EARLY HISTORY OF TWO AND THREE FIELDS 69 



seems to domicile the three-field system in the northeastern part 

 of the county. If so, this is an outpost toward Cheshire beyond 

 which the system did not much advance. From the southeast 

 of the county we have another important terrier, describing the 

 sixteen acres which were part of a half-virgate at Presthope as 

 " vii acras terre in Arildewelle, v acras terre in Chesterfordfeld, 

 iv acras terre in Hinesmere." ^ The names are scarcely simple, 

 but the division of virgate acres is after the three-field pattern. 

 Finally, the virgate which accompanied a messuage and curti- 

 lage in a grant at Shawbury near Shrewsbury comprised 



" Sexdecim acras terre campestris in quolibet campo, viz., 



in campo versus Foret super Crokes forlonge vii acras terre 



et inter terram de Cherletone . . . et Cressewalbroke ix acras 

 cum particulis ad capita seilonum 

 Et in campo versus Hadenhale vi acras similiter iacentes in 



Stodefolde 



et quatuor acras terre extendentes inter altam viam et le 

 Middelheth 



et iii acras super le Middelheth 



et duas acras terre super Sicheforlonge 

 Et in campo versus parvam Withiford iiii acras terre ... 



et unam acram terre iuxta Ingriythemedewe 



et iii acras terre super Molkebur' 



cum una forera ad capud dictarum acrarum 



et tres acras terre abuttantes super viam prope gardinum 

 domini 



et tres acras terre abuttantes usque ad portam . . . 



cum forera ad capud dictarum terrarum. ... " ^ 



There could be no more straightforward declaration of a three- 

 field system than this terrier. * Only in what has already mani- 

 fested itself as a Shropshire peculiarity, the predilection for nam- 

 ing fields with reference to adjoining townships, is there any 

 variation from the norm. These illustrations must suffice. They 

 are the best available in proof of an early extension of the midland 

 system toward the Welsh border. 



1 Ped. Fin., 193-3-16, 6 Hen. III. 



2 Add. MS. 33354, f. 81. Earlier than 1254. 



