EDWINSTREE HUNDRED 



fractional holdings had to a great extent been amalgamated into larger 

 estates, but even in 1086 the holdings are comparatively small and 

 numerous, one ' manor ' at Wakeley consisting of 40 acres, another estate 

 at Throcking of 12 acres, whilst a hide at ' Haslehangra' was divided into 

 two thirds and a third. 



In the 13th century the hundred court still met on a plot of ground 

 called ' Edwynestre, which was held by the sheriff and was worth \d. per 

 annum." Unfortunately, there is no direct evidence as to where this plot 

 was situated. At the same date, however, there is mention of ' the wood of 

 Edwynesbrugg, and as the vills of Furneux Pelham and Brent Pelham were 

 presented for not making suit in connexion with a murder in this wood," it 

 seems probable that Edwinsbridge was in their neighbourhood and perhaps 

 also Edwin's Tree. 



The hundred of Edwinstree was farmed by the sheriff with that of 

 Odsey." It remained vested in the Crown until 161 3, when it was granted 

 with the hundred of Odsey to William Whitmore and others " in trust for 

 Sir Julius Adelmare alias Caesar. It then followed the descent of Odsey. '^ 

 The chief private franchise within the hundred was that of the Bishop of 

 London, who owned either in demesne or in overlordship a great part of the 

 land within its area. With Much Hadham, a pre-Conquest possession of the 

 bishopric, where perhaps already at that date the bishops had a residence, as a 

 nucleus, these lands were acquired by the bishopric before 1086, and with a 

 few other places in Braughing Hundred formed a barony of which Bishop's 

 Stortford in that hundred was the head. By virtue of the extensive liberties 

 enjoyed by the bishopric throughout its lands, the see at one time claimed a 

 right to half the hundred of Edwinstree.^" This, however, it did not attempt 

 to make good before the justices of Edward I, but claimed quittance of suit 

 of hundred court for its men and their tenants and assize of bread and ale 

 and gallows at Hadham.^^ In 1275 it was presented that the bishop's 

 bailiffs would not allow the king's ministers to enter the bishop's liberty in 

 the ' vale of Hadham ' to distrain for the king's debts.^^ At the same date 

 the Bishop of Ely claimed return of writs, gallows and tumbrel in Little 

 Hadham. ^^ Gallows and assize of bread and ale were claimed by the 

 Bishop of Bath and Wells at Newsells and Barkway, by the Abbot of 

 Colchester at Barley, by the Earl of Gloucester at Popeshall, by Denise de 

 Monchensey at Anstey, and by Lora de Sanford at Hormead.^* The jurors 

 for the hundred also deposed ' withdrawals ' made by the Abbots of 

 Colchester and Chatteris, whose tenants had formerly come by two men to 

 the sheriff's tourn twice a year, and by the lord of Popeshall, who had 

 withdrawn his suit from two ' general county courts ' and had kept back 

 5J. for sheriff's aid and 2j. for fines of default {sursisa). A similar pre- 

 sentment was made for Andrew le Guys, who held of Geoffrey de Scales.^^ 



" Assize R. 3 1 3 (6 & 7 Edw. I), m. 46. " Ibid. m. 44. 



1'' Ibid. 323, m. 46 ; Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), 193. 1* Pat. 10 Jas. I, pt. xxi, no. 7. 



" See Recov. R. East. 15 Chas. II, rot. 135 ; 39 Geo. Ill, rot. 33. 

 ^ Plac. de Quo Warr. (Rec. Com.), 290 ; Assize R. 325, m. 7. 



^1 Plac. de Quo IVarr. (Rec. Com.), 290 ; Assize R. 323, m. 46. The bishop's view of frankpledge was 

 held at Patmore (Surv. of Albury, MSS. at St. Paul's, WD. 16, Liber I). 



22 Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), 193. ^^ Ibid. ^^ Assize R. 323, m. 46. 



2« Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), 193. 



