1900 E. C. SCOBELL^COMMON FIELDS AT UPTON 223 



in wood, or iron, or oxen, etc., and hand them over to 

 the common ploughman. 



Under this arrangement the first strip ploughed would 

 belong to the ploughman — the next to the provider of 

 the irons — some strips to the owner of each ox, one to 

 the provider of the wood, etc. 



If any complaint as to the fairness of ploughing arose 

 the ploughman's own furrow was to set the rule. Hence 

 we have an explanation of the strips being scattered and 

 varying in position each year — well termed " mingle- 

 mangle." Thus when co-operation ceased and legal 

 ownership followed, holdings belonging to the same 

 person would be in various places rather than together — 

 a feature increased by subsequent purchases. 



We may observe that there is to be seen in a Common 

 Field at Upton called " Brimps " a good instance of terrace- 

 cultivation, or "Lynches" (see PI. X.) Their origin has 

 been variously traced, e.g. to water action, as having been 

 once sea-shores ; to encampments ; to places of vantage, so 

 as to witness the ceremonies of Druid priests ; but they may 

 rather be regarded as part of the system of ploughing in 

 strips. The cultivators of the higher land, in order to 

 prevent their soil being entirely washed down, would 

 plough one way only, returning idle. Thus the soil would 

 be gradually moved downwards, and the slope would be 

 made level, between balk and balk. Every year's plough- 

 ing would take a sod, or furrow, from the upper to the 

 lower part, with the result that the divisions would become 

 steep banks ; by this means the soil would be kept on its 

 thus formed level terrace, or holding,* as shown in PI. X. 



To turn now to the subject of inclosures, which have 

 removed the remnants of this system of such long dura- 

 tion, although the full intention had long ceased to exist. 



* See Seebolim s ' English Village Communitv,' p. 5. 

 P 



