Stowe Survey (1292) – Survey of Martham Manor

Martham is fortunate to have several preserved documents illustrating its development from the earliest of times. These include records in the Domesday Book (1086), Manorial Rolls from 1272 to the middle of the 14th century and a series of Court and Bailiffs’ Rolls covering the period to the Reformation (1534-1549). In addition to these there is another exceptionally important survey of Martham Manor that was carried out in 1292 which is held by the British Museum and is called the Stowe Survey ref:MS 936.

The whole compilation, unfortunately, is in a defective condition. The series was  started soon after the appointment of William de Kyrkeby to the Norwich Priory in 1272 and was continued at various dates thereafter. The survey of Martham was made by the Prior of Norwich, Henry de Lakenham in 1292.

The survey required that those compiling it should start by looking back and assessing what the Manor looked like 100 years earlier. So, the first part looks at what it calls the “former” position and looks back to 1192.  Usefully it provides the names of 107 “former” holders of land no matter what their size. These holdings were (as was usual in those days) made up of strips of land, often widely separated from each other. A list of these 107 tenants is shown in the table at the foot of this page.

At Domesday (1086) Martham had a considerable number of landowners who were ‘freemen’. However, they were not altogether free and were subject to some commitment to the Lord of the Manor, which in this case was the Prior, but they did not work on his land. There was a group of 36 of this type of freemen in Martham who owned 610 acres of land plus pasture between them. In addition, there were a number of other “socmen” working with them that were only discovered through the Stowe survey. 

The Stowe Survey makes it clear that Bishop Herbert de Losinga gave his Manors of Hemsby and Martham to his new Priory of Norwich. The greater part of Martham had not previously been subject to manorial conditions but the Bishop made the 36 freemen into “villenage” tenants and in addition the 27 socmen from Hemsby into customary tenants, all with specified obligations to provide for his monks at his newly founded Monastery at Norwich.

A close comparison of Domesday and Stowe has identified the same base holding by 36 freemen over the period from 1086 right through to 1292 although subsequently sub-divided by inheritance and sales etc, holdings had been divided by eight to twelve times the original number. Similarly, the holdings of the 27 socmen can be traced and they also held 30 acres of land in Martham. There seems little reason to list them separately other than they came from Hemsby and held Martham land without living in the parish but were subject to some services to the Martham Lord particularly at harvest time.

In 1292, by inheritance, sale, marriage dowry or gift etc these 107 units were owned by more than 900 people and the number of furlong strips held had become more than 2,000. Every strip is given the name of the “field” it is in; the name of the tenant whose lands it adjoins on its long side and the land or road it abuts on its short side. The tenants are described as holding the land in “villenage”⁽¹⁾ or in “socage” ^(2). There were 22^1/4 villenage tenements consisting of 12 acres (or fractions) each. They were called “eruings” which was derived from the old Saxon word “eruing” meaning ploughing.

To sum up the Domesday account for Martham identified (a) 36 freemen holding 610 acres of arable land, (b) 240 acres of land in Martham owned by the Prior’s Hemsby Manor, (c) 30 acres in Martham owned by 27 socmen from Hemsby, (d) 21 acres in Sco (a part of Martham at what is now The Grange) held by two tenants, (d) 10 acres at Winterton belonging to the Bishop but included in his Martham Manor.  This makes a total of 911 acres, which were identified in the Stowe Survey.   

1. Villenage = Tenure at the will of a feudal lord by villein services.
2. Socage = a feudal tenure of land involving payment of rent or other non-military service to a Lord.

Home Page

LIST OF THE “FORMER” TENANTS OF MARTHAM.
Stowe Survey MS. 936
	Acres	Rods	Perches	Tenure*
1.  Hil, Roger de	10	0	0	C
2.  Knight Thomas	12	0	0	A
2.  Knight Thomas	4	0	0	B
3. Pyne Richard	4	0	0	C
4. Hisbald Humfrey	2	0	0	D
5. Stiward Yware	6	0	0	C
6. Rede, Joh. Le	12	0	0	D
7. Brun Will.	3	0	0	C
8. Sco. Humfrey de	16	0	0	C
8. Sco. Humfrey de	3	0	0	A
9. Blakeman Yware	6	0	0	C
10. Wirle	13	0	0	C
11. Ses, Yware de	10	0	0	C
12. Ses, Unbeyn de	12	2	0	C
13. Syk, Thos de	22	2	0	C
14. Vosse Peter	3	0	0	A
14. Vosse Peter	1	0	0	B
15. Goshey Will	6	0	0	A
16. Keneman Agnes	1	2	0	D
17. Geoffrey, Yware son of	12	0	0	A
17. Geoffrey, Yware son of	4	2	0	B
18. Mome Roger	3	0	0	A
18. Mome Roger	3	0	0	B
19. Elsy Alice	1	0	0	D
20. Anneys Will	18	0	0	A
20. Anneys Will	1	6	0	B
21. Arnald Richard	2	2	0	D
22. Stannard Matilda	6	0	0	C
23. Godyve John	4	0	0	C
24. Gileberd Peter	12	0	0	A
24. Gileberd Peter	3	0	0	B
25. Pethun Will.	6	0	0	A
25. Pethun Will.	1	0	0	B
26. Fayrman Bernard	6	0	0	A
26. Fayrman Bernard	3	0	0	B
27. Hugo, Walter	3	3	0	A
27. Hugo, Walter	3	3	0	B
28. Leve Will.	3	3	0	A
28. Leve Will.	3	3	0	B
29. Lom Thos.	3	3	0	A
29. Lom Thos.	3	3	0	B
30. Bruerio, Joh. De	3	3	0	A
30. Bruerio, Joh. De	3	3	0	B
31. Byl Steph.	6	0	0	A
32. Coleman Matilda	6	0	0	C
33. Yvo, Will. son of	8	0	0	D
34. Blakyng Rob. & Elfer Rog.	9	0	0	A
34. Blakyng Rob. & Elfer Rog.	2	2	0	B
35. Harald Nicholas	6	2	0	D
36. Sunnof John	9	0	0	C
37. Chaplain Will.	2	2	0	D
38. Gervase, Nich.	3	0	0	C
39. Prat Rob.	6	0	0	A
39. Prat Rob.	1	0	0	B
40. Hereman Will.	6	0	0	C
4l  Erl Geoffrey	16	0	0	C
42. Cope Will.	6	0	0	A
42. Cope Will.	3	0	0	B
43. Tusard Richard	3	0	0	D
44. Spac Hugo	6	0	0	A
44. Spac Hugo	3	0	0	B
45. Frone Gunnilda	3	0	0	D
46. Lestan Rob.	6	0	0	A
46. Lestan Rob.	1	2	0	B
47. Lestan	11	2	0	C
48. Archer, Will. Le	6	3	0	C
49. Spac Rog.	6	0	0	A
49. Spac Rog.	4	0	0	B
50. Gemere Rich.	9	0	0	A
50. Gemere Rich.	20	0	0	B
51. Orger Rich.	6	0	0	A
51. Orger Rich.	9	0	0	B
52. Bernard John	3	0	20	A
52. Bernard John	4	0	0	C
53. Gode Rog.	12	0	0	A
53. Gode Rog.	0	2	0	B
54. Starlyng Rob. (Swan)	3	3	0	A
54. Starlyng Rob. (Swan)	2	0	0	B
55. Godrich Nich.	12	0	0	A
56. Godrich Will.	1	0	0	D
57. Kylderous Margaret	1	0	0	D
58. Kilderous Rog.	6	0	0	A
59. Tusard Richard	2	2	0	D
60. Curtman Rob.	3	0	0	A
60. Curtman Rob.	3	0	0	C
61. Orger Richard	1	0	0	D
62. Atte Pit, Alice	4	0	0	D
63. Bo Wluina	0	2	0	D
64. Greyve, Ralph le	12	0	0	D
65. Robert, Joh.	14	0	0	D
66. Anant, Rog. son of Yware	6	0	0	A
66. Anant, Rog. son of Yware	2	0	0	B
67. Wymerc Joh.	6	0	0	A
67. Wymerc Joh.	1	0	0	B
68. Pecke Emma	1	2	0	D
69. Longe, Joh. Le	10	0	0	C
70. Kinc Joh.	11	0	0	D
71. Bedel Richard	7	0	0	D
72. Clerk, Rob. Le	12	0	0	A
72. Clerk, Rob. Le	12	0	0	B
73. Mey Wymarcha	3	0	0	C
74. Carpenter Joh.	3	0	0	A
74. Carpenter Joh.	2	2	0	B
75. Godwyne, Will.	7	0	0	D
76. Yware, Rog. son of Steph.	6	0	0	A
76. Yware, Rog. son of Steph.	7	0	0	B
77. Wluan Adam	6	0	0	A
77. Wluan Adam	10	2	0	B
78. Alexander Will.	3	0	0	A
78. Alexander Will.	8	0	0	B
79. Godknape Joh.	5	0	0	D
80. Blaking Osbert	14	0	0	C
81. Sort Matilda	9	0	20	D
82. Harding Humfrey	1	2	0	D
83. Matilda, Barth.	3	0	0	A
84. Ratte Juliana	3	0	0	C
85. Godwyne and Goda	6	0	0	A
85. Godwyne and Goda	3	0	0	B
86. Bolle Roger	1	2	0	D
87. Heyward, Godwyne le	6	0	0	A
87. Heyward, Godwyne le	2	0	0	B
88. Hendegord, Rog. and Will. De	10	0	0	C
89. Suthgate, Rog. de	10	0	0	C
90. Marue Richard	1	0	0	D
91. Hare Edric	1	0	0	D
92. Smith, Godwyne	6	0	0	D
93. Steward, Rog.	10	0	0	C
94. Seward Joh. and Osbert	5	0	0	D
95. Herbert Robert	7	0	0	D
96. Hemesby, Amable de	0	3	0	D
97. Hubert Humfrey	12	0	0	A
97. Hubert Humfrey	2	0	0	B
98. Dekene, Joh. le	16	0	0	D
99. Haryngby, Will. De	8	0	0	D
100. Prior of Norwich	1	0	0	D
101. Blakeman Roger	0	3	0	D
102. Chaplain, Godfrey the	4	0	0	D
103. Tucke Wymarcha	6	0	0	D
104. Cruchestoft	3	2	0	D
105. Dulle Matilda	1	2	0 (⅛ e.)	A
106. Stocklondgore	2	0	0	D
107. Hil Joh. and Keneman Joh.	1	2	0	D
TOTALS	830	2	0
Tenure:-
A = Villenage
B = Socage Lands held by Villeins
C = Land held by the 27 Socmen from Hemsby
D = Land held by other Socmen

Turf cutting holdings (turbaries) held in the south field and annual rent in 1292 according to the Stowe Survey
People	Acres	Rent
Heirs of Elsy and Nich. Longe	1	1d
Hubert Arnald & Adam	1½	1½d
Nicholas Berte & Will. Herbert	½	½d
Will. Godrich, Will. Tusard, Roger Produm, John Keymund	3	3d
Roger Bolle & Thos. Lom	1	1d
Richard Galle	½	½d
Rob. son of Roger	½	½d
Nicholas Scorch	½	½d
Heirs of Roger Gode	1	1d
Ralph Produm	1½	1½d
Joh. Gemere with his fellows	1	1d
Thos. Stug & his fellows	1½	1½d
Rob. Dekene	1	1d
Alexander Hervy	1	1d
Rob. & Rich. Orger	1	1d
Nicholas & Roger Bernard	1	1d
Heirs of Elsy & Nicholas Longe	1	1d
Heirs of Adam Gele	½	½d
Osbert Maybel	½	½d
Roger Walter & Will. Leuene	½	½d
Joh. & Thos	1	1d
Ric. & Nicholas Galle	½	½d
Joh. de Fleg & his brothers	1	1d
Heirs of Elsy Long & Rog. de Suthgate	1	1d
Rog. Anant	1	1d
Heirs of Alice Kine	½	½d
Heirs of Elsy Hendegord & of John Tvynlyng	½	½d
Heirs of Unbeyn	1	1d
Heirs of Stephen Byl	1	1d
Geoffrey Alexander & his brothers	3 rods	1. 1/4d
Heirs of Curtman	½	½d
Rob. Orger & heirs of Joh. Kint [sic]	3	3d
John Gemere & his fellows	4	4d
Heirs of Elsy Longe & Nich. Longe	1 m	6d
Henry Harald	1abut	1d
John Gemere	1abut	1d
Roger Starlyng	1abut	1d
Roger Aveline	1abut	2d
Heirs of Stug	1abut	1d
m = meadow
abut = abuttal

Home Page