Bradwell on Sea Landowners in the 11th Century

One of the ways of transferring land ownership from the 11th to the 17th century is referred to as feet of fines.

In essence this required both parties to appear before a court and enter into an legal action that was concluded by a legally binding agreement.

The agreement was drawn up three times on a sheet of paper with the top two entries taken by the parties involved and the bottom entry at the foot of the page  held by the court. This procedure gave the agreement the name Feet of Fines.

This method was especially popular with couples as it made legal challenges to a surviving wife's rights to inherit much more difficult that a normal legal agreement. The fact that a wife and husband appeared before a court to agree the transaction gave it much higher credance.

A further advantage was that a  record of the transaction was held by the court which also made forgery much less likely.

The Feet of Fines records provide an indication of local landowners.

Sometimes the people listed would actually live on land in the village although often they lived elsewhere whilst taking profit from activity on their land.

The importance to family historians is that they provide details of landowners at a time when records are comparatively scarce and are a useful source to help trace ancestors in a very distant period.

 

 

 

 

 

Surname

Christian

Title

Year

Mauntel

Robert

 

1230

Gernun

Ralph

 

1230

Le Prestre

Richard

 

1230

?

Roger

Rev

1239

Fitz-Juliana

John

 

1239

De Cramavile

Roesia

Miss

1240

Le Bel

William

 

1240

De Cramavile

Henry

 

1240

De Cramavile

Agatha

Miss

1240

?

Hugh

 

1240

Mauduit

William

 

1240

Mauduit

Eugenia

Mrs

1240

?

Margery

Miss

1240

De Cantilupo

Roger

 

1244

De Eltheneye

Gilbert

 

1244

Del Chemin

Robert

 

1252

De la Dune

John

 

1252

Del Chemin

Joan

Mrs

1252

Hakun

Walter

 

1257

De Stokes

Henry

 

1257

Hakun

Ida

 

1257

Le Moynne

Alice

Mrs

1257

De Borefar

Robert

 

1257

De Borefar

Alice

Mrs

1257

De Burn

Simon

 

1257

Le Moynne

William

 

1257

Le Moyne

William

 

1261

De Borefare

Robert

 

1261