LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Profits of court were received for Cherington manor in 1308 (fn. 88) and the manor court was still being held in 1684, (fn. 89) but no court rolls are known to exist.

At the end of the 13th century leet jurisdiction in Cherington belonged to the honor of Wallingford. (fn. 90) In 1287 the right to gallows was being exercised by Edmund, earl of Cornwall, lord of the honor. (fn. 91) The right to felons' goods was still claimed c. 1710. (fn. 92) Records of the Cherington frankpledge court, which was also the court for the other Gloucestershire members of the honor at Brawn (fn. 93) and Alderley, survive for a number of years between 1422 and 1673. (fn. 94) Also extant are a list of the presentments made from Cherington between 1714 and 1716 (fn. 95) and court minutes and papers for 1790-1829, 1832-8, 1840-2, and 1847. (fn. 96) In the 16th century the court enforced the assize of ale and dealt with assaults and affrays. It was apparently held once a year, in the 1370s in June or July (fn. 97) but from the 16th until the 19th century on Hock Tuesday when, as recorded in the early 18th century, the suitors were feasted. (fn. 98)

No records of parish government are known to survive. There were two churchwardens from 1540. (fn. 99) The cost of poor-relief rose sharply between 1776 and 1813, almost doubling to £143 by 1803 when 6 persons were receiving permanent relief and 13 occasional relief. By 1813 the number of adults being helped had risen to 49 and the cost to £180 but in 1815 36 persons were in receipt of relief and expenditure had dropped to £110. (fn. 1) By 1825 expenditure had fallen to £79 but it rose again to £152 by 1834. (fn. 2) In the early 19th century accommodation for the poor was provided in two cottages belonging to the educational charity of Elizabeth Coxe. (fn. 3) In 1836 the parish became part of the Tetbury poor-law union (fn. 4) and it remained in Tetbury rural district in 1973.

Footnotes