Catalogue

man 45 Words used in Manorial Court Rolls

£2.00

This final folder under the heading of Manorial Records in many cases is the most important as without which manorial court rolls in many cases would just be a number of words in a foreign language.
If the Domesday Book had not been compiled a detailed insight into many hamlets, villages and towns would be denied to us. Domesday records the first documented evidence we have for many places in the UK as well as Penkhull and its importance with regard to its higher recorded monetary value than that of many other villages in North Staffordshire during that period. Penkhull, as we know it today, is a small rural suburb overlooking the town of Stoke, whereas for hundreds of years Penkhull comprised a huge slice of Stoke-on-Trent stretching from Parliament Row, Hanley to Hanford, and incorporated around half of what is today considered the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Without the necessary tools it would be totally impossible to understand just what the entry on 1086 meant. This also applies to all of the manorial court rolls listed on this site. They all use standard terms, that in time become familiar and easier to read and understand t exactly what was meant in the original documents.
Containing five sheets the documents give first illustrations of various documents you could well come across with examples there illustrating the importance of this fundamental tool.

man 44 Manorial Courts – how they were administered.

£5.00

From the outset for those readers who are not familiar with the term Manorial Court, its functions, and responsibilities it is necessary to first refer to its function as not to confuse any reader with the functions of a Crown or Magistrates court. I know that even some local amateur historians have failed to grasp the basic difference and as ‘fools rush in’ they have gone into print only to prove just how little they know of the subject. The manor court was the lowest court of law in England, feudal law and governed those areas over which the lord of the manor had jurisdiction
These courts dealt with copyhold land transfers, managing the open fields, settling disputes between individuals and manorial offences. There was, in addition, a twice-yearly court leet, held after Michaelmas and after Easter, which all residents of the manor were obliged to attend. Business included a view of frankpledge, at which all men over the age of twelve were bound to appear and make their “pledge” to keep the king’s peace.
I hope that this fraction of what is found within the transactions is sufficient to stimulate interest and like myself have gained an invaluable knowledge of the area. A great subject to study.

man 31 1831-1837 William IV

£5.00

The period of these manorial courts 1831-37 covers a period of huge interest to the historian as not only containing wills, but death also etc. it moves on in 13 pages to describe properties that can be identified clearly where they once stood or still do. It also lists occupations, maltster, shop keeper, manufacturer etc. What’s interesting are the number of buildings included, The Grove, Elm Tree House, the old Parish Workhouse a public house. But not only are they identified but also what was there previously and the owner making the surrender to the courts. I have on a few made notes for the purchasers benefit in identification. This document will provide much evidence that can help to create a picture of the village of Penkhull at that time. Good for school projects or individuals with a keen interest on the history of Penkhull and early rural development.

 

man 28 1727-1760 George II

£5.00

The time of George 11, the court rolls become far more interesting and importantly in many cases recognizable to their location.
This record for the first time mentions Josiah Spode, the potter who was purchasing copyhold land in the centre of Stoke town with full descriptions of buildings and layout etc.
This applies to many other entries in this ten-page document and is a value for those who not only wish to trace the origins of the pottery industry, the development of the town of Stoke but also follow the lines in families.
This is certainly a worthy document which brings study right up the mid-8th century.

sur 18 – 1914 Rates Valuation of Penkhull

£2.00

This document has many uses and is extracted from the old Rate Book for Stoke 1914. This list contains all the streets that are applicable to Penkhull itself containing the following:
Name of Street; Head of family; description of property (house, beer houses etc; Rentable Value; Ratable value.
With all these variables as it is set in Excel cab be used in social sciences, school projects and social history all of which can be valuable in the study of social occupations, population interpretations and more.

sur 17 -18th century list of cottagers in Newcastle Manor

£2.00

The list of cottagers within the various townships of Newcastle under Lyme of 1777, list the names of the head of the family of each. By this time, Shelton which included much of what is now Hanley had 79 cottagers listed showing a quite substantial list of names compared to earlier records indicating the expansion of the pottery industry attracting workers to the township for employment, the next was Penkhull at 24. indicating that it still retained its rural character but the numbers had increased aliongside the developemnt of Stoke town itself.

sur 16 1680 Gregory King’s Note Book

£2.00

Gregory King’s Notebook 1680
Gregory King was a surveyor, mapmaker and herald of Lancaster. King’s 1695 survey of taxes and their geographical and demographic distribution in Great Britain include some of the first proper estimates of population in Great Britain. By 1695 King was started on a second official career in the business branch of the state. He was a commissioner in charge of a new tax on marriages, births and burials and later Secretary to the Commission of Public Accounts and Secretary to the Controllers of Army Accounts; in 1708 he was one of the three commissioners appointed to state the debts of the late King William. King could well have been promoted as the coordinator for the 1701 Parish Listing for Stoke-upon-Trent. (see surveys)

The 1680 listing comprises of the number of houses in Penkhull (in Stoke); Clayton; Seabridge; Handley Green; Bucknall and Little Fenton.

sur 15 – 1660 – 1685 Charles 11 survey of the manor of Newcastle

£2.00

This document refers to rental of all the copyholder’s names, rents and  acreage within the said Manor of Newcastle under Lyme which have compounded with the Kings Majesties Commissioners appointed for the confirmation of their customary estates and ascertaining of these fines – Herriott’s for which they are to pay to his higher 40 years rent as follow us (Charles II) (between 1660-1685)

Again a worthy document for those keen of documenting occupation, value and acreage under a single family occupation.

sur 14 – 1777 Lease of Manor to Lord Gower

£2.00

This document in the first instance lists the districts within the Manor of Newcastle under Lyme, eight in number with plans of the area of which encroachments are shown and further forms list of names of occupants. It’s a very important series. The Duchy of Lancaster, as Lord of the Manor, had a number of documents prepared 1777 -1781, for the renewal of the Lease of the Manor to the Right Honourable Granville Leveson Earl Gower, on the 2nd day of March 1781 for 31 years [to 1812]. Copies of these documents are in the City Museum & Art Gallery at Stoke on Trent. The documents are numbered and inclusive of plans of cottages that have been erected and lands enclosed from the manorial waste appear within this survey. The reasons for this were that buildings had been erected without prior agreement of the Lessee of the manor.
A very interesting series of plans and of huge benefit for historians who can ten identify buildings and occupiers.

 

sur 13 – c1777 List of all tenants in Newcastle Manor

£2.00

This list comprises of three seperate villages within the Manor of Newcastle under Lyme. Wolstanton, Penkhull and Shelton. The largest of which is Penkhull.

Under each heading the list contains the number owned by each person. Where non allocated with a number they are one only whereas others list the numbers of two or three being the largest.

Again used in conjunction with other list of rentals can produce a significant study of people and wealth.

sur 11 – 1654 and 55 survey Newcastle Manor

£2.00

Survery of Penkhull and Boothen for Lady Day and Michaelmass 1654 and 1655. Starts with the largest land owner John Lovatt of Shelton with lands in both Shelton and Penkhull and Boothen. This follows with lists of all cottagers paying the Kings tax for both years.

If used with other documents this survey helps to complete the picture of local cottagers and their status and land holding.

man 41 Hearth Tax Stoke-upon-Trent 1662, 1666, 1672

£4.00

Currently there is only one Hearth Tax record for Stoke upon Trent published in the Staffordshire Historical Collections.
Hearth Tax records can be an important tool for the historian as the number of hearths are listed, in some case some marked blocked up to save paying part of the tax.
It is used to assess the size of the property and in doing so determine the wealth of the owner helping to create a more detailed framework of the area under study.

Whilst doing my M.Phil at University of Keele I managed to locate a private searcher who during the war worked at the then Public Record Office who know the location of other returns. She subsequently copied these for me and listed here.
The important thing with three the names of property can change but with the same surname suggesting the father had died and now it was the son now living there.

 

1 2 3 25

Select at least 2 products
to compare