218 Ancient Cirencester, and its Streets and Hundreds. 



view of wardstaff, which last is said to have been held 18 Rich. II. 

 The Kalendar begins as follows : — " The view of the hundred of Crou- 

 thorn ought to be held twice a year at Crouthorn in the demesne of 

 Stratton " — while the precise spot where the hundred court was wont 

 to be held is accurately denned by the men of those days in an 

 Inquisitio ad quod damnum 1 Hen. IV., which mentions the proper 

 places for some of the hundreds to be held at : The hundred of 

 Bradley at the cross by Stowell ; the hundred of Bryghtwoleysberg 

 at La Berge near Hatherop, i.e. the spot known to the neighbour- 

 hood as Barrow Elm^ though the elm was blown down some years 

 ago • the hundred of Crowcthorne at a certain ash tree near Stratton, 

 which however it would be useless to search for now ; the hundred 

 of Langtre at Chevenage Down,, where a barn still bears the name 

 of Longtree ; and the hundred of Respegate at the bush near 

 Maresden. The Kalendar of the seven hundreds says, " The view 

 of the hundred of Respegate ought to be held in a certain place 

 near Eycote Wood called Eespegate." Maresden, and Rapsgate 

 Farms, and Eycot Wood, are well known, but I am not aware that 

 any memory attaches to a particular spot. As this Kalendar 

 describes where the hundred courts ought to be held, and mentions 

 the various places to be visited by the Abbot's bailiffs with their 

 claims for hospitality, while the complaint in the Inquisition 

 1. Hen. IV., is that the Abbots for many years past have made 

 the suitors to the several hundreds come contrary to ancient 

 custom to one place, viz. Cirencester, it is most likely that this 

 Kalendar, though entered apparently 18 Richard II., is the copy 

 of a much earlier document. In the View of Wardstaff, Crowe- 

 thorn is named as the place where watch is kept in the parish of 

 Stratton. The places named for watching in other neighbouring 

 parishes have possibly in some instances disappeared as completely as 

 Crowthorn. Thus a watch was kept at Siddington Lang-ley at Sher- 

 stone Brugge (bridge) ,i.e. the bridge by Sherston mill ; in the other 

 Siddington at Wondenewell ; in Driffield, at Radeford ; in Amney 

 Brut, i.e. Amney Crucis, formerly held by a family of the name of 

 Brut, at Dalle ; in Amney Mary, and Amney Peter, at Assetwell ; in 

 Baudynton, at Thwysclede Weye ; in Hound-de-la-fyde (Hunlafed), 



