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.

Doccombe Manor