The extracts quoted below were taken from Court Rolls of
all three manors and show the great variety of concerns of the courts.
Eton Manor, Moleyn's Fee
View
of Frankpledge with Court held there on 29th April 1432
'The
tithingmen there, viz., JohnChalone and John Fremie, being sworn came and
present that . . . John Hunte had a dungheap placed on the king's way opposite
his tenement which is a nuisance to passers by, so he is in mercy (and fined)
3d. And he is ordered to remove it
before the next court upon pain of 40d. '
Here
follows the Court Baron.
'The
homage being sworn came and presents that... Richard Smyth still permits his
gutter to be in ruin to the injury of all his neighbours so he is in mercy (and
fined). And he so ordered to have it
well and sufficiently repaired before Michaelmas next upon pain of 40d. '
Eton
Manor, Church Fee
(formerly
held by Oliver Bordeux)
'Thomas
Jourdeley, Hugh Dyere, William Heyward, John Dyere and Thomas Peet being sworn
present that Richard Lane who is constable of the town there and at ie Wyke
makes default because he has
not come to do his office as he used at the Sheriff's hundred before the
gracious gift of this demesne to the College by the King, he is In mercy (and
fined) 6d.'
7th
Junuary 1452.
Item
they present that ... John Wight is a common player of dice and at cards,
continually staying up at night, to the injury of his neighbours and contrary
to the statutes (of the Realm), so he Is in mercy (and fined) 6d.'
15th
April 1542
‘Item
they present that ... Margaret Wyngham is a common scold and disturber of the
king's peace, so she is in mercy (and fined) 2d. And furthermore the same is ordered hence forth not to be a
scold on pain of castigation (probably whipping) as ordered in the published
statutes
Eton
Manor, Church Fee View of Frankpledge with Court, 19th May 1461
'John
Clerc constable and beer taster there being sworn presents that... Thomas
Jourdeley sold meat at excessive price so he Is in mercy (and fined)'.
Eton,
subsidary of Cippenham Manor,
View
of Frankpledge with Court Baron of Lord Huntingdon, 4th July 1562
'(The
Jury) upon their oath say that the Dean and Canons of the free chapel of the
Queen beneath the Castle of Windsor, the Provost and College of the Blessed
Mary of Eton, Edmund Windsor Esquire,
John Woodwerde, gentleman hold of the same manor and owe suit of court
to this court and withhold suit of court, therefore every one of them (is In
amercement (and fined) 4d.
Manor
of Colenorton
A
terrier of the lands of John Crawford, Lord of the Manor delivered at the Court
Baron, 25th October 1668.
'Eight
acres upon Sandells butting upon Broken Furlong on the north and Mill Piece on
the south.
Three
acres lying by Stonebridge Field butting upon Chalvey Mead on the north and
eight acres belonging to Stockdales on the south. (and also a manor house and
thirty two other plieces of land) . . Half acre where the house stands at Eton Wick.
Manor
of Eton cum Stockdales
At
the Court Leet and Court Baron of Leonard Wessel Esquire, 8th April 1700
'The
orders following were taken and established as well by the said Lord as also by
the consent, agreement and determination of the Freeholders and Tenants
of the said Manor with the advice of the Steward declaring the certain stint
and number of sheep and other cattle that may be kept on the Lammas and Commons
within the said Lordship of Manour aforesaid as followeth:
It
is ordered that no farmer Freeholder or Tenant shall keep but after the rate of
one beast for every five acres of land . . . that no townsman or cottager for
and in respect of his house shall have faring or common for more than one beast
... that Henry Moody or those who shall occupy his farm (Dairy Farm) shall
maintain the Gate against his house leading into South Field.
Manor
of Eton cum Stockdales and Colenorton View of Frankpledge with the General
Court Baron of William Stuart, 6th March, 1871
'The
Jurors present Mr George Lillywhite (of Manor Farm) to be Bailiff of the said
Manor . . . they present William Groves (of Eton) to be continued in the office
of Hayward.
It
is presented and ordered also - that no hogs or pigs be turned into the corn
fields until all the harvest shall be got
in, under penalty of two shillings per head to the ord of the manor . ..'
Manor
of Eton cum Stockdales with Colenorton View of Frankpledge with General Court
Baron, 1893
'Jurors
present and order that Thomas Barnes of the 'College Arms' had deposited a
large quantity of rubbish upon a meadow near Rail Pond, and the same is an
encroachment on the lammas lands within this Manor and that the same Thomas
Barnes be ordered to remove the same within two months . ..'
Occasionally
the records reveal the basic facts of incidents which must have provided
excitement in the lives of the villagers. Perhaps one of the most colourful
concerned Prince Richard of Cornwall, crusader, statesman, and the only
Englishman to become King of Germany. He
had been granted the manor of Cippenham and part of that of Eton by Duncan Lascelles;
his manor house and park were just north of the parish. The moat, which lay
within the park, can still be seen by Wood Lane. Here he spent a very happy honeymoon with his
first wife, Isabella. However, there were troubled times ahead.
Even
though Magna Carta had been signed by King John, there was still dissent
between the barons and the king and, during the Barons' War, Prince Richard was
captured. During his imprisonment he vowed that if he regained his freedom he
would found an abbey. Two years later he fulfilled his promise: in April
1266 a colourful procession made its way from the Cippenham Manor house to
newly-built Burnham Abbey for the signing of the charter. Land and privileges
were given to the Abbey including part of South Field and possibly also the
mill at Cuckoo Weir. In spite of its splendid beginnings it was not a rich
house and as landlord it almost certainly exacted all and any dues and rents
owing. A rental drawn up in Edward Ill's reign shows clearly that the Abbey
held land at Eton Wick. One can only wonder if its school and hospital ever
benefited the people of the village.
This is an extract from The Story of a Village: Eton Wick 1217 to 1977 by Judith Hunter.
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