226 Notes on the History of Mere. 
this was the seat of the flax trade, nearly every house possessing’ a 
loom. Another mill, called “Tucking Mill,” has recently been 
destroyed, but it had ceased to be used as such for many years, 
having been converted into a cottage. It stood at the south-west 
corner of the sewage farm. 
THe Hunprep or Mere, 
as at present constituted, comprises the parishes of Mere (four 
tithings, viz., The Town, Woodlands, Chadenwyche, and Zeals), 
Kingston Deverill (a portion of), Maiden Bradley, Stourton, and 
West Knoyle. It was formerly more extensive. In ‘“ Exon 
Domesday ”’ East Knoyle and Monkton Deverell are included, thus 
making the complete number of ten tithings, but the two latter 
parishes have been transferred to other hundreds—the former to 
Downton, by the Bishop of Winchester, in 1330, the latter to South 
Damerham. Annexed is the description given in Exon Domesday : 
“In the hundred of Mzze are 86 hides and a half and 1 virgate. Of these 
the Barons have in demesne 34 hides and a half and half a virgate. Of them 
the King has in Knoyle 17 hides and a half in demesne. The Abbot of 
Glastonbury 5 hides. The Abbess of Wilton 4 hides and 1 virgate. Walter 
Gifard 4 hides. Gilbert Maminot 3 hides and a half and half a virgate. Godric 
the huntsman one virgate. And for 51 hides are paid to the King 15 pounds 
and 6 shillings. But of this money there were not paid 74 shillings from 
Knoyle Regis, the land of Earl William, at any of the usual terms, but for it 
the 4 collectors of the tax retained 12 pence. Saulf however retained the tax of 
1 hide and 1 virgate which he holds of Gozelin de Reveire, to wit seven shillings 
and six pence.” 
Now, although the hundred has lost two parishes, viz., Hast 
Knoyle, 5352 acres, and Monkton Deverill, 1735 acres, the present 
extent is much greater than that here recorded. If we take a hide 
as being say 120 acres and a virgate 30 acres, the area would be 
10,410 acres, whilst the parishes still forming the hundred have an 
acreage of nearly 19,000, after deducting a certain portion of 
Kingston Deverill (undefined, but still considered to be in the 
hundred of Amesbury). The present hundred consists of :—Mere, 
7313 acres; West Knoyle, 1906; Kingston Deverill (the whole 
parish), 2651; Maiden Bradley, 4550; and Stourton, 3386; total, 
