Domesday Witham - The Fee of the Bishop of London


The Lands of the King, Witham
The Fee of the Bishop of London, Howbridge Hall
The Land of Saint Edmunds, Benton Hall
The Lands of Count Eustace, Bluntshall and Witham
The Lands of Robert Gernon, Witham (Powers Hall), Howbridge Hall
The Lands of Ranulf Peverel, Bluntshall
The Land of Moduin, Witham

The Fee of the Bishop of London




		Expansion
1.		/ Hobruge tenet Radulfus filius brien quod tenuit Aluuinus liber homo pro I manerio
2.		& dimidia hida Semper I carruca in dominio & I carruca hominum & I willanus & X borarii Tunc II servi
3.		modo nullus Silva C porci XII acre prati XVI animalia C oves XX capre XIIII porci
4.		& valet XL solidos

		Translation
1.		Howbridge [Hall]: holds Ralf son of brien, which held Alwin, a free man, as 1 manor (Ralf, son of Brien, holds Howbridge [Hall], which Alwin, a free man, held)
2.		& as half a hide. Always 1 plough on the demesne, and 1 plough of the men, & 1 villein, & 10 bordars. Then 2 serfs
3.		now none. Woodland [for] 100 pigs. 12 acres of meadow, 16 beasts, 100 sheep, 20 goats, 14 pigs.
4.		And it is worth 40 shillings.

Note
It is probable that this entry was associated with the present Ishams Farm, which was at one time known as 'Little Howbridge'. If so, the large area of Domesday woodland may have been connected with the nearby 'Chantry Wood'.