Doccombe Manor
The Murderer's Gift
1289 Doccombe Manor Rental
​
Document Ref: CCA-DCc-Register/O/CXX/flr/f7r
Source: Canterbury Cathedral Archives
Language: Latin
​
TEXT TRANSCRIBED & TRANSLATED
‘Memorandum that in 1289 at Doccumbe there are:
24 farthings of land by the sworn statement of William Sperce. A farthing contains 30 acres of land.
Item there are tithings there that pays 20s a year.
Item there is a mill that is worth 20s a year more or less.
The tenants of Doccumb[e] as above said [that]:
William Sperke holds 1 farthing for 4s 7d and gives for grass rights on the lord’s land 12d
Item William Sperke's reeve holds the same for himself
Richard of Doc[c]oumbe holds 1 farthing for 4s 1d & holds nothing for the lord’s land
Roger of Doccombe holds 1 farthing for 4s 1d & nothing for the lord’s land
Roger fit Stacim holds 1 farthing for 4s 1d
Item the same Roger {i.e. fit Stacim} and a certain Henry hold another farthing for 4s 1d
Gregory of Doccumb[e] holds 1 farthing for 4s 1d and gives for grass rights in the lord’s land 12d
William Sperke and the aforesaid Gregory [of Doccumbe] hold 1 farthing for 4s 1d and give for grass rights 12d
Walter Cume holds 1 farthing for 4s 1d and gives for grass rights 12d
Henry of Stacumbe holds 1 farthing and a half for 7s
Walter of Stacumb holds 2 farthings for 9s 2d
Walter of Cornesete holds 3 farthings of which 1 for 4s 1d, another for 3s 6d and the third for 4s 1d
Gregory of Kenewell holds 1 farthing at the moor on the lord’s land for 2s
Item Adrian Kenewell holds half a farthing for 2s 1d
Henry of Ken[e]well holds half a farthing for 2s and gives for grass rights on the lord’s land 12d
Richard of Ken[e]well holds 1 farthing for 4s 1d and gives for grass rights on the lord’s land 12d
Michael of Kenewell holds 1 farthing for 4s 1d and gives for grass rights on the lord’s land 12d
William Smalrege holds 2 farthings for 8s
William Copin’ holds 1 farthing [for] 4s 1d and gives for grass rights on the lord’s land 12d
The widow of Roger of S[o?]uthbregg holds 1 farthing for 4s 1d and gives for grass rights on the lord’s land 12d
Austin atte Welle and John atte Welle hold 1 farthing and a half for 6s and also give for grass rights on the lord’s land 12d
This in a book called Langotts {?}’
COMMENTARY
-
Below is a chart based on the above document. it shows that the farms covered about 720 acres and were mainly about 30 acres - a quarter ('farthing') of a hide (120 acres) - that was enough for the subsistence of family but not enough to produce for the market.
-
The column headed 'farm' shows what we think was the later farm name for each tenancy based on the toponymic surnames of the tenants, the size of the holding and its grazing rights that were on Mardon Common, Hingston Down and Cossick Down.
​
​
​