The Hundred Roll of 1279

for the Parish of Swaffham Prior

 

Return to Swaffham Prior History Page

 

The Hundred Rolls are a series of land surveys undertaken across England between 1250 and 1280. Whilst the originals are lodged in the Public Records Office, a full transcription of the rolls was published at the start of the nineteenth century (in two volumes). A copy of this is on open access in the British Library at St Pancras, London.

The rolls for Cambridgeshire are unusally complete and Swaffham Prior is no exception with over 100 names being listed over several pages together with detailed information on the land they rented. As far as I know this document is the earliest detailed list of names available for all the inhabitants of Swaffham Prior. It would seem to indicate that the parish was of average size with a total population of several hundred people. 

The land in the parish was divided between six main landowners. One of these landlords were national institutions, the church Diocese of Ely, while the rest were simply manorial lords who were rented out small parcels of land to local villagers. The going rate would seem to be about one shilling per acre (plus a house) but the poorest people were also paying using fish, livestock and crops.

Note that there are several classes of tenant from the free men, who merely rented land with obligation to the manorial Lord to the 'bondi' who were villagers with special conditions attached to their rental. I have only been able to positively identify two of the manors (Balwins and Shadworth Manors) but further research should be able to solve this problem.

I had hoped to find evidence that the Chambers were living in Swaffham Prior at this time but there is no sign of them in the Hundred Roll of the parish so they were either not there then or had not adopted the surname yet. However, three Chambers (or Camera) occur in the Hundred Rolls for two neighbouring parishes (Bottisham and Stow-cum-Quy) but proving a link between my family tree and these references is impossible but it's nice to dream!

The full descriptions of the rentals given in the document but here I have only listed the names of the tenants, the amount of land they rented, from whom they rented it and how much they paid for the privilege. I'm afraid that I've kept to the original abbreviated Latin used in the volumes. If I get the time then I'll write this lot out in English.

The extract below is from Volume II (pages 483-497) as this is the one with the full list of tenants. There is a entry in Volume I (pages 52-53) but this merely lists the main landowners.

 

Latin Phrases:

Acs = Acres

Ad' = Adam

de = of/from

fil/fils = son/daughter of...

Hug' = Hugh

Johs' = John

Mes = House

Petus = Peter

Ric' = Richard

Rod = Rod (measurement of land)

Rog' = Roger

Wills' = William

 

 

Extracted From:

Rotuli Hundredorum temp. Hen. III. et Edw. I. in turr' Lond' et in curia receptæ Scaccarii Westm. asservati. Edited by W. Illingworth. Vol. I, pgs 52-53; Vol. II, pgs 483-497. [British Library]

SWAFFHAM PRIOR DE ELY

 

First Name:

 Surname:

Area of Land

From Whom Rented:

Rental Fee:

 

Nomina xvi pdictoz liberoz sokemen sunt:

 

Galfr'

Bodard

 

 

 

Tra' Joh

Brice

 

 

 

                    Dionis' ad Porta Ecclie

 

 

Wills

fils Ric'

 

 

 

Henr'

Drawefwerd

 

 

Ad

fils Stephi

 

 

 

Ric'

Mabun

 

 

 

Petus

fils Ranulfi

 

 

 

Robs

Gunild

 

 

 

Wills

fils Ade

 

 

 

Hug'

Eftmud

 

 

 

Alan

fils Hug'

 

 

 

Johs

Boyewar

 

 

 

Ad

flis Alani P'poi

 

 

Wills

fils Joh

 

 

 

Galfr'

fils Ric'

 

 

 

Petus

fils Elye

 

 

 

 

 

Rented from the Diocese of Ely

 

Alan

fils Joh

xv acrs

Priori de Ely

x s iii sect'

Walt

fils Ranulfi

ix acrs iii rods

Pitancerie de Ely

i sect

Cecil

Strut

i mes'

Priori de Ely

xiid

Galfr'

fils Joh Hubert

i plac' di rod

Priori de Ely

iiid

Elena

Aubr'

iii acrs

Priori de Ely

xiid

Isabella

relicta Reymund de Aula

i mes, i crofta

Priori de Ely

iiis

Henr'

Piscator

i mes

Priori de Ely

vd

Galfr'

Miln

iii acrs

Priori de Ely

xviid

Alan

fils Joh

ii acrs

Priori de Ely

xd

Wills

de Duston

i mes

Priori de Ely

xiid

Rog'

Bercar

i mes, i rod

Priori de Ely

id

Joh

Clicus

ii acrs

Priori de Ely

iis

Wills

fils Hug'

iii rod

Priori de Ely

xxi d

 

Villain (Villagers)

Wills

Sac'sta

ii acrs di fac'

Priori de Ely

Ric'

Paris

 

Priori de Ely

Alanus

Leyber'

 

Priori de Ely

                    Scolastica

 

Priori de Ely

Martin

Godefr'

 

Priori de Ely

Hug'

Coopar'

 

Priori de Ely

 

Bondi (Villagers with special terms)

Joh

fils Walt'

i mes, iii acrs

Priori de Ely

iiiis

Hug'

fils Elye

i mes, iii acrs

Priori de Ely

iiiis

Clar'

les Scriveyn

i plac', vii rod

Priori de Ely

iis

Johs

Orable

i mes, v acrs

Priori de Ely

vis

Ric'

Sema

i mes, i crofta

Priori de Ely

iis

Alan

fils Robti

 

Priori de Ely

Juliana

fils Eustachii

i mes, iii di' arcs

Priori de Ely

iis

 

 

ROG' FIL' JOH' BAUDEWYN

Rented from Roger son of John Baldwin (=Baldwin’s Manor)

 

Liber' (Free Tenants)

Galfr'

Milum

v acrs, i mes

Rog' Baudewyn

iiis

Hug'

Mortimer

i mes

Rog' Baudewyn

xiid

Matild

fils Alani Askil

i ac

Rog' Baudewyn

iis

Stephs

Clic

i mes, i acr

Rog' Baudewyn

iis

Matild

T'r'

i mes, iii di' acrs

Rog' Baudewyn

iis

Alana

fil Jo'

ii acrs

Rog' Baudewyn

i ob'

                    Priorissa de Swapham

xv acrs

Rog' Baudewyn

Galfr'

fils Jo' Hubt

i ac

Rog' Baudewyn

xiiiid

 

Bondi (Villagers with special terms)

Hug'

fils Glafr'

i mes, iii di' acr

Rog' Baudewyn

iis

Ths

Brente Loysa Baldeyine

Rog' Baudewyn

 

Thurston

 

Rog' Baudewyn

Elyas

Bercar'

i mes, v acrs

Rog' Baudewyn

vs

Mabil

le Chapelere

Rog' Baudewyn

Wills

de Elingham

Rog' Baudewyn

Elyas

fils Ric'

 

Rog' Baudewyn

 

D'N'S WILL'S LE KIRKETOT

Land rented from William le Kirketot

 

Liber' (Free Tenants)

Wills

Baudewy'

i mes, i acr

Will' de Kirketot

xiid

Johs

fils Walt'

i ac

Will' de Kirketot

xiiiid

Johs

Clicus

v acs

Will' de Kirketot

iis

Alan

fils Walti

i mes

Will' de Kirketot

xiid

Ric'

Mayn'

i mes, 1 acr

Will' de Kirketot

iis

Gilbs

Coyn

v acs

Will' de Kirketot

xxviid

Sym'

Sok

i mes, v acs

Will' de Kirketot

iiiis

Walt'

Fab

i mes

Will' de Kirketot

iis

Hubs

Bayard

i mes, xv acs

Will' de Kirketot

Ad

Lord

i mes, ii acs

Will' de Kirketot

iis

Regin'

de Eylesham

i mes, v acs

Will' de Kirketot

xs

Robs

le Port

i mes, ii acs

Will' de Kirketot

iis

Alan

Spich

i mes

Will' de Kirketot

xxiid

Ric'

Oxefot

iii acs

Will' de Kirketot

iis

Joh

Orable

As above

Will' de Kirketot

Elias

fils Ric

iii rod

Will' de Kirketot

xxd

Joh

fils Senescalli

vii acs

Will' de Kirketot

iiiid

Wills

fils Ad

i mes, ii acs

Will' de Kirketot

viiid, ii vomeres

Johs

fils Jo' Pistor

i mes

Will' de Kirketot

id

Wills

de Berton

i mes, iiidi acs

Will' de Kirketot

iiis

Petus

Clic

i mes

Will' de Kirketot

iis viiid, ii capon'

Gilbs

Paris

i mes

Will' de Kirketot

vid

Johs

fils Pet'

i mes, v acs

Will' de Kirketot

iis

Galfr'

fils Joh'

i mes, xxxii acs

Will' de Kirketot

iid

Matild

relicta Walti

iiidi acs

Will' de Kirketot

iis

Stephs

Clic

i mes, x acs

Will' de Kirketot

xld

Petrus

le Norreys

i mes, iii rod

Will' de Kirketot

iiis

 

Villani (Villagers)

Ric'

de Badburham

Will' de Kirketot

iiid

Gilbs

Coyn

 

Will' de Kirketot

Ric'

Sirod

 

Will' de Kirketot

Fulco

Twelpenes

Will' de Kirketot

 

Bondi (Villagers with special terms)

Ad

Man

i mes, v acs

Will' de Kirketot

iis vid

Joh

Coyn

 

Will' de Kirketot

iiiis

Wills

Swetema

iii acs, i rod

Will' de Kirketot

xld

Hug'

fils Galfr'

i mes, i acr

Will' de Kirketot

xliid, iii pcar'

 

Cotar' (Smallholders)

Alan'

fils Rad

i mes

Will' de Kirketot

xiid

Robs

Coopar

i mes

Will' de Kirketot

xxd

 

 

D'N'S GILB'S PECHE

Rented from Gilbert Peche (=Shadworth Manor)

 

Liber' (Free tenants)

Wills

Baudewyn

xv acs

G. Peche

xxs

Magr

Hug'

i mes, v acs

G. Peche

viis

Wills

de Berton

i mes

Willo Mabu

xviiid

Ric'

Oxefot

di ac'm

G. Peche

xxd

Petus

fils Ranlfi

iii acs

G. Peche

iis

Galfr'

fils Johis

i mes, iii acs

G. Peche

iis

Wills

fils Ad

v acs, di ac'm

G. Peche

iiis

Ric'

Pepis

i mes, i rod

G. Peche

iis

Ths

Faber

iii rod

G. Peche

 

Alan

fils Joh'

vii acs, x ped

G. Peche

iiis

Mich

de Bernewell

i ac'm

G. Peche

xiid

Reginald

de Eylesham

i mes, v acs

G. Peche

xiid

Milo

fils Ric'

i mes

G. Peche

iis

Hugo

fils Walti

i mes, di ac'm

Richemund

iis vid

Joh

fils Walti

 

G. Peche, Richmund

iis vid

Joh

Clicus

iii di acs

G. Peche

xld

Dns Rog'

de Leye

i mes, iiii acs

G. Peche

iiiis

 

Facini (Bad tenants?)

Ths

Alprest

i mes, v acs

G. Peche, Richmund

vs, iiiid

Nichs

fils Yvonis

 

 

 

 

Cotar' (Smallholders)

Robs

Strut

i mes

G. Peche

iis vid

 

 

REGINALD DE EYLESHAM

Land Rented from Reginald de Eylesham

 

Galfr'

Miln'

i mes, iii acs

Reg' de Eylesha

iiis

Wills

Duston

i mes, iii rod

Reg' de Eylesha

viiid

Stephs

Clic

viii acs

Reg' de Eylesha

viiid

Nichs

fils Elye

iii acs

Reg' de Eylesha

iiis

Galfr'

ad Ponte

iii acs

Reg' de Eylesha

iis xid

Wills

fr' Vicar

i ac'm

Reg' de Eylesha

xiid

Petrus

Norreys

i ac'm

Reg' de Eylesha

xid

Petrus

Clicus

ii acs, di rod

Reg' de Eylesha

ii fol, iiiis

Joh

Clicus

vi acs

Reg' de Eylesha

vis

Wills

Bole

i mes, iii acs

Reg' de Eylesha

iiiis

Petus

Askil

ii acs

Reg' de Eylesha

iis

Johs

Orables

i di ac'm

Reg' de Eylesha

id, i plac', i cumb

Alic'

fils Orme

i mes, di acram

Reg' de Eylesha

id, i q'rt fab

Alan

fils Walter'

i plac

Reg' de Eylesha

i cumb fab

 

 

D'N'S JOH' DE BURTON

Land Rented from John de Burton

 

Liber' (Free tenants)

Wills

Ad

i rod

Joh' de Burton

viiid

Alan

fils Jo'

iii acs

Joh' de Burton

xviiid

Galfr'

Miln'

i mes

Joh' de Burton

xiiiis

 

Villani (Villagers)

Hug'

Mortimer

i mes, di' ac'm

Joh' de Burton

viiid, iii pcar'

Gilbs

Godard

i mes, iii acs

Joh' de Burton

iiiis, vi pcar'

Wills

Bele

i mes, ii acs

Joh' de Burton

iiis, vi pcar'

Alanus

Wiking

i mes, vi acs

Joh' de Burton

iiiis

Ths

Piscator

 

G. Goddard

Nichs

Fr'bern

 

Joh' de Burton

Matild

Mur'el

i mes, i rod

Joh' de Burton

xviid, iii pcar'

 

Bondi (Villagers with special terms)

Abbas

de Waldn

 

Joh' de Burton

Joh

fils Walti

i mes

Abbe

iiiid, i pcar'

Alan

fils Walti

i plac

Regina

iid

Wills

T'ri

i mes

P'orissa de Swafh'm

xs

Galfr'

fils Fulcon'

i mes

P'orissa de Swafh'm

vid

 

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