Norton Ferris Hundred

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Norton Ferris Hundred
Area
18,730 acres (7,580 ha)
Status Hundred
Subdivisions
  TypeParishes
  Units Bratton Seymour, Charlton Musgrove, Cucklington, Kilmington, Penselwood, Shepton Montague, Stoke Trister, Wincanton, and parts of Maiden Bradley and Stourton

The Hundred of Norton Ferris is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the historic county of Somerset, England, [1] dating from before the Norman conquest during the Anglo-Saxon era, although exact dates are unknown.

History

Each hundred had a 'fyrd', which acted as the local defence force and a court which was responsible for the maintenance of the frankpledge system. [2] They also formed a unit for the collection of taxes. [3] The role of the hundred court was described in the Dooms (laws) of King Edgar. The name of the hundred was normally that of its meeting-place. [4]

In 1084 at the time of a geld inquest the area now covered by this Hundred was part of Bruton Hundred. Later it was named for Wincanton and then during the 12th century took the name of Norton manor in Kilmington, which became part of Wiltshire in 1896. Part of the name of the Selwood Forest was added to make Norton Selwood. In the 16th century it was called Norton Ferrers or Ferris and Norton Stourton in 1557. [5]

The Hundred of Norton Ferris consisted of the ancient parishes of: Bratton Seymour, Charlton Musgrove, Cucklington, Kilmington, Penselwood, Shepton Montague, Stoke Trister, Wincanton, and parts of Maiden Bradley and Stourton. It covered an area of 18,730 acres (7,580 ha). [6]

The importance of the hundred courts declined from the seventeenth century. By the 19th century several different single-purpose subdivisions of counties, such as poor law unions, sanitary districts, and highway districts sprang up, filling the administrative role previously played by parishes and hundreds. Although the Hundreds have never been formally abolished, their functions ended with the establishment of county courts in 1867 [7] and the introduction of districts by the Local Government Act 1894. [8]

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Bratton Seymour is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on a tributary of the River Brue 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east of Castle Cary and 4 miles (6.4 km) north-west of Wincanton. The parish has a population of 104.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlton Musgrove</span> Human settlement in England

Charlton Musgrove is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated 1 mile (1.6 km) north east of Wincanton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 398. The parish includes the hamlets of Barrow, Holbrook, Southmarsh, and part of Shalford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horsington, Somerset</span> Human settlement in England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penselwood</span> Human settlement in England

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Pitcombe is a village and civil parish 1 mile (2 km) south-west of Bruton and 5 miles (8 km) from Wincanton in Somerset, England. It has a population of 532. The parish includes the hamlets of Cole and Godminster.

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Kilmington is a village and civil parish in the extreme west of Wiltshire, England, about 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Warminster. The parish includes the hamlets of Kilmington Common and Norton Ferris.

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References

  1. "Norton Ferris Hundred". A vision of Britain through time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  2. "Administrative Units Typology | Status definition: Hundred". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  3. "The Shire and the Hundred". Somerset County Council . Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  4. "Summary". Institute of Archaeology. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  5. C R J Currie, R W Dunning (Editors), A P Baggs, M C Siraut (1999). "Norton Ferris Hundred". A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 7: Bruton, Horethorne and Norton Ferris Hundreds. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 18 October 2011.{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "Somerset Hundreds". GENUKI. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  7. County Courts Act 1867 (30 & 31 Vict. c. 142) s.28
  8. "Mapping the Hundreds of England and Wales in GIS". University of Cambridge Department of Geography. 6 June 2008. Retrieved 15 October 2011.