1900 E. C. SCOBELL— COMMON FIELDS AT UPTON 221 



In the Appendix at the end of this paper (p. 229) will 

 be found a plan (PI. XI.) of the Great Awe Field at Upton 

 St. Leonard's. 



The plan, together with the list in the Appendix, 

 giving the names of the owners and the sizes of the 

 strips, will show how numerous were the holders, how 

 scattered their holdings, and at the same time how 

 uniform, as a rule, were these holdings in size. 



It introduces for consideration matters of some interest, 

 viz., the character of the tenure, and the scattered nature of 

 the ownership. These features arose out of the old system 

 of agriculture which was " co-operative,'" the supply of 

 oxen and the necessaries for the plough being provided 

 by various members of the community — a veritable Ipavos. 



The land was often hard to cultivate, and the ploughs 

 were of great weight. It was needful, therefore, to have 

 great strength to move them : the ordinary plough team 

 consisted of no less than eight oxen, and even more were 

 sometimes required. 



In proportion to the contribution made to the plough 

 team so was the size of the holding. Some such pro- 

 portion as this appears to have been accepted — a person 

 w^ho provided two oxen would be entitled to hold about 

 2 acres, not of necessity situate together, but scattered 

 among the Common fields. 



The holdings, too, of certain officials were also dependent 

 on their contribution in some way to the common weal. 

 Thus fields are named after the office held. In Upton we 

 find " Constable's Grove," " Spencer's Piece," " Doctor's 

 Ground," " Smith's Piece," " Grannie's Ground." Else- 

 where there are " Carpenter's Piece " and " Punder's 

 Piece." 



The crops were taken from the lands as allotted — but 

 when the crops were removed all the holders had the 

 privilege of common pasturage over the whole after 



