CELTIC SYSTEM IN ENGLAND 263 



Fertile alluvial land would need little fallowing, and continuous 

 cropping would leave no opportunity for the exercise of the 

 right of pasturage during a fallow year. If these conjectures be 

 correct, Braunton Great Field was of relatively recent origin. 

 Perhaps the "londscores" near the common at Ilsington were 

 also recently improved lands, in this instance taken from the 

 waste. 



In Cornwall, as in Devon, the Jacobean surveys tell of en- 

 closed townships, occasionally hinting at the existence of common 

 arable fields. A long account of the manor of Launceston, which 

 describes leaseholds in many hamlets, always refers to the parcels 

 of the tenements as closes, sometimes adding that they were 

 meadow or pasture.^ In a companion survey, however, a signif- 

 icant statement is made relative to Leigh Durrant. " Some parte 

 of this Mannor," the surveyor explains, " Heth in Common fields 

 which is hardly founde in any Mannor of his highness eels in 

 Cornewall; " ^ but no description of these common fields is vouch- 

 safed. We come upon others in a survey of Carnanton,^ 

 where, in 4 James I, 70 of the 960 acres accounted for still lay 

 in some seven " common fields," of which at least three were 

 closes. Down close contained 12 acres, held by four persons; 

 Furze close, 8f acres in the hands of three tenants; and New 

 close, 5 acres with a single occupant. The remaining " common 

 fields " were West, North, South, and Churchway, each having 

 an area of from 5 to 20 acres.'* Five times the acres in common 

 field or common close are said to be " in stichmeale," a phrase 

 pointing to the intermixture of ten^ants' parcels. If we inquire 

 into the origin of this situation, the names of the common closes 

 at once suggest appropriation from the waste. Other items in 

 the survey indicate that a " Downe " had recently been allotted 

 and improved. Twelve times there is reference to acres of 

 common pasture " in le Downs " or " in communi campo vocato 



1 Land Rev., M. B. 207, ff. 149-213, 5 Jas. I. 



2 Ibid., f. 42&. 



» Exch. Aug. Of., M. B. 388, ff. 135-171- 



* In West field six tenants had 19J acres; in North field seven had 15^ acres; 

 in Churchway four had 3^ acres; in South field two had s\ acres. A few acres lay 

 simply " in communi campo." 



