By Sir Charles Hobhouse, Bart. 



79 



conclude that the advantage, except to the scribe ! is not with the 

 more modern deed. 



Our manor, thus conveyed to the monks, remained in their 

 possession until the dissolution of the Priory, in 1535 — a period of 

 four hundred years. 



The first spelling of the name is Farlege, then Farley, Farleigh, 

 Monke ton-Farley (Leland, 1538), and (valuation of Henry VIII.) 

 Farleigh- Monachorium, a name still given to it in the parish 

 register of October, 5th, 1679. 



'The affix of Monkton was, no doubt, given by the monks, partly 

 perhaps to distinguish it from the neighbouring parish of Farley- 

 Hungerford, and from that other Farley in Wiltshire, near Salisbury, 

 but principally, no doubt, to mark their proprietorship — as at 

 Monketon in Broughton-Gifford, Chippenham, and other places. 



Our monks were large farmers, and our manor was their home 

 farm. There they kept a goodly stock of cattle, sheep, pigs, mules, 

 asses, horses, pigeons, carts, ploughs, wheat, barley, oats, hay, &c, 

 and were served by a considerable number of cottagers, free and 

 customary tenants, and so on. 



I have the means of comparing the state of our manor at four 

 distinct periods, viz., in 1086, 1294, 1535, and at the present time, 

 respectively, and I think that such comparison is not without its 

 lessons. 



In 1086 the manor is assessed at five hides, and these, at 160 

 acres 1 to the hide, I will take at 800 acres. 

 To these are to be added, wood 3 „ 

 and pasture 20 „ 



In all 823 „ 



The valuation was seventy solidi, equivalent in weight to about 

 two hundred and ten shillings of our standard. 



Attached to these lands were four servi, five villani, and three 

 bordarii, or twelve families in addition to that of the lord, making 



Canon Jackson's estimate, Aubrey. 



