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 221/4 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.
- Villenage = Tenure at the will of a feudal lord by villein services.
- Socage = a feudal tenure of land involving payment of rent or other non-military service to a Lord.
The following table shows a List of the ‘Former’ Tenants of the Martham Stowe Survey MS936.
(Tenure codes A = Villenage. B = Socage Land held by Villeins. C = Land held by the 27 Socmen from Hemsby. D = Land held by other Socmen).
| Acres | Roods | Perches | Tenure* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hil, Roger De | 10 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Knight, Thomas | 12 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Knight, Thomas | 4 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Pyne, Richard | 4 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Hisbald, Humfrey | 2 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Stiward, Yware | 6 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Rede, Joh Le | 12 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Brun, Will | 3 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Sco, Humfrey de | 16 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Sco, Humfrey de | 3 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Blakeman, Yware | 6 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Wirle | 13 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Ses, Yware de | 10 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Ses, Unbeyn de | 12 | 2 | 0 | C |
| Syk, Thos de | 22 | 2 | 0 | C |
| Vosse, Peter | 3 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Vosse, Peter | 1 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Goshey, Will | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Keneman, Agnes | 1 | 2 | 0 | D |
| Geoffrey, Yware son of | 12 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Geoffrey, Yware son of | 4 | 2 | 0 | B |
| Mome, Roger | 3 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Mome, Roger | 3 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Elsy, Alice | 1 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Anneys, Will | 18 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Anneys, Will | 1 | 6 | 0 | B |
| Arnald, Richard | 2 | 2 | 0 | D |
| Stannard, Matilda | 6 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Godyve, John | 4 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Gileberd, Peter | 12 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Gileberd, Peter | 3 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Pethun, Will | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Pethun, Will | 1 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Fayrman, Bernard | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Fayrman, Bernard | 3 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Hugo, Walter | 3 | 3 | 0 | A |
| Hugo, Walter | 3 | 3 | 0 | B |
| Leve, Will | 3 | 3 | 0 | A |
| Leve, Will | 3 | 3 | 0 | B |
| Lom, Thos | 3 | 3 | 0 | A |
| Lom, Thos | 3 | 3 | 0 | B |
| Bruerio, Joh. De | 3 | 3 | 0 | A |
| Bruerio, Joh. De | 3 | 3 | 0 | B |
| Byl, Steph | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Coleman, Matilda | 6 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Yvo, Will son of | 8 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Blakyng, Rob & Elfer Rog | 9 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Blakyng, Rob. & Elfer Rog. | 2 | 2 | 0 | B |
| Harald, Nicholas | 6 | 2 | 0 | D |
| Sunnof, John | 9 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Chaplain, Will | 2 | 2 | 0 | D |
| Gervase, Nich | 3 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Prat, Rob | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Prat, Rob | 1 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Hereman, Will | 6 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Erl, Geoffrey | 16 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Cope, Will | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Cope, Will | 3 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Tusard, Richard | 3 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Spac, Hugo | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Spac, Hugo | 3 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Frone, Gunnilda | 3 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Lestan, Rob | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Lestan, Rob | 1 | 2 | 0 | B |
| Lestan | 11 | 2 | 0 | C |
| Archer, Will Le | 6 | 3 | 0 | C |
| Spac, Rog | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Spac, Rog | 4 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Gemere, Rich | 9 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Gemere, Rich | 20 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Orger, Rich | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Orger, Rich | 9 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Bernard, John | 3 | 0 | 20 | A |
| Bernard, John | 4 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Gode, Rog | 12 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Gode, Rog | 0 | 2 | 0 | B |
| Starlyng, Rob (Swan) | 3 | 3 | 0 | A |
| Starlyng, Rob (Swan) | 2 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Godrich, Nich | 12 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Godrich, Will | 1 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Kylderous, Margaret | 1 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Kilderous, Rog | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Tusard, Richard | 2 | 2 | 0 | D |
| Curtman, Rob | 3 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Curtman, Rob | 3 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Orger, Richard | 1 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Atte Pit, Alice | 4 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Bo, Wluina | 0 | 2 | 0 | D |
| Greyve, Ralph le | 12 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Robert, Joh | 14 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Anant, Rog (son of Yware) | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Anant, Rog (son of Yware) | 2 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Wymerc, Joh | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Wymerc, Joh | 1 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Pecke, Emma | 1 | 2 | 0 | D |
| Longe, Joh Le | 10 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Kinc, Joh | 11 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Bedel, Richard | 7 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Clerk, Rob. Le | 12 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Clerk, Rob. Le | 12 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Mey, Wymarcha | 3 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Carpenter, Joh. | 3 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Carpenter, Joh. | 2 | 2 | 0 | B |
| Godwyne, Will. | 7 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Yware, Rog. (son of Steph). | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| ware, Rog. (son of Steph). | 7 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Wluan, Adam | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Wluan, Adam | 10 | 2 | 0 | B |
| Alexander, Will. | 3 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Alexander, Will. | 8 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Godknape, Joh. | 5 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Blaking, Osbert | 14 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Sort, Matilda | 9 | 0 | 20 | D |
| Harding, Humfrey | 1 | 2 | 0 | D |
| Matilda, Barth. | 3 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Ratte, Juliana | 3 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Godwyne and Goda | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Godwyne and Goda | 3 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Bolle, Roger | 1 | 2 | 0 | D |
| Heyward, Godwyne le | 6 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Heyward, Godwyne le | 2 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Hendegord, Rog. and Will. De | 10 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Suthgate, Rog. de | 10 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Marue, Richard | 1 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Hare, Edric | 1 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Smith, Godwyne | 6 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Steward, Rog. | 10 | 0 | 0 | C |
| Seward Joh. and Osbert | 5 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Herbert, Robert | 7 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Hemesby, Amable de | 0 | 3 | 0 | D |
| Hubert, Humfrey | 12 | 0 | 0 | A |
| Hubert, Humfrey | 2 | 0 | 0 | B |
| Dekene, Joh. le | 16 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Haryngby, Will. De | 8 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Prior of Norwich | 1 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Blakeman, Roger | 0 | 3 | 0 | D |
| Chaplain, Godfrey the | 4 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Tucke, Wymarcha | 6 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Cruchestoft | 3 | 2 | 0 | D |
| Dulle, Matilda | 1 | 2 | 0 (⅛ e.) | A |
| Stocklondgore | 2 | 0 | 0 | D |
| Hil Joh. and Keneman Joh. | 1 | 2 | 0 | D |
| TOTALS | 830 | 2 | 0 |
The following table lists turf cutting holdings (turbaries) held in Martham south field and annual rents as shown in the 1292 Martham Stowe Survey.
(m = meadow. abut = abuttal).
| People | Acres | Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Longe, Heirs of Elsy and Nich. | 1 | 1d |
| Hubert, Arnald & Adam | 1½ | 1½d |
| Herbert, Nicholas Berte & Will. | ½ | ½d |
| Godrich, Will. Tusar, Will. Produm, Roger. Produm, John Keymund | 3 | 3d |
| Lom, Roger Bolle & Thos. | 1 | 1d |
| Galle, Richard | ½ | ½d |
| Rob, son of Roger | ½ | ½d |
| Scorch, Nicholas | ½ | ½d |
| Gode, the Heirs of Roger. | 1 | 1d |
| Produm, Ralph | 1½ | 1½d |
| Gemere, Joh. with his fellows | 1 | 1d |
| Stug, Thos. & his fellows | 1½ | 1½d |
| Dekene, Rob | 1 | 1d |
| Hervy, Alexander | 1 | 1d |
| Orger, Rob. & Rich. | 1 | 1d |
| Bernard, Nicholas & Roger | 1 | 1d |
| Longe, the Heirs of Elsy & Nicholas | 1 | 1d |
| Gele, the Heirs of Adam | ½ | ½d |
| Maybel, Osbert | ½ | ½d |
| Leuene, Roger Walter & Will. | ½ | ½d |
| Joh. & Thos | 1 | 1d |
| Galle, Ric. & Nicholas | ½ | ½d |
| Joh. de Fleg & his brothers | 1 | 1d |
| Suthgate, the Heirs of Rog. De & Elsy Longde | 1 | 1d |
| Anant, Rog. | 1 | 1d |
| Kine, the Heirs of Alice | ½ | ½d |
| Hendegord, the Heirs of Elsy Hendegord & of John Tvynlyng | ½ | ½d |
| Unbeyn, the Heirs of | 1 | 1d |
| Byl, the Heirs of Stephen | 1 | 1d |
| Alexander, Geoffrey & his brothers | Three-quarters | 1. 1/4d |
| Curtman, the Heirs of | ½ | ½d |
| Kint, Rob. Orger & the heirs of Joh. | 3 | 3d |
| Gemere, John & his fellows | 4 | 4d |
| Longe, the Heirs of Elsy & Nich. | 1 m | 6d |
| Harald, Henry | 1abut | 1d |
| Gemere, John | 1abut | 1d |
| Starlying, Roger | 1abut | 1d |
| Aveline, Roger | 1abut | 2d |
| Stug, Heirs of | 1abut | 1d |
The Stowe survey of Martham, conducted in 1292 by Henry de Lakenham, the Prior of Norwich, is part of a manuscript collection MS936 in the British Museum. The reason it is called the Stowe Survey is due to its cataloguing and archival association rather than authorship or an individual. The survey is held under the catalogue title "Stowe MS 936" at the British Library. It is part of a collection formerly associated with the Stowe manuscripts. The Stowe collection was amassed by the heirs of the Duke of Buckingham at Stowe House and comprised a vast compilation of medieval and early modern documents, including manorial surveys, which explains the "Stowe" designation. So, the name is taken from Stowe House and is identified by its archival location and source collection.