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Ten ox-carts of timber
A slice of medieval history
This is a transcription of a typewritten and framed document which used to hang on the west wall of Street Parish Church, beneath a black and white photograph of the original.
Dated 1543, it refers back to a more interesting document of May 15th 1470. The earlier document brings to a close a long-running dispute between the Rectors of Street (then spelled Strete) and the Abbots of Glastonbury, about the exact parish boundary, and so about who should have the tithes, the ten per cent tax on land that for many centuries went to the Church.
The disputed land was Sharpham Park, and "Est Stretemore & West Stretemore" which sound like East and West Street Moors, and some meadows nearby. The judgement gave Sharpham Park, and Est Stretemore & West Stretemore, to the Abbot, and just four meadows and 'closes', whatever they were, to the Rector of Street. To compensate the Rector, he was to have ten huge cartloads of timber each year that he lived in his parish, a cartload being what eight oxen could pull.
The present document is part of the great legal tidying up that must have taken place after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Glastonbury Abbey was closed in 1539, when the last Abbot, Abbot Whiting, was tied to a hurdle, carried up the Tor, and there executed (Saturday, 15th November 1539. Abbot Whiting can be seen in one of the stained glass windows in Street Parish Church.) Now that the Abbey was no longer the dominant landowner and economic power in the area, new arrangements for the Rector of Street had to be made, and the 1543 document grants him 33 shillings and four pence a year instead of the ten cartloads of fuel. This would be £1.66p in decimal money, but represented a hefty sum in the 16th century.
Michael Garvie in The Book of Street comments:
With the fall of the Abbey and the passing of its possessions
into lay hands, the Rector, Thomas Bull, found it impossible to obtain his loads of firewood or to
exercise rights of pasture outside his parish. So he appealed to the King, producing the agreement
of 1470, and was duly granted 33s 4d a year in compensation. The Crown had not forgotten that it
was now entitled to the £3 pension the Rector paid to the Abbot, and in 1543 ordered the
compensation to be deducted from this, allowing a year's arrears.
Synopsis of Royal Letters Patent
1543 34 Hy.VIII, Feb.8.
(Inspection of a decree granting 33/4 annually to the Rector of Street for the time being).
Inspeximus & Exemplification, dated as above, of:-
A Decree, dated 1542 34 Hy.VIII, Nov.4, enrolled in the Records of the Court of General Surveys of lands made by the Council of the Court on the coming there of Thomas Bull, clerk, Rector of the Parish Church of Strete in the County of Somerset & his producing for examination:-
Bipartite & Indented Letters of Composition, dated 1470, May 15, between (1) John, Abbot of the Monastery of the Blessed Mary of Glaston, of the Order of St. Benedict, in the Diocese of Bath & Wells, and the Convent of the same & (2) Lord William Bockett, Chaplain, Rector of the Parish of Strete,in the same Diocese;
Who wish to set forth a matter for many years in dissention between their predecessors and especially between (1) the venerable fathers John and Nicholas successively Abbots of the said Monastery and the Convent of the same on the one part and (2) Masters Roger Wodehill, John Stone and John Lax, former Rectors of Strete, of the other: and afterwards between (1) Abbot John and the Convent and (2) the said John Lax and William Bockett:
As to the right of taking Tithes in & of the Park of Sharpham & of woods and places called Est Stretemore & West Stretemore in the said Diocese and also of certain meadows, pasturages and pastures adjoining on the east of the said Park - it having been assented by the Rectors that the Park and lands were within the Parish of Strete &, therefore, the tithes belonged to the church of that parish, and by the Abbot that, to the contrary they were within the boundaries of the parishes of St. John the Baptist of Glaston & [blank] of Mere in the same Diocese.
After due consideration and for the sake of peace for themselves & their successors the Abbot and Convent agree with William Bockett, the Rector, to making the following composition:-
The Abbot and Convent and their successors, by reason of the said parishes of St. John and Mere, to have the tithes of the Park, woods and Est and West Stretemore.
The Rector and his successors, in the name of the parish church of Strete, to have the tithes of 2 meadows and closes called Avensclose and Rowclose to the east of the Park and of 2 pastures and closes called Newman' closes adjoining the said 2 meadows on the east.
The Abbot and Convent and their successors to have the tithes of other meadows and closes, adjoining these four on the east, to a meadow or close called Grenegrove, inclusive, on the north of the Grange of the Manor of Strete.
The Rector of Strete, present and to come, to have for every year during which he continues resident in his Cure and Church or, at least, for a term of 3 years continuous or discontinuous personal residence, 10 cartloads of fuel in and of the woods and places called Pennell' or Pedwell' and Eswell and other woods and places in the neighbourhood of the manse and habitation of the same Rectory in Walton, of which six shall be of "Hardewoode" and the other 4 of "vnderwoode", by assignment of the Steward or Bailiff of the Lord there, made annually. If the Rector is in personal residence less than the time permitted for each year on account of the moiety of his residence he shall have 5 cartloads (3 of hardwood and 2 of underwood). If he is non-resident, for such year of non-residence he and his chaplain at their arbitrament shall have 3 cartloads (2 of hardwood and 1 of underwood). The Rector to take the same after assignment without making waste [i.e. damage]. He may take in a cartload as much as 8 oxen together can draw.
The Rector may also have the right of pasture for 8 oxen and one bull in the pasture in which the Abbot's oxen and beasts are pastured annually, namely, from the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross to the Feast of the Exaltation of the same, for an annual payment of £3 to the Abbot and Convent.
The parties covenant as to performance for the benefit of the Monastery and of the Church of Strete; as to deeds and evidences, contrary to the above not being made use of; as to the present composition being submitted to Lord Robert, Bishop of Bath and Wells.
Sealed with the common seal of the Abbot and Convent and, on behalf of William Bockett by one of the Consistory Officials of the Bishopric of Wells. One of the indentures is for the Abbot and one for the Rector. Made at the Capitulary House of the Monastery of the Blessed Mary of Glastonbury. Witnesses, Masters Hugh Sugar, Doctor of Laws, and John Pope, Doctor of Theology & Canons Resident of the Cathedral Church of Wells, also John Hobbis, Master of Arts, vicar of the parish church of Budley.
Hugh Sugar and Lord Robert, the Bishop having examined these Letters of Composition approve and confirm them at the said time and place. Witnesses John Pope and John Hobbis. They are sealed accordingly.
Upon which the Court decrees that Thomas Bull now Rector of Strete and the Rectors, his successors, shall have annually 33/4 in full recompense and satisfaction for the 10 cartloads of wood and the pasturage for 8 oxen and 1 bull thus formerly granted to William Bockett and his successors, Rectors of Strete; payable out of the aforeside annuity of 60/- lately issuing from the Rectory of Strete to the Monastery of the Blessed Mary of Glaston. Thomas Bull is also to have 33/4 as arrears of the said 10 cartloads and pasturage for one year ending at the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel last past, to be paid by the Received [Receiver] General of the lands and tenements of the said late Monastery of Glaston.
The present decree to be sufficient warranty to the King's Officers and Ministers and their successors against the King and his successors. Proviso, that if it is proved before the Council of the said Court that Thomas Bull and the other Rectors of Strete ought not to enjoy the 10 cartloads and pasturage then the present decree shall be void.
Witness, John Dannice, Knight at Westminster. Examined by Staimford.
Parchment. Portion of Royal Seal in red wax remaining on parchment tag.
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Friday 25th of July 2008
