96 Erlestohe and its Manor Lords. 



position of the lord's grove of 1309 is in some degree supported by 

 present day tradition, which assigns to that portion of the hill- 

 wood the distinctive adjective "old," but in regard to the other 

 woods, though their positions are approximately correct for the 

 early date, it can only be stated as to their area that not more is 

 shown than seems necessary to satisfy the conditions of manorial 

 tenure which allotted to each tenant a certain amount of woody 

 ground for the supply of small fuel. The number of inhabitants 

 mentioned in the inquisition is ten free-tenants, thirty-nine custo- 

 mary tenants, and twenty-four cottiers, making in all seventy-three 

 heads of fainilies, and if the average number of persons in each 

 family be taken as five, the population would be three hundred 

 and eighty-five ; but besides those mentioned there were probably 

 others below the class of cottier, as suggested above, and when 

 these are taken into account and a deduction made for those free- 

 tenants who were absentees, the total population must have been 

 very nearly four hundred, and the number of houses shown, other 

 than those in Water Street, is not greater than would suffice, while 

 their positions are such as are warranted by tradition. The location 

 of the Manor Mill and of Marsh Mill are also taken from tradition, 

 and the insertion of " The Cross " opposite the present post office 

 seems to be justified, for there are many now living who were 

 wont in their childhood to meet at that spot when they went to 

 play " at the Cross," and the name occurs frequently in the court 

 book, which also provides good evidence of the existence of the 

 castle at the highest point on the hill. Many of the names in 

 the map are taken from the early records, while many others are 

 known to be of great age, such as Henning, which is found in the 

 form of Hyndon as early as 1544. The inquisition shows that 

 Pudnell Farm was from such early times a separate property of 

 the lord of the manor, subject only to the right of pasture of 

 Thomas Averay and Walter de Camera, who were probably the 

 steward and bailiff of the manor, and had that right by virtue of 

 their office. At the other end of the manor was the lord's pasture 

 for six hundred sheep, which has been located on the map by the 

 evidence of the court book, and the remainder of the land on the 



