THE LOWER THAMES BASIN 357 



they remark upon the similarity between the open fields of the 

 county and those of other counties, describe the three-course ro- 

 tation, and even mention the tripartite division. ^ The conclu- 

 sion of their account, however, shows that they were not at the 

 moment describing what they saw. Mankind has at length, they 

 say, become '' more thoughtful and more enhghtened," and has 

 " changed somewhat of the mode " of cultivation. The descrip- 

 tion is intended to be historical and general, the reporters assum- 

 ing that the three-field system, which in their day they still saw 

 farther up the Thames, had once prevailed in Surrey. This 

 natural assumption we should likewise make were the earlier 

 evidence in accord with it. Since, however, the testimony of 

 surveys and terriers conflicts with the conjectural but seemingly 

 straightforward account of the reporters, it will have to be given 

 in some detail. 



Somewhat voluminous is the careful transcription of numerous 

 Surrey terriers drawn up in 1-2 Edward VI and probably re- 

 lating to monastic lands.^ Regarding many townships we learn of 

 Httle more than the existence of common fields, the specification 

 being that so many acres lay " in communi campo " or " in com- 

 munibus campis." ^ In the longer terriers no holding is evenly 

 divided between two or three comprehensive fields, as would 

 surely have happened several times in the description of an equal 



1 "According to the common field husbandry of this county [which is similar 

 to that of other counties] . . . very little or no variation could take place; and 

 therefore wheat, barley, and oats have been the uniform routine, and their chief 

 aim has been to get the wheat crop round, be the ground rich or poor, shallow or 

 deep. The custom of each manor in the arable lands for the most part was to lay 

 them in three common fields; and in so doing they were enabled to pursue a course 

 of wheat, barley or oats, and the third remained in fallow. . . . But as mankind 

 became more thoughtful and more enlightened, finding the bad efi^ects of this sort 

 of husbandry, and being precluded the advantage of winter crops; seeing also the 

 absurdity of fallowing, they wisely made an agreement among themselves (wherever 

 they could possibly effect it) and changed somewhat of the mode by the introduc- 

 tion of the artificial grasses " {General View, etc., p. 38). 



2 Land Rev., M. B. iqo; Treas. of Receipt, M. B. 168, 169, 



^ Of this nature are terriers relating to West Cheam, West Molesey, East Mole- 

 sey, Esher, Waddington (in Coulsdon), Maiden, Witley, Claygate, Pirbright, Lam- 

 beth, Ashstead, Eashing, Shalford (Land Rev., M. B. 190, ff. 107, 386, 48, 406 and 

 117, 686, 170, 1306, 1366, 138, 156, 189, 2256, 226). 



