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The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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Contrary to what some histories imply, the term "manor" was not in use in England before the Norman Conquest of 1066. It was brought over by the Normans, who used the word to identify the estates or parcels of land that were previously being occupied by the tenants of Saxon Plymouth. Twenty years later, in the Domesday Book of 1086, the entries refer to these "Manors". King William himself held the Royal Manors of Sutton ('Svdtone'), Tamerton ('Tanbretone'), and Plympton ('Plintone'). Stonehouse ('Stanehvs') was held from the King by Robert the Bastard, who also held the Manor of Efford ('Elforde'). Another Norman knight by the name of Robert D'Aumale held Stoke ('Stoches'). Barely touching the coastline was the Manor of Weston ('Westone'), which was held by Odo as a sub-tenant from the tenant in chief, Judichael of Totnes Castle. Odo also held, in his own right, the small Manor of Burrington ('Bvretone'), a little way to the north, and Manadon ('Manedone'), to the east. The Manors on either side of Budshead Creek, Budshead or Budocside ('Bucheside') and Tamerton ('Tambretone'), were both held by Alvred the Breton. Judichael of Totnes also held the two small Manors of Mutley ('Modlei'), the rather insignificant Manor of Coleridge ('Colrige') and the mysterious Manor of 'Levrichestone', all of which he sub-let to Odo. The Manors of Compton ('Contone') and Hooe ('Ho') he sub-let to Stephen and the Manors of Woodford ('Odeford'), Loughtor ('Lochetore'), and Holland ('Hovelande') he sub-let to Ralph. Another sub-tenant, William, held the Manors of Staddiscombe ('Stotescome') and Staddon ('Stotdone') from him. Judichael retained the most prosperous Manor, Buckland ('Bocheland'), for himself. The Count of Mortain was another large tenant in chief of the King. He held the Manor of Maker ('Macretone'), the Manor of Lipson ('Lisistone') and the Manor of Honicknowle ('Hanechelole'), which he sub-let to Reginald. Robert D'Aumale, who it will be recalled held Stoke ('Stoches'), also held the Manor of Widey ('Wide'), which he let to Oswulf, and two small Manors of Whitleigh ('Witelie'). A lesser known tenant in chief, William of Poilley, held Goosewell ('Goswelle') but sub-let that to Robert the Bastard. Of the two small Manors of Torridge ('Tori'), one was held by Reginald from the Count of Mortain, while Little Torridge ('Torix') was held by Ralph from Judichael of Totnes. The only land held by a religious body was Plymstock ('Plemestoch'), which was in the hands of the Church of Tavistock. So what does the Domesday Book tell us? The Manor with the largest population was Plympton, with 45 people and their families. Not surprisingly, the Manor of Plympton also had the largest number of ploughs, 18 in all. The Manor of Tamerton (Foliot) had 29 people and had the highest value in the area, 100 shillings. Buckland had 28 people and Stoke 25. Sutton, for all its historical importance, only had 7 people recorded against it. The Manor of (Egg) Buckland had the largest amount of woodland, 200 acres, while Burrington, Hooe, Plymstock, Stonehouse and Sutton had none. The largest area of pasture was in the Manor of Widey, 70 acres. Sheep farming was the main activity, so it is hardly surprising that it went on to provide great wealth to local people in later centuries. There were 180 sheep in the Manor of Weston; 160 in the Manor of Stoke; and 70 each in the Manors of Buckland and Plymstock. Indeed, there were 152 sheep in the combined Manors of Plymstock, Staddiscombe, Hooe and Goosewell. Weston and Stoke also had the highest number of goats, 60 and 40 respectively, as well as the largest number of pigs, 10 and 12 respectively, not to mention the largest number of cows, 15 each. The Manor of Sutton had just 15 sheep, no doubt kept in the vicinity of Lambhay Hill. Only 1 horse is recorded, a cob in the Manor of Buckland and there were also two 'animals', assumed to be oxen, and two oxen, spread between the Manor of Goosewell, Whitleigh and Coleridge. The latter was the poorest Manor, with a value of just 15d. It was waste-land in 1066. There were two fisheries, in the Manors of Efford and Woodford, and three salt-houses, in the Manors of Tamerton (Foliot), (Egg) Buckland and Woodford. Thus the Manor of Plympton was not only larger than the Manor of Sutton but also worth more to King William, 35 shillings as against 20 shillings; and the Manor of Stoke was worth even more, 70 shillings, to Robert D'Aumale. The main source of income for Judichael of Totnes from the Manor of (Egg) Buckland, which was worth 50 shillings. Some Manors, Blaxton, Elfordleigh and Hemerdon among them, have been excluded from the above summary as they are on the edge of Plymouth and their land may not be inside the present boundary. Likewsie, the alleged Manor of Yealmpstone ('Alfelmestone') is not included because it is not Yealmpstone at all but actually lies in the parish of Wembury, several miles away to the south. Sources:
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