Scope and Content
Abstract of fines and herriots at Cranfield manor Court and notes of the customs of the manor:
- “Note: the Custom for the Copyhold Tenants of this Mannor which is Settled by a Decree in Chancery made by the Earl of Clarendon in 1666 is to hold their Lands and Tenements by Copy of Court Roll to them and their Heirs and Assignes forever: paying to the Lord for his Fine upon every Admittance by Discent or Alienation 4s per acre of all Arable and Sward Ground and 2/3 of one Year’s Rent or improv’d value of every House or Cottage, which has not more than Somewhat under an Acre of Land belonging to it”;
- “Note: Widows by the Custom, take up their Copies for their Widow’s Estate paying only 1d Fine to the Lord let the Value of the Premises be what it will”;
- “Note: The Heir who claimes in Reversion of the Widow’s Life, upon his Admittance, pays but a Small Fine, in regard the possession is against him. And Mortgagees pay no fine till they are let into the Possession”;
- “Note: There are Severall Cottages, Lands and tenements in the Mannor, which by the Degree, are acquitted of Fine, Herriot and Service in the Office of an Headborough”;
- “Note: The Copyholds, upon Decease of the Tenants, are lyable to Heriots of the best Live or best Dead Goods to be valued by 2 of the Headboroughs or by the Homage, Sitting the Court which is often but a poor Mangey Sheep for which the Custom is to receive some Small Composition”;
- “Note: By the Custom here, the Fines may not be impos’d by the Steward without Consent of the Jury or Homage and are neither impos’d or paid till the Court after Admittance, when the Copies are ready to be fill’d up and deliver’d out: And very often not paid even then. The people here being a very litigious wrangling Generation: And very tenacious of these and all other their Customs. At the Knowledge of which we indeavor to come by all Means possible”
Court of 12 October 1731:
- John Field, gentleman, 1/9 rent reserved; £1/3/- fine;
- John Taylor, 1/3 rent reserved, 8/- fine;
- William Hollick, 2/- rent reserved, £1 fine;
- Bernard Taylor and Mary, his wife, 4½ d rent reserved, 13/4 fine;
- William Coleman, esquire, 2/- rent reserved, 31/4/- fine;
- Thomas Buckle, 3/2 rent reserved, £1/6/- fine;
- William Goodred and Katherine, his wife, 2½ d rent reserved, 16/- fine;
- John Brooks, grocer, 2d rent reserved, 10/- fine;
- John Odell and Richard Odell, 1/4 rent reserved, £2 fine;
- Robert Parrott junior 5/10 rent reserved, £1/10/8 fine;
- Frances Currall, now Robinson and Adam Robinson, her husband, 6d rent reserved, 13/4 fine; 2/6 herriot
Special court of 31 May 1733
- Henry Arnold, gentleman ,acquitted by the fine by decree, £1/3/4;
- the same 6/- rent reserved, 32/8/- fine; herriot by composition £1/1/-
Court of 27 April 1732
- Thomas Herbert, 1/4½ rent reserved, £1/6/8 fine;
- Joseph Battison 3/3 rent reserved, 31/6/- fine;
- William Lane 1/3 rent reserved, £2 fine;
- Thomas Wheeler 5/- rent reserved, £3/4/- fine
Court of 27 October 1733
- Elizabeth Wheeler, widow and John Wheeler, son and heir, 4/7 rent reserved “his half fine”' £1/2/-, widow’s fine 1d., herriot valued at £4/10/-;
- Christopher Towers, esquire, 1/4 rent reserved, 6/8 fine;
- Elizabeth Richardson, spinster, 14/2 rent reserved, £3/6/8 fine, £1/14/- herriot;
- Hannah Emerton 4/11 rent reserved, £7/10/8 fine; £1/8/- herriot;
- Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Cooper, 6d rent reserved, 10/- fine;
- Martha Booth, spinster, 6d rent reserved, 10/- fine;
- Thomas Frank, clerk £2/0/9 rent reserved, £18/7/6 fine, 10/- herriot;
- John Field, gentleman, 1/- rent reserved, 13/4 fine;
- Martha Brooksm widow, 3/- rent reserved, 1d fine
- “Note: This Widow presuming that the premises mentioned and set down in her Copy are acquitted by the Decree of the Fine, herriot and Service, has refus’d to take out the Copy (which is left with Mr Field) till she advises further about it”
Court of 10 November 1733
- William Battams and Jone, his wife, £1 fine;
- Thomas Wheeler, 3/9½ fine;
- George Odell, 1d herriot;
- William Impey, 3d herriot
- “Note: The Fines and Herriots on these Admissions will not be impos’d or ascertain’d until the next Court, when the Copies shall be ready to be deliver’d out, as is usuall and customary in this Mannor"