Fragments of Court Roll for the Manor of Hodsock, Nottinghamshire, 1344-1375

The collection consists of two fragmentary parchment rolls, both containing routine details of actions by the court of the manor of Hodsock, such as the transfer of copyhold land, the levying of fines (amercements) for manorial offences, and the swearing of fealty to the Lord of the Manor. The rolls have suffered physical damage on the edges; MS 29/2 has lost text and is very faint.

MS 29/1:

Record of court held on the feast of St Mary Magdalene 18 Edward III [22 July 1344]

Record of court held Tuesday before the feast of St Michael, 28 [Edward III] [23 September 1354]

(on the reverse side)

Record of court held on unknown date

Record of court of Walter Power, held at Hodsock Monday before the feast of St Michael, 48 [Edward III] [25 September 1374]

Record of court of Walter Power, held at Hodsock Saturday before the feast of St Peter in Cathedra in Antiocha, 48 Edward III [18 February 1374]

Record of Court Baron of Walter Power, held at Hodsock Saturday before the feast of St Mark, 48 Edward III [22 April 1374]

MS 29/2:

Records of two courts, date illegible through fading of ink

Record of court held on Friday before SS Simon and Jude 49 Edward [III] [26 October 1375]

(on the reverse side)

Record of a court, date unknown as top part of parchment has been torn away

Record of court held on 10 May 49 Edward III [10 May 1375]

Record of Court Baron of John Crescy, knight, held at Hodsock Friday in Ascension week 49 Edward III [1 June? 1375]

The earliest record for the manor of Hodsock shows that it was held in 1086 by Torald de Lizours, a witness to the foundation of Blyth Abbey in 1088. It passed to the Cressys, who were connected by marriage to the Lizours family. The Cressys held Hodsock for nine generations from the reign of Henry II to that of Henry IV. When Sir Hugh Cressy died without heir in 1408, the estate and manor passed to the family of his elder sister, Katherine, who was married to Sir John Clifton. The Cliftons remained in possession for thirteen generations, until in 1765 Sir Gervase Clifton, 6th Baronet, sold Hodsock to William and Charles Mellish (father and son).

The bulk of the surviving manorial records from the Manor of Hodsock are found in the Clifton of Clifton collection (Cl).

No archival arrangement has been necessary.

Accessible to all registered readers.

This description is the only finding aid available for the collection. Copyright in the description belongs to The University of Nottingham.

Good & Fair

Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk).

The fragments were acquired by The University of Nottingham's Library from Mr Frank Needham in about 1950. Their provenance prior to this is unknown.

Hodsock manorial records in the Clifton of Clifton collection, 1329-1684 (Cl M 65-96)