NOTES ON THE MANOR OF FORDINGTON. 155 



tenure to some extent. Each copyholder held his land, large or 

 small, on three lives. On the termination of a life he went to the 

 next Manor Court and applied for leave to " put in " another life. 

 This was granted on his paying a fine, varying according to size of 

 the holding and, probably, with reference to age of the person 

 whose life was to be " put in." For instance, my friend, Mr. Legg's 

 grandfather, paid on one occasion 92 10s., on another 111, on 

 his copyhold of three half places and a farthing hold. Now these 

 fines formed the whole profit of the Lord of the Manor a small and 

 very fluctuating income truly. On the other hand the Lord of the 

 Manor spent nothing whatever on land or buildings. The properties 

 (for so I hear them called) thus held were looked upon by the 

 holders as quite secure. They could sell them, just as Ulster 

 tenants buy and sell farms. Subject to fine for renewal of a 

 " life " the properties were considered as safe as freeholds, and they 

 were dealt with accordingly. In my younger days there were 

 twelve farmhouses and homesteads in Fordington, each the head- 

 quarters of a copyhold property. Like the farms, the farmhouses 

 varied in size. Some (most) of the smaller ones are improved 

 away, others survive as cottages. But those thatched roofs 

 sheltered good men and diligent farmers. One I can see now the 

 very man he was to sit for the picture of one, one of the old time. 

 And all these houses and all these farm buildings were built and 

 kept up by the respective copyholders ; and so was the only fencing 

 on the Manor viz., that of the closes and of two or three large 

 grass lands as mentioned above. Well, this long-standing customary 

 tenure had no solid legal foundation whatever. The Council of the 

 Duchy of Cornwall, who manage this as all other parts of the Prince 

 of Wales' estate as Duke of Cornwall, were perfectly within their 

 rights in altering it. But it may be imagined that it was no small 

 shock to the copyholders when it was announced to them in 1842 

 that no more lives would be renewed. An offer was made at the 

 same time that if any copyholder chose to surrender his property 

 an annuity would be granted to him by the Duchy of what 

 proportion I do not know. By this surrender in some cases, and 



