TOPOGRAPHY
THE HUNDRED OF GODALMING
CONTAINING THE PARISHES OF
|
| ARTINGTON (fn. 1)
|
HAMBLEDON |
PUTTENHAM |
| CHIDDINGFOLD |
HASLEMERE |
THURSLEY |
| COMPTON |
PEPER HAROW |
WITLEY |
| GODALMING |
|
|
The history of the hundred is generally coincident with that of the
manor. The earliest definite reference to the hundred is the confirmation of
Artington Manor, and possibly Godalming also, to Stephen de Turnham, in
1206. (fn. 2) In 1221 the king directed the Sheriff of Surrey to give full seisin of
the manor of Godalming, the hundred, and the market (town) of Haslemere
to Richard, Bishop of Salisbury, which manor, &c., were belonging to Edelina
de Broc, salvo iure nostro et beredium ipsius Edeline. (fn. 3)
On 24 May 1224, Thomas de Bauelingham and Mabel his wife, eldest
daughter and co-heir of Stephen de Turnham, levied a fine, and for 35 marks
of silver gave to the Bishop and church of Salisbury, the bishop holding the
hundred, all their rights in the hundred of Godalming, and in the manor of
Godalming, saving to Thomas and Mabel the tenement which they held in
Artington and Catteshull. (fn. 4)
It does not appear therefore that the bishop obtained full possession of
the hundred till the reign of Henry III, and subsequently Witley, in the
hundred, remained a royal manor of ancient demesne, having no connexion
with the courts of the hundred, except in suits for the recovery of land and
debts; neither is Puttenham represented in the courts.
The hundred remained in the hands of the bishop till 1541. In that year
it was conveyed, under an Act of Parliament, to Thomas Paston, and by him
to the Crown, 20 April 1542. (fn. 5) Elizabeth granted the manor and hundred,
3 November 1601, to Sir George More of Loseley for £1,341 8s. 2¾d. (fn. 6)
The lordship of the hundred continued in the family of More and More-Molyneux of Loseley till 1871, when it was conveyed with the manor to
Mr. James Stewart Hodgson. The lordship of the hundred was by this time
meaningless. The courts of the hundred had become at an early period
indistinguishable from those of the manor. There are at Loseley a large
number of Hundred Court Rolls, views of frankpledge, and views of frankpledge on the rectory manor, from the time of Edward III downwards.
Courts were held at three weeks' intervals for 'playnts and accions,' dealing
with tenants of all the manors in the hundred except the royal manors of
Witley and Puttenham. Two 'lawdays,' or leets, were held at Hocktide and
Michaelmas, except for the town of Godalming, for which a 'lawday' was
held on St. Matthew's Day; this was called Enton lawday. These included
in their business the view of frankpledge, the Visus Personatus, election of
tithing-men, of ale-taster, a reeve (prepositus) for Godalming by the customary
tenants, and of a bedell, and the receiving of the burgage rents of Haslemere.
There were also yearly leets at Catteshull, Hambledon, Loseley, Artington,
Farncombe, and Compton. The hundred and three-weekly courts and Enton
court were held, latterly at least, in the old town hall of Godalming, where
the market house now stands. (fn. 7) Fines levied in the hundred court were
accounted for to the More-Molyneux family as lords of the hundred up to at
least 1790. (fn. 8)
Index Map to the Hundred of Godalming