Hanchurch.
Notum sit omnibus tam p quam, f' quod cum contentio esset inter dominum
Edmundum, inclite recordationis Henrici regis Anglie filium et Johannem de
Swinnerton, militem, ex parte unâ, et fratrem Johannem Priorem de Trentham
et homines et tenentes suos de Hanchurch ex alterâ, super quâdam communâ
pasture, quam idem Prior et C. et homines, &c., sui exigebant ad omnimoda
averia sua omni tempore anni, in quâdam pasturâ que vocatur le
"Schertelyme"; dicta contentio in formâ subscriptâ quievit, videlicet, quod
predicti Prior et conventus remiserunt pro se, et successoribus suis, et eorum
hominibus, &c., p'dictis Edmundo et Johanni et eorum heredibus, proprietatem (?) soli, et communam pasture quam habebant dejure vel de facto,
et exigebant vel exigere potuerunt aliquo modo in predicta terrâ et pasturâ
de Schort-lyme, &c., cum aliis pasturis dicte terre proxime adjacentibus seu
in aliis vastis terris, assartis, &c., vel aliquo modo appruatis ante confectionem
presentis scripti infra manerium predicti Edmundi de Novo Castro subtus
Lymam, et manerium predicti Johannis de Swinnerton [goes on to authorise
them (from the Prior and C.) to plough and assart that land and to improve
it at their pleasure without let or hindrance, reserving to the Prior and
Convent and their tenants right of pasturage after the crops are carried, save
where messuages and tenements either are made, or are to be made, by
Edmund and John, or their heirs;] and for this concession Edmund and
John grant them the right of pasture in a certain piece of waste land in
Hanchurch, called Wittspot (or Whytspot as it is spelt below), lying between
the ploughland of the old assarts of Hanchurch, on one side, and the high
road which leads from Stafford to "Cestre" on the other. Sealed by the
Prior and Convent (His testibus) William de Audeley, William de Kaverswall, Thomas de Bray, and Philip de Mutton, Kts., Hugh de Vienne,
Engleram de Estrñe, Roger . . . . (obliterated), Clerks, and others.
Done at N. Castle on the Feast of the Annunciation of B. V. Mary, and in
the eighth year of R. Ed., son of K. Henry. (1280 A.D.) (fn. 1)
A dispute between Prior Richard de Lavindon, and the Convent of
Trentham, on the one side, and Stephen, Parson of Swinnerton, on the other,
touching rights in Wytspot, which they claimed as belonging to their church
of Trentham, and he for his church of Swinnerton. Settled by Sir Robert de
Staundon, Sir William de Mere, Sir Adam de Wetenale, Parson of Staundon,
Master Adam Birun, Clerk, Henry de Verdun, Rob. le Mareschal, and John
Coyne, on behalf of the Prior and Convent, and by Sir William de Stafford,
Sir Richard de Caverswall, Sir Geoffrey de Greseley, Master John, Parson of
Asseley, Reginald de Charnes, Robert de Horseley, and Robert Gerveyse, on
the side of Stephen. 21 Ed. (? 27 Ed. I., 1299.) (fn. 2)
Robert de Swinnerton grants to the church of Trentham for himself and
his heirs, in free alms for ever, for the good of his own soul and those of his
ancestors and successors, a piece of land, "Super Egge," and pasture for 300
sheep, in his territory, which pertains to Swinnerton manor (warranty and
seal). These witnesses, dom' R. Prior of Stanes, Master W. de New-Castle
Master R. De L'henes, Robert de Cotes, P. de Pres, Clerk, W. Clerk of N.
Castle, Alan, son of Simon de Trentham, dom' W. Chaplain of Trentham.
Sciant p' et f' quod Ego Robertus de Mere dedi &c., Deo et ecclesie de
Trentham, &c., totam multuram omnium hominum meorum in villâ de
"Hanchirche," residencium, secundo (?) molendina dicti Prioris et Conventus
de Trentham. Ita quod non liceat alicui dictorum hominum meorum molere
ad alia molendina quam ad molendina dicti Prioris et Conventus, propter
amorem favorem vel odium, quamdiu rationabiliter tractantur, et ad dicta
molendina molere possint. Pro hac autem donacione, &c., Dicti canonici
tenentur reddere mihi et heredibus meis in perpetuum quatuor solidos argenti
ad duos terminos, scilicet ad festum S. Michaelis, vel infra octab' illius festi',
duos solidos et ad &c., liberandos preposito vel atturnato mei, et heredum
meorum de Hanchurche. Si autem dictus redditus solutus non fuerit, cesset
secta dictorum hominum meorum, donec dictus redditus persolvatur. Dicti
autem Prior et Conventus mihi et heredibus meis dederunt, &c., licentiam
faciendi quoddam stagnum, et levandum sicut terra ex utraque parte stagna
se extendit super rivulum qui vocatur "Wassebroc," cum toto agistamento
aque sine molendino sursum viam que se extendit de Hanchirche usque
"Toftes" (sic) Ita quod nec ego nec heredes mei nullis futuris temporibus
molendinum super dictum stagnum construemus, nec super dictum rivulum
ad nocumentum dicti Prioris et Conventus de Trentham (W. and Seal) H. T.
domino Henrico de Auditheley, James filio suo, Willielmo Pantun, juniore,
Waltero de Legh, Joh[n]e de Knutton, Galfr Griffin, Bertramo fratre suo,
Ranulpho de Buvile, Willielmo filio suo, Roberto de Cotes, Radulpho de
Witemore, Roberto de Stokes, clerico, et aliis. [Seal, vesica shape, a horse
galloping, "Sigillum Robti de Mere."]
William Jorce, Lord of Hanchurch, gives to Prior Richard de Dulverne
and the Convent of Trentham, in free alms, a messuage and curtilage with
appurtenances, which William, son of Petronilla de Hanchurch, held of him
in villenage in the vill of Hanchurch, also he gives them William, son of
P. himself (nativum meum), with all his belongings. These witnesses, Vivian
de Verdon, Roger de Titnesovre, Ralph Burgoynen (sic), Ralph de Bromley.
At Hanchurch on the Monday next after the Feast of the Annunciation.
3 Ed. III. (1330 a.d.)
William de Jorce de Hanchurch also gives Trentham Priory, John
Ouwein's messuage, held of him in villenage, in Hanchurch, and the man
himself, vide supra. Witnesses as before, with the addition of Robert le
Mareschal and John de Blourton (same date).
William de Jorce, Lord of Hanchurch, gives Trentham Priory the
messuage of John Herte, of Hanchurch, and John himself, &c. (as above).
William de Jorce also gives them six solidates of annual rent of the
holding of Robert, son of Reginald, his tenant in Hanchurch (same day, &c.).
Also he gives to Trentham 8s. 8d of yearly rent in Hanchurch, that
Nicholas de Hanchurch, Alice his wife, and William their son, held of him
there (same day).
Also a messuage and curtilage that William son of Robert, held of him in
Hanchurch, and the man himself (same date). (All these deeds bear his coat
of arms on a circular seal, green wax.)
Sciant p' et f' quod ego Walterus de Etewell, capellanus, dedi, &c., Ricardo
de Dulverne, Priori de Trentham, et canonicis, &c., unum messuagium in
Hanchurch, quod Johannes le Malt-maker quondam tenuit in bondagio, et
quatuor acras terre arrabilis, cum unâ placeâ vasti in campo de Hanchurch,
jacentem in le "Colynefurdying," et quandam placeam que vocatur le "Clyves,"
continentem in se sexaginta et novem seliones, extendentem se a pratis de
Clayton vesus Hanchurch in latitudine, inter terram ejusdem Prioris et
terram Willielmi Jorce. Dedi etiam tres solidatas annui redditus, exeuntes
de quodam cotagio et duabus acris terre arrab', quod et que (sic) Agnes et
Margareta, filie Ricardi de Hanchurch, quondam in bondagio tenuerunt in
Hanchurch (Warranty and Seal) H. Testibus Roberto de Blortun, Simone
Griffyn, Radulfo Burgoynen, Johanne filio Johannis Burgoynoun, Johanne de
Blortun, Nicholao de Knotton Apud Hanchurch, die lune proxima post
festum Sancti Martini. 3 Ed. III. (1330 A.D.)
In 1296 A.D. Brother John, Prior of Trentham and Canons, grant to
dom' William de Mere and his heirs, a piece of land in Hanchurch "ad
curiam suam augmentandem, et in defenso tenendam."