Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.
The main aims of this research project were: 1) To collect information relating to the peasant land market on the estates of the bishopric of Winchester in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. 2) To determine the number and variety of transactions in land on these estates and their fluctuations over time, in order to provide important information about medieval rural society. 3) To resolve whether individual property rights in southern England were well developed in this period or whether they were circumscribed by seigneurial interference and custom.
Main Topics:
The data consist of a complete transcription/translation of all entry and marriage fines recorded in the 73 pipe rolls of the bishopric of Winchester between 1262/3 and 1348/9. These annual account rolls for the estate of the bishopric of Winchester include details of entry and marriage fines paid by manorial tenants for some 60 manors spread over Hampshire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey. The tenants were required to pay an entry fine every time a change in land tenancy occurred, and they were required to pay a marriage fine every time an unfree female tenant wished to marry. In each case a record was made showing the name(s) of the incoming tenant(s); the name(s) of the previous tenant(s); the relationship(s) (if any) between the various parties involved in the transaction; the amount and type of land being transferred; the location of that land; the amount paid to the bishop as entry fine; any noteworthy circumstances surrounding the transfer; and any conditions under which the transfer was said to have taken place, including stipulations made by the bishop. Other information relating to the tenants, including the payment of court fines (recorded in detail only for the years 1282-1303), the payment of heriots, fines of manumission, permission to migrate and commutation of labour services, were sampled. The published pipe roll of 1301/2 was employed to provide illustrative and contextual material. Some sources of secondary importance (most notably a collection of thirteenth-century custumals, which survive for about 35 of the bishopric's manors) were used to augment the information found in the pipe rolls. The manors covered by the pipe rolls are: Alresford Borough; Adderbury; Alresford; Ashmansworth; Alverstoke; Beauworth; Bishops Fonthill; Burghclere; Brighstone; Bishops Hull; Bishopstoke; Billingbear; Bishopstone; Brockhampton; Brightwell; Bishops Sutton; Bitterne; Bishops Waltham; Bentley; Cams; Calbourne; Cheriton; Corfe; Crawley; Culham; Cove; Downton Borough; Downton; Droxford; East Meon Church; Ecchinswell; East Knoyle; East Meon; Esher; Fareham; Farnham; Fulford; Francheville; Gosport; Hambledon; Hindon Borough; Highclere; Holway; Havant; Harwell; Ivinghoe; Kingston St Mary; Kingston St Mary and Nailsbourn; Legh Militis; Merdon; Mill Lane; Morton; Marwell; Nailsbourne; Newtown; North Waltham; Overton Borough; Otterford; Overton; Poundisford; Ringwood; Rimpton; Sandleford; Southwark; Staplegrove; Southwell; Taunton; Taunton Borough; Trull and Bishops Hull; Trull; Twyford; Upton; Warfield; Witney Borough; Woodhay; Wargrave; Wield; Waltham St Lawrence; Witney; Wolvesey; West Wycombe.
No sampling (total universe)
Transcription of existing materials
Compilation or synthesis of existing material
