The 'manor' was an institution that affected almost every aspect of the lives of our English ancestors. It determined their rents and who inherited their land, decided where they grazed their cattle and when they cut the bracken, checked the condition of their dwellings and waterways, mediated in their financial, slanderous or pugilistic disputes, dictated where their corn should be grown, defended them against a greedy landlord - and against one another, punished them with amercements or set them in the stocks, and controlled the quality of their ale and bread. In an earlier age it also determined the occupations their sons should follow and whom their daughters might marry.
And yet, despite all this, manorial records are sadly under-used by family historians, the majority of whom do not utilise them. There is perception by many that they are 'difficult' or 'advanced' records. This can be so when you get back to before 1700, when the records are less reliable, and are in Latin. But if you are researching 18th, 19th or even 20th century ancestors - much of the 'difficulties' are minimised. The glossary provides definitions of many of the obscure terms which may be encountered.
This book seeks to show that the effort spent finding out about this class of document can be well rewarded. Manorial records are especially useful in amplifying other records (they can often help to distinguish between people of the same name who appear in the page of the parish registers with no identifiers), and may be the prime source when the registers are unreliable of missing.
Contents:
List of Plates
List of Figures
Acknowledgements
Introduction
History
The Feudal System
The Manor Courts
Land Tenure
Customs of the Manor
The Records
- Court Rolls
- Other Records
Finding the Records
Appendix: Custumal of the Manor of Walton on Thames in 1725 and 1728
Notes and References
Bibliography
Glossary
Index
