Bg the Rev. E. A. Fuller. 



217 



pleadings in Chancery 5 Hen. V., concerning the revocation of this 

 charter seem to speak of Cirencester as being a distinct hundred 

 long before, but I would not like to pronounce absolutely on the 

 point without further research. His second point is pure myth, 

 and all the curious speculations about the name must disappear 

 before facts, which seem to show that Crowthorne was the ancient 

 name for the part of the hundred outside of the manor of Cirencester. 

 The names of the hundreds are taken from the places where the view 

 of frankpledge for the several hundreds was wont to be held, and 

 both places and names were fixed years before even Normans were 

 thought of as rulers in the country, let alone a house of Lancaster. 

 The relative importance of places has so completely changed, old 

 lines of communication through the country have become so altered, 

 or altogether disused, that it is difficult sometimes to find the place 

 whence the hundred derives its name, and impossible to tell why that 

 spot was chosen for the purpose ; but we may be certain they were 

 well known places of meeting in those days. The strange thing is 

 that Rudder should have allowed himself so completely to set aside 

 Sir R. Atkyns' account that the hundred took its name from a spot 

 by the Roman Road outside Stratton, a statement made sixty years 

 previously when very likely there was still some remembrance of 

 the old name. Mr. R. Mullings tells me that to this day the rising 

 ground at the junction of the Daglingworth and Gloucester roads 

 bears the name of the Court Hill, and to this same spot deeds ante- 

 rior to 4 Hen. IV. all point, in which Crawthorn, or Crouthorn, or 

 Crowthorn is named as a well-known place. In the ancient register 

 belonging to the Lady Chapel within the Parish Church of 

 Cirencester, at present in the Bodleian Library, is a deed undated, 

 but from the witnesses not later than 1308, in which Robert son of 

 Walfrid of Stratton grants a dovecot and two acres of arable land 

 in Stratton, one of which in the east field ran along the green road 

 from Crawthorn to Baudinton. Crawthorn therefore was a well- 

 known spot in Stratton. Then in vol. A of the Abbey Cartulary 

 in the library of the late Sir Thomas Phillips at Thirlestane House 

 Cheltenham, is a Kalendar of the seven hundreds with an account of 

 the view of frankpledge, names of suitors of the hundred courts, and 



VOL. XIV. NO. XLI. S 



