Page:The Victoria History of the County of Surrey Volume 3.djvu/547

 GODLEY HUNDRED

��CHERTSEY

��Mr. H. E. Paine at present holds the manor, and the house is the seat of Mrs. Hawksley.

The Abbot and convent of Chertsey had full jurisdiction in Chertsey, as in all their lands." William I, in confirming these privileges, also granted them ' freedom of court ' in all their lands, the right of keeping dogs, taking foxes, hares, pheasants, &c., and of using their own woods for whatever purpose they chose, without hindrance from the royal foresters. 41 Henry I granted the abbot warren in all his lands, and forbade anyone to hunt there without the abbot's permission on pain of a fine of 10."

The Domesday Survey records the existence of a forge at Chertsey which served the abbey, and also of a mill. 45 Gilbert Fitz Ralph held the latter of the abbey in 1 197." Water-mills known as the Oxlake or Okelake mills in Chertsey, appear to have been in existence at an early date. They belonged to the abbey and are marked in a chart of the abbey and its lands which is found in the ledger book of the monastery. 47 In 1535 these mills were valued at 10 I3/. 4</. 48 Surrendered with the abbey, they were granted in 1550 to Sir William Fitz William, 49 together with the site of the abbey (q.v.), with which property they afterwards descended. This property also included the right of free fishery in water called the Bargewater at Chertsey, which had belonged to the monastery. 40

A life-grant of the ferry of Redewynd or Chertsey ferry was made, in 1 340, to William de Altecar, yeoman of the chamber. 51 A similar grant, including barge, boat, and ferry fees, was afterwards made to John Palmer, and in 1395 to Thomas Armner, both Gentlemen of the Chamber. 5 *

Early rents and services due to the abbot and convent from tenants in Chertsey include a rent of tft. 9>d. due from two shops in Chertsey in 1271."

Weirs, as instruments for catching fish, are alleged to have existed in the river at Chertsey as early as the 7th century. 64 In 1325 the abbot and convent were permitted to construct a weir there."

There was a gaol, belonging to the abbey, at Chert- sey in I297. 66 In 1325 it was shown that, owing to the fact that there was no coroner in Godley Hundred, and that the two coroners of the county would not come as far as Chertsey to hear appeals and do the office of coroner, the prisoners of Chertsey gaol either died in gaol, or on their removal to Guildford gaol for trial were frequently rescued by their friends, where- fore many criminals escaped punishment. In conse- quence of this, a coroner was appointed for Godley Hundred. 67

A survey of the manor of Chertsey made in 1627 mentions as common fields or pastures lands called Wheatworth, Wentworth, Adlesdon Moor, and

��Chertsey Mead." The Parliamentary Survey of 1650 includes Marleheath, Childsey Common, and New Lodge Heath as common lands. Court rolls in the 1 7th century mention, as tithings of Chertsey, Addlesdon, Ham, Lolworth, and Rookbury." The two latter were known by the alternate names of Hardwick and Lyne. 60

The abbot and convent were responsible for the repair of Chertsey Bridge over the Thames. 61 In 1582, however, it was decided that the burden of repair could not fall on the queen, then lady of the manor. 6 * In 1630 the inhabitants of Chertsey peti- tioned for the repair of Chertsey Bridge. It was deemed unfit to raise money by collection, and a warrant for sale of trees was applied for. The sum to be raised was 555, and it was suggested that 350 could be raised by sale of trees in Alice Holt, near Farnham, and of trees to be used for piles, &c., in parks near Chertsey. 6 *

In the 1 7th century mention is made of timber wharves at Chertsey, owned in 1651 by Sir George Ayscue. Compensation for damage done to them was granted him in that year, at the petition of his wife, he himself being absent in command of the fleet which had sailed for the Barbados. 64 Other records refer to a rabbit-warren on St. Anne's Hill, otherwise Eldebury Hill, in Chertsey, which belonged to the monastery and was granted to Sir William Fitz William in i55o, M and sold during the Common- wealth to George Vincent.

The king's stables at Chertsey are mentioned in 1550, when certain meadows there were converted to the king's use ' for provisions of his stables for lack whereof he susteigneth an intolerable charge ' ; M in 1617, 99 loads of hay and 68J qrs. of oats were due from the tenant of the manor of Chertsey for the king's horses and for the deer in Windsor Park. 67 A letter written by Sir Philip Draycott in 1514 describes a royal hunt which took place in the ' meads under Chertsey.' 68

After the surrender of the abbey in 1537 the site of the monastery remained in the Crown until 1553, when Edward VI granted it to Sir William Fitz Wil- liam, his wife, and heirs, for ever. 6 ' The grantee conveyed it to his wife and daughter ; the latter held it at her death in 1564, after which date her mother Joan received all profits until she died in I574- 70 In 1602 Matthew Browne, son and heir of the daughter Mabel who had married Thomas Browne, 71 conveyed the site of the abbey to John Hammond, 7 ' afterwards physician to James I ; a formal grant was made by the Crown in 1610." Of this estate Hammond settled certain lands and 'a messuage next the gates of the late Abbey of Chertsey, in which Edward Carleton 74 then lived,' on his wife Mary for life, and afterwards

��48 See the charters quoted above.

Vitell. A. xiii, fol. 53^, 54.
 * Cart. Antiq. O.O. I ; Cott. MS.

44 Cart. Antiq. O.O. 3, 4 ; Cott. MS. Vitell. A. xiii, fol. e,6b.

V.C.H. Surr. i, 308.


 * Feet, of F. Surr. East. 9 Ric. I.

"Exch. K.R. Misc. Bks. 255 Exch. Dtp. 30 & 31 Eli/. Mich. 25.

48 Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), ii, 56.

49 Pat. 12 Eliz. pt. viii, m. 7. " Ibid.

" Cat. Pat. 1338-40, p. 468. "Ibid. 1391-6, p. 584; 1399-1401, p. 1 08.

��M Feet, of F. Surr. Mich. 56 Hen. III.

54 Birch, Cart. Sax. i, 64.

65 Inq. a.q.d. file 183, m. 9.

M Col. Pat. 1292-1301, p. 320 ; ibid. 1381-5, pp. 466, 532.

" Lansd. MS. 435, fol. 121.

48 Rentals and Surv. (P.R.O.), R. 18, 3 Chas. I.

" Ct. R. (P.R.O.), bdle. 204, no. 53.

60 Manning and Bray, op. cit. iii, 220.

u Vide supra.

n Hilt. MSS. Com. Ref. vii, App. i, 637,1.

ra Col. S.P. Dam. 1629-31, p. 454.

407

��M Hist. MSS. Com. Ref. xiii, App. i, 574 ; Cat. S.P. Dam. 1639, p. 406.

65 Pat. 12 Eliz. pt. viii, m. 7.


 * > AM of the P.C. 1550-2, p. 56.

7 Exch. L.T.R. Orig. R. 14 Jai. I. pt. ir, rot. 126.

8 L. and P. Hen. VIII, i, 873.

Pat. 7 Edw. VI, pt. ii, m. 21.

T> Chan. Inq. p.m. (Ser. 2), clxx, 5 ; Pat. 12 Eliz. pt. viii, m. 7.

7 1 Chan. Inq. p.m. (Ser. 2), clxx, 5.

79 Ibid. Miic. file 522, pt. xvii, no. 3.

7* Pat. 7 Jas. I, pt. xix, m. 35.

1* He died in 1663 and was buried at Chertiejr.

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