A HISTORY OF DORSET 



noticeable that the term 'demesne' is used in three distinct senses, to designate the 

 portion of a manor held b}^ the lord (the home farm) as opposed to that held by the 

 villani; the demesne (in this sense) with the terra viUanoriun, as opposed to the land 

 subinfeudated to knights or thegns; and lastly, a whole manor which was or should 

 have been held by the lord himself, and not by a tenant. The manor of Stockland (nos. 

 1 06 and Ixxx) was held of Milton Abbey by Hervey fitz Ansger, but nevertheless was de 

 dominio monachoriim ad victutn et zestitum eorum. Similarly the manor of Little Puddle 

 (nos. 77 and xl), held of Cerne Abbey by William de moiiasteriis, was de propria terra 

 ecdesie, and the 3 hides at Poxwell (nos. 81 and xliv), held by Hugh's wife of the same 

 abbey, were de dominica firma tnonachorum T.R.E. The last case seems to imply an 

 encroachment on the part of Hugh's wife. At Cerneli (no. 212) William held of the 

 Count of Mortain i hide que fuit de dominica firma CERNE T.R.E. , which seems to be 

 a similar use of 'demesne'. Hampreston (no. 443), which Torchil, a king's thegn, 

 held in 1086, had been held by Schelin of the queen but mode tenet rex in dominio. 

 It is probable that Schelin had held some of the queen's manors at farm*' which in 

 1086 were in the king's hand, and the use of 'demesne' in this context is very unusual. 

 It may be that Torchil held the manor at farm in 1086 or for some service.^^ Other 

 ecclesiastical tenants include Wadard, who held Rampisham of the Bishop of Bayeux, 

 as well as land in other counties of the same lord, and who is mentioned by name 

 in the Bayeux Tapestry.*'^ The two manors of the Bishop of Coutances were held 

 by Osbern. Domesday does not mention any tenants on the land of Gilbert Maminot, 

 Bishop of Lisieux, but the Geld Rolls name Hugh Maminot as his tenant in connexion 

 with land which can be identified with Tarrant Crawford and Preston (nos. 58, 59), and 

 the bishop's other two Dorset manors, Tarrant Keyneston and Coombe Keynes, 

 passed to Hugh Maminot's daughter with the Wiltshire manor of Somerford Keynes.^"*^ 

 The Bishop of Salisbury had subinfeudated several manors. Robert held Up Cerne (no. 

 34), the wife of Hugh fitz Grip held Bardolfeston (no. 51), and Otbold held Athelhamp- 

 ton (no. 52). Cernel (no. 50) was held by an unnamed woman, and it is worth noting that 

 a manor of the same name (no. 153), belonging to the Count of Mortain, was also held 

 by a woman {qiiedam femina). Hugh's wife held Woodyates (no. 65) of Glastonbury 

 Abbey. John held Leftisford (no. 73) of Cranborne Abbey, and Chetel held Fifehead St. 

 Quintin (no. 133) of Shaftesbury Abbey. BoUo the priest held Shilvinghampton (nos. 

 113 and Ix) of Cerne Abbey, and a hide at Atrim (nos. 116 and Ixiii), the other hide of 

 which was held by a widow. Aiulf the sheriff held Cerne (nos. 108 and Ixxxii) of the 

 abbey of Milton, which T.R.E. was held by Edric, who could not be separated from the 

 church with this land. Ulviet (Wulfgeat) held Colway (no. 68) of Glastonbury 

 Abbey both T.R.E. and in 1086 and could not be separated from the church. According 

 to Exon. Domesday Bristuin held Woodsford (nos. 82 and xlv) of Cerne Abbey at farm, 

 although the Exchequer text does not mention his tenure. The Bishop of Salisbury's 

 manor of Lyme Regis (no. 36) was held by fishermen (piscatores) who rendered 15s. ad 

 pisces, and Ower (nos. 105 and Ixxix), belonging to Milton Abbey, was held by salt- 

 workers (salinarii) who rendered 20s. a year. Burcombe (nos. 1 1 5 and Ixii) was held by 

 the rillani of Abbotsbury Abbev. 



The enfeoffment of knights was frequent on the ecclesiastical estates, especially in the 

 case of the richer houses, that is, Sherborne and Glastonbury. At Alton Pancras 

 (no. 33), belonging to the Bishop of Salisbury, Edward and Pain held zh hides each 

 and at Sherborne (no. 37) the knights of the bishop held 22 i hides and included 



'" See p. iig. <" Bayeux Tapestry, ed. F. M. Stenton, 21. 



'^ For the king's thegns and their tenure, see p. 52. '* See pp. 60, 129. 



38 



