A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



parish on Mr. Giles Puller's estate ; Fryer Field, 

 Fryer's Farm, Knight's Spring, Knight's Leys, Fryer's 

 Lawn, Fryery Croft and the Stove (reminiscent of the 

 Knights Hospitallers), all in the neighbourhood of 

 Standon Friars ; Stags Park, evidently marking the 

 site of the manorial park, to the west of the lordship, 

 Park Hill on the east of the lordship, Old Lawn, 

 Balsoms Park and Flax Ground in the neighbourhood 

 of Lodge Farm, all probably once forming part of the 

 demesne land? of Standon lordship. 



On the south of the parish near the Rib, and to the 

 east of the Roman Ermine Street, are two tumuli. 

 One of these was opened by David Barclay (owner of 

 Youngsbury, where they are situated) in 1788, and 

 was found to contain Roman coins and pottery. 

 The other was opened by Sir John Evans in 1889, 

 and contained one of the largest sepulchral urns found 

 in this country, with two bottles, one earthenware 



lords. The vineyard on trie manor mentioned in 

 1 086 probably indicates a residence of the lord at that 

 time, and the dating of Letter* Close and Patent at 

 Standon in Iai8, 1132, 123+ and '3°S ? « 

 argument in favour of the lordi of Clare having a 

 house there in the 13th and i+th centuriei at which 

 they entertained the king. 



The lord of the manor of Standon 

 BOROUGH had a prescriptive market which he 

 farmed out at the beginning of the 

 13th century.' The position of Standon was scarcely 

 a favourable one for a market, but it was encouraged 

 at the expense of other towns. In 1366 a market 

 and fair, which had been granted to Buntingford to 

 replace one at a place called ' Newechepyng ' near 

 that town, were revoked because they injured the 

 trade of Standon, where henceforth a market was to 

 be held every Friday and a fair on the vigil, day, and 



High Street, Standon 



and one glass. Tessellated pavement was also found 

 about 300 yards north-west of the tumuli in 1736, 

 and other remains which have since been brought to 

 light show that this was the site of a villa. The 

 existence of pre-Roman inhabitants in the neighbour- 

 hood is evidenced by copper coins of the reign of 

 Cunobelinus (oh. 40 or 42 a.d.) found between 

 Standon and Braughing. 6 



The village of Standon is situated on the Rib about 

 half a mile east of Ermine Street. Although not 

 possessing any particular advantages of situation, it 

 was a place of importance in the middle ages, owing 

 primarily to the fact that it was held by great feudal 



morrow of ft. Peter ad Vincula. 8 Already in 1 262 

 Standon was a borough governed by a reeve, 8 called 

 the portreeve, who held it at a farm of 9 marks from 

 the lord of the manor and divided with him the 

 profits of fairs, shops and stalls. The borough had a 

 separate court called the common court, of which the 

 pleas and perquisites were divided between the lord 

 and the reeve. At this court two bailiffs were chosen 

 for the borough, and an ale- taster. 10 The burgage 

 tenants held chiefly by money rents, but they also 

 owed certain customs, viz. making and carrying hav 

 in 'Broadmcad' and doing one bedrip in autumn; 

 they also owed tallage at the will of the lord on the 



■ Arch, lii, 287 ; Evan*, Coins of Anc. 

 Brian,, 569. 



' Mini. Acets. bdle. 1 1 1 7, no. 1 3. 



■ Chart. R. 41 Bow. Ill, m. *, no. 



official, for at the lame d 



348 



Orig. (Rec. Com.}, 

 ai apparently alio the lore 



Auguitine Juvene, called bailiff of (he Earl 

 ofGlouceiteraod Augustine the Porcrcerc 

 Hi:.-'. R. [Rec. Com.], i, 1B8, 191). 

 10 Ct. R. (Gen. Ser.), portt 178, no. 4(. 



