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Hemyock Castle
Page Contents
- The Domesday Book — Introduction.
- Hundred of Hemyock in the Domesday Book.
- Hemyock Manor in the Domesday Book.
- Hemyock - Alternative Place Names and Spellings.
- Disafforestation of Devonshire, 1204.
- Hemyock Inclosure Act, 1814.
The Domesday Book, 1086
Duke William commissioned the Domesday Inquest and possibly the subsequent Domesday Book apparently to assist in raising taxes. The level of detail gives an impression of accuracy and completeness. Translations are now available on-line giving many more people access.
The Domesday Book was popularly called The Book of Judgement because like the biblical Day of Judgement there was no appeal! However, being an assessment of taxation it is very likely that the figures were often the result of prolonged negotiation.
Some modern scholars such as David Roffe have made interesting studies into Duke William's aims and motives. Their findings caution against taking the Domesday documents at face value.
Careful inspection suggests that some parts were more accurate than others. Time was short, and the surveyors found some areas of the country very dangerous.
The total taxable value of England was assessed at about 110,000 medieval marks (ie. about 110,000 Euros!)
The Hundred of Hemyock
At the time of the Domesday Book, Devonshire was still sub-divided into the old Anglo-Saxon hundreds. The Hundred of Hemyock covered fifteen place names. Hemyock was the chief manor, or head of the hundred. Awliscombe and some other places were sub-divided into several individual holdings or manors, each held by a different person, so listed separately in the Domesday Book.
The modernised names of the places in the Hundred of Hemyock are:
- Awliscombe.
- Bolham Water.
- Bywood.
- Churchstanton (Somerset).
- Clayhidon.
- Culm Davy.
- Culm Pyne.
- Culmstock.
- Dunkeswell.
- Gorwell.
- Hemyock.
- Hole.
- Ivedon.
- Mackham.
- Weston.
The Manor of Hemyock
Victoria Translation of the Domesday Book
Adapted from Victoria History of the Counties of England, Devonshire
by Dawson, Published: Archibald Constable, 1906
The King has a manor called HAMIHOCH which King Edward held T.R.E., and it paid geld for 1 virgate. This 12 ploughs can till. There the King has one plough in demesne and the villeins 9. There he has 12 villeins, 12 bordars, 7 serfs, also 2 beasts, 40 sheep, 8 furlongs of wood(land), 16 acres of meadow, and pasture 2 leagues in length by 1½ in breadth. It pays 6 pounds by weight. When Baldwin received it it was paying the same.
Phillimore Translation of the Domesday Book
Adapted from Domesday Book DB9, Devon
Edited by John Morris, Published: Phillimore, 1985
The King holds HEMYOCK. Before 1066 it paid tax for 1 virgate of land.
Land for 12 ploughs. In lordship 1 plough; 7 slaves; 12 villagers and 12 smallholders with 9 ploughs. Meadow, 16 acres; pasture 2 leagues long and 1½ leagues wide; woodland, 8 furlongs. 2 cattle; 40 sheep. It pays £6 by weight; when Baldwin acquired it, it paid as much.
Hemyock - Alternative Place Names & Spellings
- Hamihoc.
- Hamiohc.
- Hamioth.
- Hamihoch.
- Hemiocke.
- Hemick.
- Henocke.
Other Local Names:
- Culm: Columb or Columba (after the Saint of that name; or comba: Ancient English for narrow valley).
- Cullompton: Columbton.
- Blackdown: Bleak Down??
Disafforestation of Devonshire
At the time of the Domesday Book, there were large areas of waste land which formed part of the Royal Forest, where the King had sole rights to the hunting and land. In 1204, the men of Devonshire paid King John 5000 marks to have the county disafforested up to the regards of Dartmoor and Exmoor. This charter was not put into effect until 1242. Dartmoor and Exmoor remained as Royal Forests.
Hemyock Inclosure Act, 1814
Hemyock was inclosed in 1814. Mrs Elizabeth Posthuma Simcoe was recorded as the owner of the manor of Hemyock. She vigorously defended and successfully retained rights over much of the former common land around Hemyock and Madford.
- Glossary of Feudal, Medieval and Castle Terms.
- Glossary of Ancient Weights and Measures.
- Glossary of Official and Slang Money Terms.
- Holders of Devonshire Manors in the Domesday Book.
- Return to Hemyock Castle.
Note, this information is published "as is". It needs thorough checking against sources.
Comments welcome.
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Hemyock Castle, Hemyock, CULLOMPTON, Devon, EX15 3RJ, UK.
© 2001 - 2010. Prepared and published by Curlew Communications Ltd.