The hundred of Shamel: Introduction

THE HUNDRED OF SHAMEL.

THE next hundred eastward is that of Shamel, written in Domesday, Essamele; and in other records, Scamele.

This hundred, in the 6th year of king Henry III. belonged to the Knights Templars; (fn. 1) but in the 7th year of king Edward I. it was, with the court leet, and the profits of the same, in the possession of Henry de Cobham, jun. eldest son of Sir John de Cobham, lord Cobham, by Joane his first wife, daughter of Sir Robert de Septvans. His descendant, John lord Cobham, died possessed of this hundred in the 9th year of king Henry IV. After which it continued in his descendants down to Henry Brooke, lord Cobham, who being accused, in the 1st year of king, James I. of having conspired, with others, to kill the king, and subvert the government, was tried for it, and being found guilty, had judgement of death, though his execution was, by the king's clemency, superseded. (fn. 2). On his attainder, this hundred, among his other estates, became vested in the crown, and was confirmed to it by an act passed in the third year of that reign. (fn. 3) Soon after which king James granted the hundred of Shamel, with the manor of Shorne within it, to Robert Cecil, earl of Salisbury, who passed it away by sale to Sir John Leveson, alias Lewson, and his brother, Sir Richard Leveson, of Staffordshire, in the reign of king Charles I. alienated it to Mr. George Woodyer; since which it has remained in the posses sion of the same owners as the manor of Shorne, Mrs. Elizabeth Gordon, widow of William Gordon, esq. being the present owner of this hundred, with the manor of Shorne appendant to it.

THE HUNDRED OF SHAMEL CONTAINS, WITHIN ITS BOUNDS, THE PARISHES OF,
1. HALLING.
2. COOKSTONE.
3. COBHAM, in part.
4. SHORNE.
5. CHALK.
6. DENTON.
7. MERSTON.
8. HIGHAM.
9. CLIFF.
10. COWLING.
11. FRINDSBURY, and
12. STROUD.

And the churches of those parishes:

And also part of the parish of Stoke, the church of which is in another hundred.