Haresfield: Local government

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Court rolls survive for the chief manor of Haresfield for 1475-6. (fn. 1) In the late 13th century John de Bohun claimed view of frankpledge, gallows, and assize of bread and ale at Haresfield. The view, which was held twice a year, had jurisdiction over both divisions of the manor, and John son of Reynold received a third of the profits. (fn. 2) The perquisites of court of the chief manor included fines for trespasses in 1460, (fn. 3) and William Trye was holding a court leet for the manor in the early 18th century. (fn. 4) The court of Llanthony Priory's manor was mentioned in 1535 when the annual profits were valued at 1s. (fn. 5) The election of a tithingman for Parkend tithing was recorded in 1689. (fn. 6)

There were two churchwardens in 1543, (fn. 7) but three in 1599; (fn. 8) in the 17th century there was one for each of the three tithings. (fn. 9) Churchwardens' accounts survive from 1820, and vestry minutes and overseers' accounts from 1735 to 1829. (fn. 10) In 1635 a poorhouse had been built in the village by the lord of the manor George Minett; it was inhabited by four paupers. (fn. 11) In the 18th century each tithing had an overseer. The usual forms of relief were being applied; in 1759 14 people in Haresfield and Parkend tithings were receiving weekly relief, and 17 were being helped with their rent. In 1792 it was agreed to buy two houses for the poor. (fn. 12) The cost of relief in the late 18th century and early 19th was high compared with neighbouring parishes; there was the usual rise in cost in the period c. 1780-1813, (fn. 13) but it remained steady during the 1820s and 1830s. (fn. 14) In the first 15 years of the 19th century 40-50 people were being permanently relieved. (fn. 15) Haresfield became part of the Wheatenhurst Union in 1835; (fn. 16) in 1935 it was transferred with the rest of the Wheatenhurst Rural District to the Gloucester Rural District. (fn. 17)