32 



Broughton Gifford. 



the two former is, that a tenant may put on them in summer what- 

 ever stock he can maintain on his own land in winter. But in 

 practise they are stocked at any season when the ground will bear 

 the tread of cattle. With regard to the two latter, I find the fol- 

 lowing entries in the court manor rolls. 1568. " They [the 

 homage] say that Nicholas Gyrish now tenant of Challeymeade 

 has no right to common with any animal at any time between the 

 feast of St. Peter ad Vincula [August 1.] and the feast of the 

 Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary [February 2.]" The 

 meaning is that the tenant of Challeymead is precluded from using 

 that land as common during the period when it is commonable to 

 the other tenants in Broughton. That period is after stated in the 

 court rolls as above, but it is now from the 13th of August to the 

 13th of February. From 13th August to October 20th for horses 

 and cows, from October 20th to February 13th for sheep. " They 

 say that all the tenants of this village have a right of common in 

 the eastern part of Abey [Avon] in Michelmead near Broadmead." 

 This must allude to the meadow now called Amble-croft, which is 

 subject to common on the same condition as Challymead. 



Arable commons seem to us agricultural anomalies, but they 

 were the customary sort of thing to our ancestors. In old deeds 

 and terriers, there is frequent mention made of " common fields," 

 all of which are now enclosed, and in the court rolls there are such 

 presentments, as these : — 1629, "that the tenants of this manor do 

 not make their furrows, (lacunas suas, anglice gripings) in the com- 

 mon fields of Broughton, as they ought according to the penalty 

 imposed by will of the court." Again, " every tenant of this manor 

 ought and should furrow (lacunare, anglice gripe) his land in the 

 common fields of Broughton Gifford, whether it be sowed or not ; 

 it is therefore ordered that every tenant do furrow his land before 

 the feast of St. Luke the Evangelist (18th October) next, under a 

 penalty of 10s. for each offender." No doubt, the object was to 

 keep the ground dry during the winter, and we see now in our 

 pasture very plain "gripings." 1 



1 The word is good Anglo Saxon for a small ditch to carry off the water. 



