Survey of Earnwood 1565

A survey of the manor of Earnwood in 1565, transcribed from the original in the National Archives

Introduction

This document gives information about Earnwood at the start of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, when it was in Royal hands for a short period before being leased to a new tenant-in-chief. Sir George Blount of Kinlet was the main under-tenant, but a number of other individuals held significant land ownings. The document also gives information about the state of the Wyre Forest.

The Survey

Valuation of the woods
Earnwoodes wood contains by forest measure there that is to say by 24 foot perch 272 acres whereof 136 acres being set with oak like to be of the age of 400 or 500 years the best trees being heretofore weeded out and the remainder being now partly set with coarse timber and the most part firewood and being .... after the rate of 32 trees in every acre valued together at £3 the acre cometh to the sum of £408, 136 acres being much therein set with like oaks and for the most part after the rate of 16 in every acre valued at 30/- the acre cometh to the sum of £204 which at the several rates aforesaid amounteth in the whole to the sum of £612.

Sturt Wood and Hakeyard Wood cont’ 90 ac, 22.5 ac being well set with fair young oak of 100 years growth being very fair small timber of a fair lenght and being set much after the rate of 140 trees in the acre valued at £10 the acre, cometh to the sum of £225, 22.5 of the said 90 acres being therin set with like trees valued at £6 the acre, cometh to the sum of £135. 22.5 ac of the said 90 ac being like set with small oak valued at £5 cometh to the sum £112-10-0, 22.5 ac of the said 90 ac being well set with small oak but sapplings valued at £3 the acre, cometh to the sum of £67-10-0, whereof at the several rates aforesaid amounteth in the whole to the sum of £540.

Benne Vallets and Corbet’s Oaks Vallets contain 48 ac, whereof 8 acres are set with underwood of 10 years growth valued at 10/- per acre, cometh to the sum of £4. 40 acres residue set also with underwood of 10 years growth but being for the most part spoiled with cattle for the default of inclosure after it was last felled, valued at 3/4 the acre, cometh to the sum of £6-13-4, which at the several rates aforesaid amounteth in the whole to the sum of £10-13-4.

In Earnwood Park be growing 530 oakes, whereof 100 being timber valued at £5 the peck cometh to the sum of £25, 100 [be] of the 530 oakes being part timber and part firewood valued at 4/8 the peck cometh to £16-13-4. 330 residue valued at 2/- the peck cometh to the sum of £33, which at the several rates aforesaid amounteth in the whole to the sum of £74-13-4

Sm totalis of the value of the wood £1237-6-8

Ernewood Park containeth 256 ac after the rate of land measure, that is to say the rate of 16 and a half foot to the pi’he of which 256 ac about the rate of two third part is now good arable ground and would be very good pasture if it were again laid to pasture worth 2/- the acre and better and the other third part is rough ground with wood and bushes and very mossy and therefore scant worth 8d the acre as I suppose.

That all the manor of Ernewood and also the park of Earnwood .... unto Sir George Blount Knight the gross trees and woods of the said park only excepted and devised unto Sir George Blount Knight by .... of July in the 4th year of his reign for the term of 21 years then next yielding unto the said king his heirs and successors for the said manor ... said park £15-11-4 and for the said park 30/- over and beside £8 yearly that the said Sir George Blount remaineth charged to pay to John Harford for his amitie going out of the said park. And over and beside.

The rents of the freeholders
Sir George Blount knight holdeth freely that moiety of a tenement called Hammond and payeth yearly 10/-
William Bayly gentleman holdeth freely that other moiety of the said tenement of Hammond and payeth yearly 10s
Sir George Blount holdeth freely a close called the Reyninge close and payeth yearly 6d
John Hammond holdeth freely a tenement called the Sillinge Grove and payeth yearly 20s
John Burnell holdeth freely a tenement called Burnells and payeth yearly 7d
John Hammond holdeth freely a tenement called Over Wynwoodes and payeth yearly 4/8
Sir George Blount knight holdeth freely the moiety of a messuage unbuilded called the Wynwoods and payeth yearly 2/6
William Bayley holdeth freely the other moiety of the said messuage and payeth yearly 2/6
John Hammond holdeth freely a tenement called Nether Wynwoodes and payeth yearly 2/-
John Hammond holdeth freely a tenement in the tenure of John Wheeler and payeth yearly 6d
The heirs of Thomas Ketilsby hold freely certian lands called the Ferme lands and pay yearly 5/-
John Hammond and the heirs of ? holden freely a pasture called Yelfes and pay yearly 5/-

The rents of the bast tenants
Thos Dallow holdeth by bast tenure a tenement and certain lands inclosed thereunto belonging containing about the quantity of one plough tilth and payeth yearly 16/4
John Whelar holdeth likewise a tenement called Southwall and about the quantity of one plough tilth of land inclosed and payeth yearly 15/-
Humfrey Whelar holdeth likewise a tenement and about the quantity of one plough tilth and payeth yearly 16/4
John Trudell holdeth likewise a tenement called Birches and about the quantity of one plough tilth of land inclosed and payeth yearly 23/4
Edward Asterley holdeth likewise a tenement and about the quantity of half a plough tilth of land inclosed and payeth yearly 10/8
Richard Nashe holdeth likewise a cottage and about the quantity of the 4th part of a plough tilth and payeth yearly 7/2
The same Richard Nashe holdeth likewise a pasture called Vastorne and payeth yearly 3/4
William Mason holdeth likewise a cottage and about the quantity of .. the part of ... one plough tilth enclosed and payeth yearly 4/-
Humphrey Dallow holdeth likewise a cottage and about the quantity of two beast leaze of land enclosed and payeth yearly 2/8
William Longland holdeth likewise a pasture called Cooke and payeth yearly 6/4
Thomas Wen holdeth likewise a cottage called Glovers and about the quantity of one beast leaze of land enclosed and payeth yearly 2/-
John Weaver holdeth likewise a cottage and about the quantity of two beast leaze of land enclosed and payeth yearly 2/2
Robert Jonson holdeth likewise half a burgage that is to say the moiety of the scite of a cottage and payeth yearly 6d
George Wever holdeth likewise a little ... called Carlors Close and payeth yearly 4d
Margaret –henton holdeth likewise a tenement and about the quantity of half a plough’s tilth of land enclosed and payeth yearly 12/4
John Orsland holdeth likewise one tenement and about the quantity of half a plough’s tilth of land enclosed and payeth yearly 13/-
John Orsland holdeth likewise half a burgage and payeth yearly 6d
John Orsland holdeth likewise a pasture called Vastorne and payeth yearly ¾
John Orsland holdeth likewise a small parcel of land called the billet and payeth yearly 6d
Humfrey Whelar holdeth likewise a pasture called Wynwoodes and Strange Grove and payeth yearly 8/8
Richard Payne holdeth likewise a pasture called Aldnams and payeth yearly 7/-
Humfrey Whelar holdeth likewise two burgages and payeth yearly 2/-
John Dassold holdeth likewise one burgage and payeth yearly 12d
John Dallow holdeth likewise one burgage and payeth yearly 12d
Margery Pynike holdeth likewise one burgage and payeth yearly 12d
Arthur Foxley holdeth half burgage and payeth yearly 6d
Thomas Cowall holdeth likewise half burgagfe payeth yearly 6d

Rent for Custom
The township of Catsley payen yearly in lewe of custome works which they ought to do unto the lord of the manor for liberty of common with their beasts in the Lord’s wastes 5/-
Thos Dallow for the like custom 12d ob
William Longland for the like 16d
William Burnell for the like 4d ob
John Wever for the like 4d ob
John Hammond for the like 2d ob
Richard Carpenter for the like 6d
John Yelf for the like 3d
Total 9/-

Thomas Blunte esq holdeth by indenture certain pasture ground called Lyme pyt Field and Wickfield containing about the quantity of 60 ac of barren and rough upland ground and one meadow called Severne Meadow containing about the quantity of 6 ac and payeth yearly for the same 56/8
Sir George Blunte knight holdeth by the demise of our late Sovereign King Edward the VIth bearing the date 8th of July in the 4th year of his reign for the term of 21 years next following the disparked park called Earnwood Park containing 256 acres after the measure of 16 foot and a half to the perch and payeth yearly for the same to the Lord of the manor 30/-
Total 4-6-8