The Lowy of Tonbridge

THE LOWY OF TONBRIDGE By W. V. DUMBRECK THE origin, nature and extent of the Lowy have interested many writers and produced not a httle fiction. Lambard starts a story about Richard FitzGUbert being granted an area of land around Tonbridge castle equal to the area he had possessed at Brionne in Normandy, precisely measured by a piece of rope. Harris elaborates this story and gives particulars of the separate judicial rights of the Lowy and perambulations of the boundary made in 1259 and 1279, acknowledging that they were supphed by " Captain George WeUer of Tunbridge Town". The source of Harris' information is amongst the WeUer- Pooley documents now in Kent Archives (KAO U38/Z2) and is marked " Copy taken out of an old copy ". They are notes made by Thomas WeUer (1602-1670) the parhamentary lawyer in Tonbridge and lessee of the castle and manor. Why were two perambulations necessary and how are the differences between them explainable? The second foUowed the complaints of encroachments by Richard de Clare and his bailiff which are detailed in the Plea RoUs. We cannot rely on the names given by Harris (and copied by Hasted) as many mistakes have been made in the copying and re-copying. Fortunately the Archbishop's copy of the 1279 perambulation is stiU in the Chapter House library at Canterbury (Ch. Ant. T32). It is written in a clear thirteenth century hand and is in exceUent condition. It repays detaUed study. The jury was as foUows: Lord Johannis de Pekham Lord Henrici son of Henrici de Apeldrefeld Lord Bartholomew de Wateringebery Lord Johannis de Morlay Knights Ricardi Rodland Reginald de SinderheU (Leigh) WUlelmi Elnold WUlelmi de Erneregg Petri de Chidingestone (Chiddingstone) Ade Wikyng WUlelmi de Chitelcrofte Roberti de Shibburn (Shipbourne) Walteri de la Hale (Chiddingstone) GUberti ffromund (Hadlow) 138 THE LOWY OF TONBRIDGE WUlelmi ffromund (Hadlow) Mertun de BadeseU (Tudeley) Elye Brouning (Chiddingstone) WUlelmi Godard Johannis Dragoun WUlelmi de Durkynghale (Leigh) GUberti de Chelcote Jocey Underevere (Under River) WUlelmi Godefrey WUlelmi de PoUe (Leigh) Most of these names are those of properties which stUl exist near or adjoining the Tonbridge, Leigh, Hadlow and Tudeley parish boundaries. They were obviously chosen for their local knowledge and their lands indicate where the boundary ran. The main text of the perambulation is given by Harris. In the first half of the document it makes twelve references to the boundary proceeding to houses or messuages but in the second half to only three messuages. The inference is that the eastern half of the Lowy was already weU-settled country and the western half had few habitations. In the original the words used are domus, messuagium and aula, translated by WeUer as house, messuage and haU respectively. However settled the country might be it seems unhkely that so many dweUings would lie so conveniently on the exact line and it is considered that by domus is meant " domain " or " demesne ". Such a translation agrees with known boundaries of properties in the Hadlow area. But the chief value of Ch. Ant. T32 is that it contains the hitherto unpubhshed findings of the jury, for which the foUowing translation, with modern spelling, is suggested:— These are the fees tenements and tenants, written below and on the back, found by the said jurors to be within the said perambulation which are not of the fee of the lord Archbishop of Canterbury : They say that the tenants of John de Peckham in Hadlow, namely WiUiam the cheesemonger, Ralph Boneburn, Roger Newman, WUham Adam, WUham Frankeleyn, John Raer and his brother, John Hamenet, Emma Rodland, Simon of Crongebery are of the service of lord Roger of Peckham and owe nothing to the earl and are of the hundred of Little field which is the king's and owe suit and service outside the Lowy at the court of Peckham. Item. They say that Wilham de Brampton holds one third of a knights fee in Hadlow of lord Henry Huse of the fee of Gloucester, which is within the bounds, and owes suit and service without to the court of ChekeseU. Item. They say that Nicholas de Weald holds one twentieth of a 139 14 THE LOWY OF TONBRIDGE knights fee in Hadlow of Addington, which is part of the barony of Monchenesey and is within and owes suit and service without. Item. They say that the town of Hadlow which is within is of the Hundred of Littlefield and owes suit to the hundred and owes 10s. per annum to the sheriff's tourn. They say also that the said Stephen of Penshurst holds the manor of Ashour in the parish of Tonbridge with aU its tenants, which is within, for half a knights fee and is of the fee of Clare. Part of this manor, however, is a hundredsland, belonging to the Hundred of Wachlingstone. Item. They say that the said lord Stephen holds the manor of Ensfield and. Ramhurst with its tenants, which is within the parishes of Leigh and Tonbridge, for half a knights fee of the lord earl, and is of the honour of Clare. Part of Ensfield, however, is a hundredsland, belonging to the Hundred of Wachhngstone. They say also that Tapners is held by the same Stephen for one quarter of a knights fee, which is of the fee of Kemsing, and is in the parish of Leigh. Part thereof, however, is a hundredsland, belonging to the Hundred of Wachhngstone, and used to attend the court of Kemsing every three weeks. Item. They say that West Haysden in the borough of Barden, which is within and in the parish of Tonbridge, is of the fee of the Abbott of the Hyde. However it is a hundredsland belonging to the Hundred of Wachhngstone. Item. They say that East Haysden in the same borough and of the same parish is held of the Prior of Newark in Surrey (?) and is a hundredsland belonging to the hundred of Wachlingstone. Item. They say that Peter of Barden holds Barden for one knights fee in the aforesaid parish and is of the fee of Dannmartin (? St. Martin). Item. They say that Laurence Chaun holds Bidborough of the lord earl for one knights fee and is of the honour of Clare. Item. They say that aU the tenants of Laurence Chaun of Leigh and Holbeame, except the fee of WatevUl, are held of Kemsing in the parish of Leigh and used to attend the lawday of Kemsing and scot and lot there until Roger de Home made them do suit at HUden in the time of king H. and in the time of earl . . Item. They say that the said Stephen of Penshurst holds Bokyngherst of Laurence Chaun of the fee of WatevUl in the parish of Leigh. Item. They say that aU the tenants of West Leigh in the parish of Leigh are of the fee of Fawkham and used to do suit at the Hundred of Somerden and suit to the court without at Fawkham 140 THE LOWY OF TONBRIDGE until John de Stanigrave made them do suit at HUden in the time of king H. and earl R. Item. They say that aU the tenants of Pauls in the parish of Leigh used to do suit at the Hundred of Somerden until John de Stanigrave made them do suit at HUden in the time of king H, and earl R. and are of the barony of Horton. Item. They say that aU the borough of Kyngelond in Leigh, which is within, is of the barony of Dartford and used to attend the borough of lord Roger de Cransted untU John de Stanigrave made them do suit at HUden in. the time of king H. and earl R. Item. They say that lord Stephen of Penshurst holds Swarthngeragg and a field caUed Redeland and Enchidenne in the parish of Penshurst and of Leigh which the Prior of Tonbridge holds there and are of the fee of Lullingstone and in the barony, and aU tenants of Swarthngeragg used to do suit to the Hundred of Somerden untU John de Stanigrave made them do suit at HUden in the time of king H. and earl R. Item. They say that the land of Enchidenne in the parish of Leigh which is held of lord WUham Payfrere and of Simon of Etchingham is of the fee of Lullingstone and is in the barony and owes suit and serving without. Item. They say that Alice who was the wife of Ralph of the Lese in the parish of Leigh has tenants within who pay 12s. per annum and are of the fee of Montbray and used to do suit without and do service and attend the borough of HUden. Item. They say that Laurence Chaun has tenants in Ramshurst in the parishes of Leigh and Tonbridge who are of the fee of John de Wauton and are of the honour of Clare and attend lawday at HUden. Item. They say that whatever lord Stephen of Penshurst holds at Durkinghole is of the same fee. Item. They say that the aforesaid lord Stephen holds the manor of Penshurst in the parishes of Penshurst, Leigh and Tonbridge, which is of the barony of Clare and within the bounds. Item. They say that WUham Dodebyn holds one quarter of a knights fee in the parish of Tonbridge and is of the barony of Clare and in the Hundred of Wachlingstone. In considering the numerous excluded lands in these findings it is necessary to keep the origin of Wealden settlement in mind. It is well estabhshed that " dens " belonging to outside manors were formed within the forest. The Victoria County History for Kent (III, 190) makes the surprising statement that " the physical location of lands held of outside manors was far removed from the Lowy . . . they had no physical connection, as a rule, with the castle and lands around it ". 141 THE LOWY OF TONBRIDGE But the Tonbridge area was no exception, as was recognized by Furley (Weald of Kent, I, 122). The jury's findings, for example, that " the tenants of John de Peckham in Hadlow . . . owe nothing to the earl" are confirmed by the West Peckham and Swanton manor rolls (KAO 47/45 M21 etc.), which show that several areas in Hadlow, including the ViUe, were dens of that manor. In the Inq. P.M. of 1293 on John de Peckham (PRO E152) they are furthermore caUed " the pasture of Haeseholte," confirming Dr. Gordon Ward's identification of Hadlow with Haeselholte in Arch. Cant., XLV, and taking their origin back to Saxon times. Domesday hsts the foUowing manors wliich had lands held by Richard de Tonbridge " in his Lowy ": Held of fhe Bishop of Rochester Stone Southfleet Hailing Frindsbury Held of the Archbishop. Otford Northfleet Wrotham Eynsford Meopham East Farleigh East Peckham Farningham Darenth (Monachorum) Held of the Bishop of Bayeux. Ridley Ash Swanscombe Seal Leybourne Eccles MUton Luddesdown Offham Hoo Little Wrotham Cooling The value of these manors totalled approximately: Archbishop £39 and woodland for 73 swine. Bishop of Rochester £3 Bishop of Bayeux £30 and woodland for 70 swine. For comparison, the manor of Hadlow was valued at £30 and woodland for 60 swine, so that the figures for the Lowy dens give a good indication of the extent of Richard de Tonbridge's holdings in simUar country. It certainly cannot be assumed that aU the dens were near the Castle, but the fragmentary nature of the Lowy, as already shown, makes it very probable. As the Lowy was not a continuous area the boundary described must have been an outside hmit to ensure that all lands were included. It was the purpose of the perambulation to define the Archbishop's lands, which by that date included most of those formerly held by the Bishop of Bayeux. These were interspersed with other lands of de Clare and other owners. With the resources then avaUable it would have been quite impossible to identify accurately aU these detached holdings 142 THE LOWY OF TONBRIDGE and the jury get over the difficulty by stating " . . . so that land which is not of the fee of the earl be always without." The parish boundaries were better known and there would he a tendency to foUow them. An example occurred in the Shipbourne- West Peckham area, where the jury wandered into neighbouring Hundreds by foUowing a parish boundary. There is confirmation of this in the Hundred RoUs (Weald of Kent, II, 129). " The earl of Gloucester and his bailiff made an encroachment on the king in the Hundred of Hoo, beginning at the free Lowy of Tunebrigg, viz, three messuages, a corn-null, a fuUing-mUl and 100 acres of land and wood." Fig. 1 shows this area. It was part of the borough of Oxenhoath, i.e. the western portion of West Peckham parish up to the Hadlow- Puttenden highway and contained Oxenhoath corn-mUl, Hamptons fuUing-miU and Clearhedges wood. It is the area contained in the boundary described in the 1259 perambulation up to the Horsegate in Hadlow. From there it foUowed the Hadlow parish boundary. The relevant entries in the two perambulations are: 1259. WeUer 1279. Ch. Ant. T32. " and so to the mUl caUed Oxen- " . . . and so from Claygate to hoath without; so that Slewerith- Larkhale as the pales and hedge mede be within; and so to the include the said forest, so that Horsegate . . . in the parish of the said forest be within the Lowy Hadlow, which is within the and Larkhale (? within); and Lowie; whence going unto the from Larkhale to the domum of house of Browning which is with- Henry Newman, so that the same out, and so straight over the field domus be without; and from the to the house of John de la Brooke, same domo by the middle of which is without; and so by the Lomwode to the messuage which king's highway to the house of was Richard Perlabens . . ." James Lomewood which is without; and by Lomewood (so that Lomewood be within) to the house of Benedict of WoodhaU which is without; "and so to the house of Hugh Perlaben . . ." Particulars of the de Clares possessions in the Lowy are contained in Inq.P.M. of 1296, 1306, 1315 and later. Summarized they were: Castle and borough of Tonbridge Manor of Dacherst (or HUden) member of the honour of the castle, common fine of HUden and South and herbage and mast of the chase Manor of Hadlow Six knights' fees. 143 THE LOWY OF TONBRIDGE "-•r^V 144 THE LOWY OF TONBRIDGE These are confirmed by later rentals and manor rolls of 1380 (Ch. Ch. Cant. BedeU Rolls), 1478-1481 (BM Add. Ch. 23788-23791) and 1556 (KAO MR 38/M1). The latter is a detaUed rental which gives the sub-manors held of Tonbridge castle and confirms that much of the Lowy was held by sub-infeudation, usuaUy by castle-guard and rents in kind. The chief sub-manor was that of Hadlow Place, the demesne lands of which were at what is now the " Plough " pubhchouse at Little Hawden. Its manor roUs and rentals (BM Add. Ch. 25980) show that it extended throughout the north-western part of Tonbridge parish and of Leigh and that it held lands in Leigh at, inter alia, Moorden, Charcot, Durkinghole, Wickhurst and HoUenden. The 1259 perambulation included these places by foUowing the parish boundary between Redleaf and Wickhurst, two places, Herings Heath and Ritherden, being identifiable from the tithe map. In 1279 the jury give an involved itinerary to the localities subordinate to Hadlow Place manor, adding the usual excluding clauses about lands " not of the fee of the earl". The isolated character of these locahties leads to the conclusion that they were originaUy dens of the upland manors. From the examples quoted it is clear that the 1259 perambulation generaUy foUowed parish boundaries. The later seizures of land by de Clare and his bailiff were assisted by the uncertainties this created. When the Hundred RoUs were compUed another survey was therefore necessary to examine the disputed lands. The boundary of the Lowy, as a unit of local government, is shown in the first (1866) edition of the 6 inch Ordnance Survey map. Fig. 2 is based on this map, with minor additions from the Land Tax records. It can be seen that the boundary is in remarkable agreement with the 1279 jury's findings, although it must include lands not belonging to the Archbishop, which could not therefore have been very extensive. It also agrees substantiaUy with Hasted's map, where Somerden Hundred is indicated but not dehmited. Hadlow, at this date, was part of the Lowy, but in Domesday it is described as a manor of the Bishop of Bayeux in Littlefield Hundred held by Richard de Tonbridge. Although held with the Lowy it is always referred to separately. The manor was only part of the parish, which had in addition eleven sub-manors held by knights' fees varying from one-twentieth to one-half. Between Hadlow and Tonbridge Town lay the borough of Hadlow, which Harris and other writers confuse with the parish and manor. The numerous references to Hadlow need further explanation. There was the parish, substantiaUy the same as the modern parish; the manor, which included part of Capel; the borough, being the land in Tonbridge parish between Hadlow parish and Tonbridge Burgus; 145 THE LOWY OF TONBRIDGE LOWY OF TONBRIDGE Under/fiver +SHIPBOURNE >\s.A/aels \~1 ^'jAiA^-< C Ato77) M-S3 HADLOW > aauxlma 7 5r0(jAi*w Wicki FFrmommaonnddss FixhaU f~^ t~.MJohnFrt>lncnas' ./">«•_.._.. . • 0......*' °"""" ^ / / / i&VfcOT E* -l'ain" *d ^ 1* >\ k ^^AAJZZZT} iCharcot H&dLow H\ringsHeath \ ^^ „ ' LVGh t CO0SH£ATH SOMERDEN j ^ ^ Haysden \PaStemfi Moorden ~