COMPOSITION. Ill 



The Tjthing of COMBE. * 



Imprimis John Parker hath in his occupacon ij yard lande being 



xl ac. seuerall ground wherof xx ac. are errable, xviij ac. pasture 



and vacant ground, and ij ac. meadow rated at the payment of 



wheate j buh. 



George Knight hath in his occupacon j yard land being xviij ao. 



seuerall ground wherof xij ac. ar errable, v ac. vacante, and j ac. 



meadow, rated at xd. for a lambe. 



Thomas Maye hath in his occupacon xx ac. seuerall ground wherof 



xij ac. ar errable, six acres pasture and barren ground, and ij 



ac. meadow, rated at xd. for a lambe. 



Robert Pierce hath in his occupacon j yard land wherof xvj ac. ar 



errable in seuerall and comon, rated at j pullett. 



Henry Hedges hath in his occupacon j yard land being xvj ac. 



errable ground in seuerall and comon, wherof dim, ac. rated at 



j pullett. 

 Simon Smith hath in his occupacon j yard land dim. being xxij ac. 



in comon and seuerall wherof j ac. in meadow rated at 



xx. for a lambe. 



* The three counties of Hants, Berks, and Wilts meet at a point near 

 Combe called Buttermere Corner. Combe is a very common name for villages, 

 especially on the downs or other ranges of hills. The word is Welsh, and 

 means a particular kind of valley ; for all valleys are not combes. The chalk 

 downs above Combe, looking northward over Berkshire, is the highest point 

 of the chalk in this part of England. A little way off is a very extensive 

 ancient British entrenchment, or hill-fort called Walbnry, the altitude of the 

 hills at this place being just a thousand feet above sea level. 



In 1084, there was a church on the manor of Combe, when it belonged to 

 Ernulph de Heading, the Domesday lord of Newbury. Shortly afterwards his 

 wife Amelin gave it to the Abbey of Bee. In the 13th century the Priory of 

 Okeburne held Cumbe by ancient enfeoffment under Ralph de Hastings in 

 frankalmoign. In 1290 the rectory of Cumbe was valued at 13 6s. 8d., and 

 its vicarage at 4 6s. 8d. By the returns made 2 August, 1294, it appears 

 that the lands held by the Abbey of Bee, or rather by his prior of Okeburne, 

 in his own hands, including a windmill, pasture for 1000 sheep, valued at 

 41s. 8d., came to 102s. 8d. From 29 customary tenants and seven cottars he 

 received 11 9s. 9d., making the whole income from Combe 16 12*. 5d. 

 In 1414 at the suppression of Okeburne priory its site and manors were given 

 to the University of Cambridge, and afterwards to the royal foundation of 

 King's College. The tithes and spiritualities were granted to John, Duke of 

 Bedford, for the College of Windsor a grant confirmed by Henry V. and 

 Edward IV. 



It appears from a record of 1512, that on 18 July, 1467 the King gave to the 

 Dean and Canons of Windsor the manor and advowson of Conibe, in whom 

 the patronage of the vicarage is still vested. Linkenholt originally belonged 

 to the lord of Combe. 



The other alien priories in Hampshire suppressed or tranf erred by the statute 

 of 1414, were, Andewell (Tyrone), Andover (St. Sauveur), Applederwell (St. 

 Mary de Montutburg), Carisbrook (Lyre), Elingham (St. Sanveur le Vicomte), 

 Hamele, or Hamble (Tyrone), Hayhrig ((ryiin-gi's, or Jumieges), St. Craw, 

 (Isle of Wight), Tyrone, Selborne and Sherborne (St. Vigor of Ceresy), Strat- 

 neld saye (the Valido monte). 



