop hallmoot was recorded c. 1200 as witness to a
property grant. (fn. 15) In the late 12th and early 13th century,
after Brize Norton had passed to three heiresses, there
may have been three courts. (fn. 16) In 1279 each of the two Brize
Norton manors possessed a three-weekly court (i.e. court
baron), as did Astrop. (fn. 17) In 1423 the pleas of the Fritwell
manor, which had recently belonged to Maud Lovel, were
valued at 2s. per year. (fn. 18) When the same manor was in
Crown ownership in 1541–3, its court met twice yearly.
Business included admission to tenancies, ordering the
repair of houses, and reaffirming the customary stint. In
1541 its jury included two widows. (fn. 19) The perquisites were
valued in 1557 at 20d. (fn. 20) The pleas and perquisites of the
court belonging to the Brun manor were valued in 1341 at
2s. (fn. 21) Business presented to the court in late 1464 included
interference with boundaries, damage to the lord's house
and grove, admission to land, sub-letting of land against
custom, regulation of the movement of pigs and other
animals, a broken sheep-pen, and unjust occupation of
pasture. (fn. 22) Thomas Rathbone continued to hold the court
in 1557. (fn. 23) By the late 17th century, following the union of
the two Brize Norton manors under common ownership, (fn. 24) there was presumably one manor court. A copyhold was granted, presumably in the court, in 1717, (fn. 25) but
no later reference is known.
Astrop manor court presumably lapsed in the late
Middle Ages as a result of depopulation. (fn. 26) In 1279 a freehold tenement at Marsh Haddon owed service to
Bampton manor court, (fn. 27) but no further reference to this
obligation is recorded.
Parish Government and Officers
A constable of Brize Norton was mentioned from the
late 14th century, (fn. 28) and two were recorded in 1853. (fn. 29)
From 1841 or earlier until at least 1863 Thomas Smith
served as watchman. (fn. 30) Churchwardens were mentioned
from 1584, and two overseers from 1642. (fn. 31) A clerk
mentioned in 1558 may have been a parish clerk. (fn. 32)
Otherwise the post is not recorded until the early 19th
century. (fn. 33) A sexton was paid for his work from 1836. (fn. 34)
Sidesmen were first mentioned in 1906. (fn. 35)
The parish vestry was occasionally mentioned in
churchwardens' accounts between 1811 and 1883. (fn. 36) In
1811 it comprised the vicar, 7 ordinary members, and
presumably the 2 churchwardens. (fn. 37) The vestry normally
elected a churchwarden each for the parish and the
vicar, (fn. 38) but from 1867 the vicar was reported to nominate his warden. (fn. 39) Between 1885 and 1890, a period
covered by minutes, the vestry elected the overseers and
a waywarden, sought the repair of footpaths, considered
appeals against rate assessments, and planned celebrations of the queen's golden jubilee. (fn. 40) In 1894 civil functions passed to a new parish council and to the newly
formed Witney Rural District Council, and in 1974
Brize Norton became part of the new West Oxfordshire
district. (fn. 41)