DOMESDAY SURVEY
Passing to the north of the Ribble, no fee, with the possible exception of Hornby, was of more ancient creation than Henry I.'s time. The incidental mention in charters of the period 1093-1102 of the fee of Warin Bussel of Preston, and of the lands of Roger de Montbegon beyond the river Ribble, constitutes the entire evidence to prove that portions perhaps of the fees of Penwortham and Hornby had been granted respectively to these knights by Roger of Poitou during the reign of the Conqueror or his successor.
In conclusion it may be suggested with some confidence that the survival at the dawn of Lancashire history in the reigns of Richard I. and John of thegnage and drengage tenure in many manors, points to the presumption that the greater number of manors so held had descended in unbroken possession to their owners from their pre-conquest forefathers,[1] a presumption which is further strengthened by the prevalence in early Lancashire records of Anglo-Saxon and old Norse personal names amongst the holders of land. For eighty years or more after the making of the great survey the manorial history of these regions remains concealed by impenetrable darkness. With the commencement of the sheriffs' accounts (Pipe Rolls) and monastic chartularies, an intermittent and irregular light begins to be shed, which gradually gains power until, with the taking of the great inquest of service in 1212, the names of the manorial lords of this county with a description of their manors, tenures, and services, stand revealed in the full light of history.
[THE HOLDERS OF LANDS]
CESTRESCIRE
f. 262 b., col. a.
Roger of Poitou held the land between Ripe [Ribble] and Mersha [Mersey]. Now the king holds (it).
f. 269 b.
Between Ripa [Ribble] and Mersha [Mersey]
Roger of Poitou held the under-written land between Ribble and Mersey.
In Derbei [West Derby] Hundred
There King Edward had one manor called Derbei [West Derby], with 6 berewicks. There (are) 4 hides. There is land for 15 ploughs. (There is) forest 2 leagues long and 1 (league) broad and a hawk's eyry.
Uctred held 6 manors, Rabil [Roby], Chenulveslei [Knowsley], Cherchebi [Kirkby], Crosebi [Little Crosby], Magele [Maghull], Achetun [Aughton]. There (are) 2 hides.[2] Wood(land) 2 leagues long and broad and 2 eyries of hawks.
Dot held Hitune [Huyton] and Torboc [Tarbock]. There (is) 1 hide quit from every due. (consuetudo) except (praeter) geld. There is land for 4 ploughs. It was worth 20 shillings.
Bernulf held Stochestede [Toxteth]. There (is) 1 virgate of land and half a carucate of land. It rendered 4 shillings.
Stainulf held Stochestede [Toxteth]. There (is) 1 virgate of land and half a carucate of land. It was worth 4 shillings.
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- ↑ Although there is evidence to show that these lands were sometimes granted out by John, count of Mortain, to tenants to hold by these tenures (Cal. of Charter R., Record Com., 26-7), it is not certain that the grants were always made to new tenants.
- ↑ These 2 hides were thus distributed:—Roby 2 carucates, Knowsley 4, Kirkby 2, Little Crosby 3, Maghull ½, and Aughton ½. Total 12 carucates = 2 hides. 'Achetun' here represents the township of Bickerstaffe, lying next Aughton on the east.
