THE HUNDRED OF MICHELDEVER
CONTAINING THE PARISHES OF
|
| MICHELDEVER |
NORTHINGTON |
POPHAM |
EAST STRATTON |
In 1831 the hundred included, locally speaking, only these four parishes,
but quite recently its jurisdiction extended also over Cranborne, Slackstead in
Farley Chamberlayne, and Abbots Worthy in Kings Worthy parish. (fn. 1) Of
these Cranborne had been granted to the New Minster with Micheldever
Hundred, (fn. 2) and both Cranborne and Worthy are separately mentioned in the
Domesday Survey as being in Micheldever Hundred. Other lands also included in the hundred in 1086 were Drayton in Barton Stacey, West Stratton,
and Popham, whilst Northington and East Stratton were evidently included
in the abbey's lands there, though not expressly mentioned. (fn. 3) The jurisdiction of the hundred also extended over Swarraton, (fn. 4) for which the tithingman
of Northington answered. (fn. 5) The hundred was assessed at 113 hides in the
time of Edward the Confessor, but of
these seven hides at Worthy paid no geld.
The remaining 106 hides were reduced to
83 hides and half a virgate before 1086.
INDEX MAP to the HUNDRED of MICHELDEVER
The hundred court was held at
Micheldever, (fn. 6) probably in early days at
the moot-house mentioned in the boundaries of Micheldever in 901. (fn. 7) The
hundred was granted to the New Minster
with the manor (q.v.) in the early years
of the reign of Edward the Elder, (fn. 8) and
its history has since been coincident with
that of the manor. In 1282 the abbot
complained that the mayor and bailiffs of
Winchester, together with certain citizens,
had entered the abbey's inclosures within
the hundred with a great multitude and
seized the attachments for certain trespasses there, a right which should have
belonged to the abbey. (fn. 9) Assize of bread and ale was also claimed as appurtenant to the hundred, (fn. 10) and this with other privileges, such as return of
writs, freedom from interference by the sheriff, and exemption from pleas,
tallage, aids, geld and scot, was confirmed to Henry earl of Southampton in
February, 1607–8, (fn. 11) shortly after the restoration of the hundred with his
other lands. (fn. 12)
Footnotes
| 1 |
See Ct. Bks. penes Lord Northbrook. |
| 2 |
Liber de Hyda (Rolls Ser.), 88. |
| 3 |
V.C.H. Hants, i, 469b. |
| 4 |
Harl. MS. 1761, No. 49. |
| 5 |
Ibid. fol. 160. |
| 6 |
Ibid.; Ct. Bks. penes Lord Northbrook. |
| 7 |
Liber de Hyda (Rolls Ser.), 86. In the English explanation of the Saxon charter it is called the manor;
it is possible, therefore, that this moot-house stood on the site of the present manor farm. |
| 8 |
Kemble, Codex Dipl. 336. |
| 9 |
Cal. Pat. 1281–92, p. 47. |
| 10 |
Plac. de Quo Warr. (Rec. Com.), 766. |
| 11 |
Pat. 5 Jas. I, pt. 15, m. 1. |
| 12 |
Ibid. pt. 2, m. 1. |