Early Annals of Trowbridge. 



The first is respecting what, in the Record, is called Straburg ; 

 a strange form of the name, but nevertheless pretty clearly to be 

 identified with what we now call Trowbridge. It is as follows : — 



" Brictric holds Straburg. His father held it in the time of King Edward 

 and it paid geld for 10 hides. The land is 9 carucates. In demesne are 2 caru- 

 cates, and 7 serfs. There are 11 villans and 6 coscets with 7 carucates. There 

 is a mill paying 10 shillings, and 10 acres of meadow, and 12 acres of pasture. 

 The wood is 5 furlongs long and 3 furlongs broad. It was worth £4; it is now 

 worth £8." Wilts Domesday, p. 131. 



The entries for Staverton and Teowle are as follows : — 



"Brictric holds Stavretone. His father held it in the time of King 

 Edward and it paid geld for 5 hides. The land is 3 carucates. In demesne are 

 2 carucates and 7 serfs ; and there are 2 villans and 2 coscets with 1 carucate. 

 There is a mill paying 20 shillings, and 20 acres of meadow, and 20 acres of 

 pasture. It is worth 70 shillings." Ibid, p. 132. 



" Beictric holds 1 hide in Trole. The land is 1 carucate, which is there 

 with 1 villan. It is worth 10 shillings." Ibid, p. 131. 



It is probable that whilst the tithing of Staverton remains much 

 as it was, the present town of Trowbridge was taken out of one, or 

 it may be partly out of both, of the tithings of Studley and Trowle. 

 The eleven hides at which Strahurg and Trole were assessed, and 

 which might fairly be reckoned at some 1450 — 1500 acres, would 

 correspond remarkably in extent with the 1530 acres in Studley and 

 the Town Liberty. 



Staverton and Trowle were held, it will be observed, as tain- 

 land (or thane-land by one Brictric, an English nobleman (or thane) 

 who inherited the same from his father. This takes us back to the 

 days of Edward the Confessor. 



Tain-land, I may perhaps explain, comprised originally estates 

 bestowed by the King oh military men engaged in the national de- 

 fence, and it was held subject to the rendering of certain services to 

 the state. It was not liable to many of the ordinary imposts ; in 

 fact it was held with all immunities, except what was called the 

 trinoda necessitas — the three-fold necessity of helping in expeditions, 

 repairing castles, and mending bridges. The tenure was a very 

 honorable one, and the estates so held became practically hereditary, 

 descending from father to son. 



Brictric was an English nobleman, who was sent by King Edward 



