LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Manor Courts and Officers
In the late 13th century the bailiff of the lord of Bampton
hundred held an annual view of frankpledge at Alvescot
at Michaelmas. Profits belonged to the lord of Alvescot,
who paid the bailiff 12d. certainty money, an arrangement confirmed in 1285 following litigation. Free
tenants were required to attend two views a year, the
second held presumably at Bampton. (fn. 1) Lords of
Bampton continued to hold a Michaelmas view at
Alvescot apparently until the early 19th century, (fn. 2)
though the certainty may have been increased by 1505–6
when 3s. 4d. was paid 'for relaxing the lord's suit'. (fn. 3)
Whether tenants continued also to attend a Bampton
view is unknown. (fn. 4) Courts baron for Alvescot manor
were held probably in the 13th century and certainly by
the earlier 15th, when they dealt with field management,
encroachments, and copyhold conveyancing; they then
met usually in April or October, though perhaps only
sporadically. (fn. 5) A tenant in 1812 was said still to owe
attendance, (fn. 6) but though the manor was sold in 1866
with its courts, views, and other rights, in practice the
courts lapsed probably at or before inclosure in 1796. (fn. 7)
The lord of Alwoldsbury manor owed attendance in
1279 at the lord of Bampton's two annual views, and at
his court baron every three weeks, the latter obligation
discharged through two freeholders. (fn. 8) No court baron at
Alwoldsbury is known and, if held, it is likely to have
been merged with Alvescot's court following the
manors' unification in the mid 14th century. (fn. 9) In the
17th century some Alvescot inhabitants still belonged to
a distinct tithing of Alwoldsbury and paid certainty
money to the lord of Bampton hundred, whose Michaelmas court appointed a tithingman for Alwoldsbury, and
whose court leet they were theoretically required to
attend twice a year. (fn. 10)
Medieval tenants at Puttes attended a twice yearly
view of frankpledge at Clanfield, established by the earl
of Cornwall, as overlord, before 1248. Then as later
they belonged probably to a distinct tithing, and
together paid certainty of 3s. 11½d. comprising fixed
view (6d.), hidage (3s. 4d.), and wardpenny (1½d.).
Inhabitants in the 1290s were fined for breaching the
assize of ale, but from the 15th century the only
recorded business was payment of certainty by the
tithingman, latterly the lessee or owner of the deserted
village site and its closes. (fn. 11) A court baron presumably
granted copyholds in the 13th century, but no evidence
has been found.
A rent collector was elected by the Alvescot court in
1439, (fn. 12) and in the 1570s two officers appointed perhaps
by the court oversaw the commons, including Puttes or
Pitlands, and enforced pasture rights. (fn. 13) Constables with
jurisdiction over the whole parish, mentioned from the
early 17th century to the mid 19th, were appointed at
first presumably by the manor court, but later by the
vestry. By the late 18th century two horse commons
were attached to the office, and were exchanged for 1 a.
at inclosure. (fn. 14)
Parish Government and Parish Officers
Parish officers, appointed presumably by the vestry,
included two churchwardens recorded from the early
16th century, and two overseers recorded from the early
17th. (fn. 15) Neither office seems to have had any attached
property, though by the 1630s the parish clerk had
pasture rights in a disused lane called Church Way,
which were exchanged for ½ a. at inclosure. (fn. 16) During the
19th century the vestry appointed two churchwardens,
two overseers, two surveyors, and two rate-assessors,
besides nominating constables, managing the poor allotments, and overseeing rating and road repairs. Vestry
meetings, attended by the rector and leading farmers,
were held usually at the Plough, from 1870 at the school,
and from 1884 in the new vestry room in the church. (fn. 17) By
then the vestry or its officers presumably also oversaw
the village stocks and lock-up, which apparently
survived in the 19th century. (fn. 18) In 1894 most of the
vestry's civil functions passed to a new parish council
under the Local Government Act, Alvescot becoming
part of Witney rural district. (fn. 19) In 1974 it became part of
West Oxfordshire district, (fn. 20) and the parish council
continued in the 1990s, when Alvescot retained two
churchwardens. (fn. 21)