6 HISTORY OF NORTON. 



No. I., that it is a grant, dated, I think, about the year 1320, 

 of a place familiarly known as the Herdings, upon which 

 there is now a very picturesque and ivy-covered old house, 

 formerly the residence of the Scrivens * and other families, and at 

 present occupied by Mr. Thomas Hazard. The spelling of the 

 place-name " Heytridding " is remarkable. It is evidently the 

 " high ridding," the high stubbing, that is, a cleared space on a 

 hill; and this derivation exactly corresponds with the site of the 

 place itself. The name is written in a very old hand, at the 

 back of the deed, " Heardinge," so I make no doubt of the 

 identity of the place. It was anciently of sufficient mark to give 

 its name to a family, as we have in the charter itself William 

 and Robert " of the Heytridding." 



Agnes Castelayn, of Osberton, and Rose, her daughter, the 

 recipients of Chaworth's bounty, were probably gentlefolk, to 

 whom Chaworth had become attached. The name is, of course, 

 the old French Castellan, that is, the guardian of a castle. 

 " Hemilword," or Hamelworth, now Hemsvvorth, is Hamel's 

 field. Basse is the French bas, low of stature, " Le Bas " being a 

 well known French surname. God knave, that is, God son, is a 

 remarkable name. 



The witnesses to the following deed, as well as one or two of 

 the others, are identical with the witnesses of deeds in the Beau- 

 chief chartulary. The same notary, or the same monkish hand, 

 doubtless prepared them. There were two great courts held for 

 the manor of Norton, at Michaelmas and Lady Day, and on these 

 days, I suppose, all deeds were signed and enrolled. 



I. 



Sciant presentes et futuri quod ego Thomas de Chaword dedi &c. Alicie 

 filie Agnetis Castelayn de Osbertona et Rose filie sue, pro homagio et 

 servicio suo, totam illam terram, cum omnibus pertinenciis suis, apud le 

 Heytridding, quam Will's de le Heytridding quondam tenuit in soka de 

 Nortona, una cum quindecim acris terre quas Robertus de le Heytridding 

 quondam tenuit in campo de le Heytridding jacentibus, et duabus acris 



* William Scriven, of the Herdings, gent., died 2 Sept. 1724. The parish 

 register says of him: " Ecclesise et pauperibus hujus parochise liberaliter 

 legavit." 



