FOURTEENTH AND FIFTEENTH CENTURIES. 33 
appears as Stompshill, Stombeshill, Stombelhulle, the last being 
probably the earliest form and giving the meaning of the name. 
It gave its name to a family the members of which frequently 
appear in the Court Rolls as Richard de Stombeshull, Ralph 
Stombelhulle, etc. (1301). 
Forest Hill is represented by Adam atte Forest, Robert atte 
Forest, and others, and the name serves to remind us how thickly 
wooded the Sydenham Hills must then have been. 
Catford appears as a family name in John de Cateford, who 
was a leading parishioner in 1320, in which year he was Bors- 
holder. 
A name which has completely vanished from the parish is that 
of Romburgh. A family of de Romburgh flourished in Lewisham 
in the 14th century. Romburgh Forest is also mentioned, and 
other persons are named as dwelling in Romburgh. In a deed 
of the 13th century certain property is mentioned as being bounded 
by ‘‘the road which leadeth from Lewisham Church to Romburgh,” 
and in another deed certain Romburgh property is spoken of as 
adjoining ‘‘Southfield,” which is now Lewisham Park. It would 
seem, therefore, that Romburgh is the old name for that part of 
the parish where St. Swithun’s, Hither Green, in now situated. 
Camps Hill, in Hither Green Lane, appears in these early 
records as Kemp’s Hill, probably called from a former owner or 
occupier, and not from the fact that a camp or entrenchment 
formerly stood there. 
Richard de Brocle appears in 1301 presenting the excuse of 
Robert atte Forest for non-attendance at the Manor Court, and 
in 1312 John de Crey and Adam Ster are summoned for not 
building their houses in ‘‘ Brockele.” 
The modern Sangley comes to us as Sanguinel, and this form 
survived as Sanwell as late as 1820. 
The records of the courts held in 1301 are entered rather 
fully—we will take that held on the Thursday after Palm Sunday 
of that year. First of all come the ‘‘essoins” or excuses for non- 
attendance. The list is headed by John Flemyng, which reminds 
us of Lewisham’s connection with Flanders. He makes the 
‘common excuse,” z.é., illness, or that the roads were bad, or some 
other lawful hindrance. His excuse is presented by John atte 
Cruche (John at the Cross) and is accepted, and so on with 
twenty-six others. 
Thomas the Miller accuses Sir Walter the Prior of Leuesham 
.of trespass—one of the many proofs that the lord of the manor 
could be sued in his own court. 
Ralph Stombelhulle (Stumps Hill nowadays) places himself 
‘fat the mercy of the lord,” for default in making his appearance 
on previous occasions, and is fined 3d. 
William le Webbe brings his plaint against Margery de 
Norwike for trespass. Margery does not put in an appearance 
and is held to be at the lord’s mercy, as the phrase was. 
