The corporation of Hereford: Early title deeds

III. Early Title-deeds.

A number of early deeds of title are contained in 12 small oak boxes and paper parcels.

1. Box containing 13 deeds relating to a house in Northgate, Hereford, from 9 Jan., 34 Hen. VI. [1456], to 5 Oct. 7 Hen. VIII. (1515). They begin with a release from John Griffith, of Hereford, glover, son of Gruffin ap Jornard, of Boughereden, tailor, to Henry Oldecastell, Henry ap Griffith, and others.

2. Box containing three deeds relating to Staunton-on-Wye, seven to Llangarvan, and five to Hereford, English Bicknor, Leominster, and Bishopstone.

3. A few deeds of property in Fownhope, Over Litton, Hardwick, &c., and Hereford, tempp. Edw. III.–Hen. VI., in a box containing bonds and a few other miscellaneous documents. In one dated 1457 mention is made of le Brode Cabage lane in Hereford. Another, in 1389 (witnessed by Richard Skydmore, mayor, and John Trowe and William Eaks, bailiffs, amongst others), is dated "in festo S. Thomæ de Cantalupo," the canonized bishop of Hereford who died in 1282. There is also a parcel of 16 deeds relating to Great Cowarne from about 1220–30 to 21 Hen. VII. (1506). The earliest is a grant from Randulph the tailor ("cissor") to Adam son of Hugh Hereford of a meadow in Wyhammedene, "apud superiorem Flodyhate," near the land of the church of Cowre. A deed of 1292, which is a grant by Roger the carpenter of three acres as a marriage portion to "Hauwicæ nutrici Ricardi presbiteri de Magna Covera," has in its date the peculiarity of specifying the hour at which it was executed: "acta die Jovis proxima ante festum S. Michaelis, anno r. r. Eadwardi xx⁰, apud Magnam Couwernam, circa horam primam."

4. Box containing 39 deeds relating to the manor of Elton (including Stocklow, near Staunton on-Arrow, Newton, and Stewart's Hide), near Bromyard, from 15 Edw. III. (1341) to 38 Eliz. (1596). The property belonged in some portions to the Croft family. The first deed is a release from Sir Hugh de Crofte, knight, to his brother John of 38s, of annual rent from his inheritance at Stokkelowe, granted to the said John by Sir John Tronwyn, Knt., and Pernia his wife, mother of the said Sir Hugh. Hugh's son John in the same year (1341) also makes a grant of the same, to which his seal of arms is attached; quarterly, a fess indented, in dexter chief (a lion's head ?). A conveyance, dated at Teddesterne (Tedstone) 29 Sept., 16 Hen. VII. (1500), of the messuage called Stywards Hyde is from "Humfridus Doore, valectus Regis de sua corona." The last document in the parcel is an indenture of sale by the mayor and commonalty of Hereford to Sir Herbert Croft for the sum of 20l. of two messuages in Croft, "whereof one is called Drake's thinge," paying annually 21s.; 3 May, 38 Eliz.

5. Box containing 38 deeds relating to property in Widemarsh Street, Hereford, from 44 Edw. III. (1370) to 8 Eliz. (1566). In one of the year 4 Hen. V. (1116), as also in other deeds, there is mention of a tenement in "Malyerestrete inter tenementum pertinens hospicio vocato Goodhuavesinne," etc. One of 8 Edw. IV. (1469) has a good impression of the seal for recognizances described as being "sigillum officii majoris."

6. Box containing 15 deeds relating to a messuage at Wye-bridgegate (noted as being afterwards called The Saracen's Head) from 33 Edw. III. (1359) to 18 Hen. VIII. (1526). The first of these and one dated 1394 are sealed with almost perfect impressions of the civic arms, probably the oldest extant, viz., Three lions courant, "S', Ballivorum Civitatis Herefordie." The original silver matrix of this seal, in perfect condition, has just been very happily recovered for the city by the Town Clerk, after being in private hands for many years. At the same time two other silver matrices have been obtained: one, the seal for recognizances, bearing the King's bust, with a lion couchant beneath, on either side a castle, surmounted on the dexter side by the sun and on the sinister by the moon, "S' Edw' Reg' Angl' ad recogn' debitor apd' Hereford'"; the other, the seal of the hospital of St. Katherine, representing the saint holding her wheel, under a canopy: "Sigillum see Katerine."

7. Box containing 13 deeds, of which 12 relate to a tenement in "Cokenrewe," Hereford, from 46 Edw. III. (1372) to 13 Apr., 26 Hen. VIII. (1535). One of the boundaries mentioned throughout from the first date to the last is a tenement belonging to the Prioress and Convent of Acornbury. The first deed (1372) is a grant from Thomas de Grendon, of Hereford, "fourbour," to David son of John Rythyd, of "Glomargan, fysshere," which, though said to be sealed with the grantor's seal, has an armorial seal, checquy, with an indistinct inscription resembling "S' Ardilvpi . . . . iensis." It is witnessed by William Collynges, William de la Mere, and John Goldsmyth, "tunc ballivis domini Regis civitatis Hereford." These in Johnson's list of the bailiffs are assigned to the years 1373, 1376, and 1374 respectively. In 9 Rich. II., 1385–6, Henry le Cachepol is Mayor, and Richard Skydemore and John Trone (misprinted Trovie in Johnson when mayor in 1395–6) bailiffs.

8. A parcel containing 26 deeds relating to property without Widemarsh gate, and about 50 relating to the manor of Eton [Eyton] and Caldwell, near Leominster. The former extend from the time of Edward III. to Henry VIII.; the latter begin towards the end of the reign of Henry III. The earliest of these Eton deeds relate to a family named Ernieht or Arniet; and one which is perhaps the first (circa 1260) is a grant from Hugh Hakelutel to Hugh Ernyeht of an acre of land in Crowemore, extending from the way leading towards Leominstre to the water called Chetene, which has a seal of arms, a bar between three axes, "S' Hugonis Hakelutela." This name of Hakluyt occurs frequently in this century. A deed of about 1270 has among the witnesses three named Hugh le Pelerin, Henry le Turc, and William le Jongehosebonde. Measures of land called "curselliones" and "cursiones" occur several times; and a measure of corn occurs in the words "quindecim truggis bladi" (truck-loads ?).

9. Twenty-five deeds relating to lands at Burghill, and chiefly concerned with a family named Furge or Forge, 12–28 Hen. VIII. (1520–1536).

10. Ten deeds relating to houses in Malierestrete (now Maylard's Lane) in Hereford. They include a release from Richard Gardyner, custos of the college of Vicars Choral, dated "in domo nostra capitilari" (sic) 2 Jan., 17 Edw. IV. (1478), which has a good impression of the college seal, the B. Virgin and Child under a canopy: "Sigill' coe vicarioru ecclesie Herefordie."

11. The box so numbered formerly contained a few deeds relating to "Langston and Treville," but none such are now found in it. It now contains one deed of 6 Rich. II. (1382–3) relating to a tenement in "Bewalstrete," and three, of 12 Edw. IV. and 11 Hen. VII. (1472, 1495 –6), relating to houses in Widemarsh Street, in one of which a tenement belonging to the chantry of the B. Virgin in the church of All Saints is mentioned.

12. Two deeds of 12 Nov., 8 Edw. IV. (1468), of a demise by William Pershore, chaplain, to Thomas Molde and Isabella his wife of land in le Morefelde, Hereford.