THE HUNDRED OF HITCHIN
CONTAINING THE PARISHES OF
|
| HITCHIN |
KINGS WALDEN (fn. 1)
|
| ICKLEFORD |
LILLEY |
| IPPOLLITTS |
OFFLEY |
| KIMPTON |
PIRTON (fn. 2)
|
This hundred was generally called the 'half hundred of Hiz (Hitchin),'
its Domesday assessment working out at about 40 hides. During the 15th,
16th and 17th centuries it is sometimes
referred to as the hundred of Polettes
(Ippollitts). (fn. 3)
Index Map to the Hundred of Hitchin
All the places above named are
mentioned in the hundred in 1086 except
Ickleford and Ippollitts; Ickleford was
then included in Pirton, and Ippollitts is
represented by the manor of Almshoe.
The Domesday Survey also places within
the hundred Westoning (Bedfordshire),
Welei, Wilei, Flesmere, Hexton and
Bendish, a hamlet in St. Paul's Walden. (fn. 4)
Though Westoning was attached by its
tenure to this hundred, its 'wara' or
place of assessment was in the hundred
of Manshead in Bedfordshire. (fn. 5) Welei is
possibly Wedelee in Preston, but both
this and Welei cannot be identified with
certainty. (fn. 6) Flesmere (fn. 7) or Flexmere (fn. 8)
remains unidentified, also Leglega, where
there was 1 virgate of land (although
the latter may possibly be Ley Green to the north of King's Walden);
Hexton was transferred to the hundred of Cashio before 1286. (fn. 9) Bendish
was also added to the same hundred soon after the Survey, probably by the
Abbot of St. Albans, to whom Cashio belonged. (fn. 10)
The hundred of Hitchin appears to have always belonged to the
Crown. (fn. 11)
The three-weekly hundred court (fn. 12) was probably originally held at
Hitchin, and perhaps later at Ippollitts, judging by the alternative name.
There is also record of 'the full hundred court' having been held at
Kimpton, (fn. 13) and a view of frankpledge was held at Oughton's Head in Pirton
in the 14th century. (fn. 14) The jurisdiction of the sheriff was limited by the
franchises of the lords of various manors within the hundred, including
Hitchin, (fn. 15) Lilley, (fn. 16) Offley St. Ledgers, (fn. 17) Wells in Offley, (fn. 18) , Oddingselles in
Pirton, (fn. 19) and Dinsley. (fn. 20)
In the 17th century a grant of court leet was made to Ralph Radcliffe,
lord of Hitchin, in Maidecroft, Ippollitts and Gosmore (fn. 21) and to St. John's
College, Cambridge, in the manor of Ramerick in Ickleford. (fn. 22)
A survey was taken of the hundred as part of the king's possessions in
1651. Within the hundred all waifs, strays, goods of felons and fugitives
belonged to the lord if his bailiff seized them first; but if they were first
seized by the bailiff of the lord of a manor having a court leet the profits
went to such lord. The lord of the hundred also had the return and
execution of all writs within the hundred. A three-weekly court was held,
and the whole value was £3. (fn. 23)