THE LOWER THAMES BASIN 379 



On the contrary, one may see how exceptional were the two just 

 described by referring to several early terriers from the Essex 

 border, all of which testify to the existence of intermixed parcels 

 in open field. One of these, from Alswick, describing a half- 

 virgate given in the thirteenth century to the priory of Dunmow, 

 enumerates the acres as follows : — 



" iv acras iacentes in scalchedelle 

 et dimidiam acram et dimidiam Rodam que iacent [iuxta] terrain Stephani 



decani in alio campo adversus gravam decani 

 et duas acras et dimidiam Rodam que iacent in eodem campo in duas partes 

 et acram et dimidiam et unam Rodam per se usque ad viam 

 et ii acras dimidiam rodam minus [sic] inter Alwardeshei et Siwinesho 

 iii rodas sub domo yvonis clerici iuxta terram sparche 

 et unam acram in puse crofth 

 et ii acras quae iacent in campo adversus pucheleshei inter terras brici et 



sparche 

 et iii Rodas que appellantur Hevodacher 

 et ii acras terre quae iacent circa dellam." ^ 



Unmistakable characteristics of open fields are here visible: 17^ 

 acres were divided into ten parts, many of them small; two par- 

 cels were in the same field, another lay per se, and another formed 

 a head acre. 



The parcels of this terrier had, however, been subjected to no 

 two- or three-field arrangement. Although evidence of such a 

 plan might escape us in a single charter, it would scarcely fail to 

 appear in the numerous terriers that are available. Such records 

 the feet of fines, the cartulary of Waltham abbey, and that of 

 St. John Baptist at Colchester supply in no grudging measure.^ 



1 Harl. MS. 662, f. 67b. 



2 Typical illustrations from each of these sources follow: — 



At Barkway, in the northeastern hills, Abbot Adam of St. John Baptist's, Col- 

 chester, conceded to Robert le Moine, about 1 200, 



" mesagium cum una acra terre et dimidiam [sic] iuxta fontem qui uocatur Bedewelle 

 et aliud mesagium . . . cum dimidia acra 



et tres acras cum prato eiusdem latitudinis extra forum de Berqueia 

 et unam acram et dimidiam penes Bruneslawe 

 et duas acras et dimidiam iuxta Suineslauue 

 et septem acras in Hocfeld 

 et unam acram et dimidiam in campo de Ried 

 et unam acram iuxta Tieuesstrate 

 et octo acras que adjacent ad Tieuesstrate 

 et unam acram et dimidiam super Malmhelle 

 et tres acras que extendunt super Holeuueie 



et quinque acras in campo de Ried . . " {Cartularium Monasterii Sancli Johannis 

 BaplisteColecestria, ed. S. A. Moore, Roxburghe Club, 2 vols., 1897, ii. 630). 



