SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC 



HISTORY 



DORSET is, and always has been, primarily an agricultural and 

 pastoral county, although owing to its varied soil and to its 

 coast line and harbours, its interests and economic features have 

 been many. At two periods the life of its towns may almost 

 be considered to have equalled in importance that of the country districts — 

 namely, in the early days of their maritime importance, and later in the 

 eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, when they rose to be fashionable 

 watering-places. But for the most part, both socially and from the point of 

 view of its economic history, interest centres in the status and welfare of 

 the people of its villages and country districts, and in the forces which 

 regulated their lives. 



The county was from an early date one of large landowners and 

 extensive private franchises. In the north-west the bishop of Salisbury held 

 the three hundreds of Sherborne, Yetminster, and Beaminster in the thirteenth 

 century ; in the north-east the earl of Gloucester was lord of the great 

 hundred of Cranborne, while between the two Shaftesbury Abbey held the 

 two hundreds of Sixpenny and Handley.^ The free manors of Fordington, 

 Dewlish, Broadwinsor, and Chilcombe, and the liberties of Owermoigne 

 Powerstock, and Sutton Poyntz were but a few of the franchises held by over- 

 lords sufficiently powerful to refuse suit to the hundred courts.*" 



Several of the chief landowners of the county held by serjeanty, some 

 of the services due being of an unusual kind. Thus John Godwyne held 

 half a hide in Purse Caundle in the thirteenth century by the serjeanty of 

 keeping such of the king's dogs as were injured while he was hunting in 

 Blackmoor Forest, and a contribution of id. 2. year towards the closing of 

 Gillingham Park,* while the house of Russel had to count out the king's 

 chessmen in the royal chamber on Christmas Day, and to replace them 

 in their bag at the end of the game.* The lord of Winfrith was bound to 

 hold a basin of water for the king to wash his hands on his birthday and at 

 Whitsuntide ; for this service he was entitled to the silver basins unless the 

 earl of Oxford were present, in which circumstances the earl appropriated the 

 basins and compensated de Newburgh by giving him his own robe.' 

 The lord of Wimborne was usher of the king's household, the le Moines 



' FeuJ. Aids, ii ; cf. Assize R. 204. ' Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), ii ; Feud. Aids, ii. 



' Feud. Aids, ii, 5. * Abbrev. Rot. Orig. (Rec. Com.), ii, 29 ; Feud. Aids, ii, 6. 



' Assize R. 201 ; cf. Red Bk. of Exch. (Roll, S.r.), 546 ; Feud Aids, ii, 9. 



229 



