158 NOTES ON THE MANOR OF FORDINGTON. 



however, was not the case with any other grass land, not even the 

 few freehold grass lawns. As on the Great Field and Downs in 

 autumn, so, as hinted just above, did neighbouring farmers send 

 sheep on piitly other lands at other seasons. The spring grazing 

 for sheep of the East Ward for March and April was let by auction 

 and the proceeds devoted to work on river banks, carriers, floats, 

 and other parts of the water-meadow system, with repair of meadow 

 fences. Then, from July 1st to September 21st, the farmers had 

 right as above to take on sheep to graze on Poundbury Down and 

 North Down. This was called " half-stock " grazing, the autumn 

 stubble grazing which followed it being " whole stock." Then, as 

 to hay. After the spring grazing in East Ward it was watered and 

 laid up for hay. Now comes in the " Hayward," one of the Duchy 

 officials, who may here be passingly noticed. Besides the Hayward 

 there was the " Reeve " or local steward, the " Foreman of Great 

 Field," called also foreman of the Homage, whose duty, inter alia, 

 it was to report the lapse of " lives," and the Constable. These 

 were chosen yearly at the Manor Court. Their profits consisted of 

 holdings of land. The hay ward had 1 acre 3 roods 18 poles, the 

 reeve 3 acres 17 poles, and the constable 4 acres 2 roods 20 poles. 

 The Hay ward's standing duty was to pen strays in the great Manor 

 pound, which in my early days had massive oak palings. Then at 

 harvest time he controlled the leazing. He rode about Great 

 Field looking for and chasing off trespassers. No leazing was 

 allowed till all the lawns were carried. Then at evening he went 

 through Mill-street and elsewhere with a bell, giving notice that the 

 leazing was open. A great affair that old Duchy leazing was. A 

 friend has given me a graphic account of how his mother, on 

 hearing the leazing bell, used to sew up her apron for carrying the 

 gleanings, bundle him and the rest up to bed, and then the whole 

 of them would turn out at two next morning under the stars and 

 away to Great Field ; and their leazing often yielded six bushels of 

 grain. But besides penning and leazing the hayward had, as his 

 title tells, to do with the hay. Under the reeve he staked out the 

 East and West Ward lawns every spring. For they had not, 



