Stogursey: Local government

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

In 1327 there were five tithings within the parish, Stogursey or Borough, Wick, and Shurton, all in Cannington hundred, (fn. 1) Durborough in Whitley hundred, (fn. 2) and Fairfield in Williton hundred. (fn. 3) In 1521 a tithingman of Farringdon also answered at the Cannington hundred view of frankpledge, (fn. 4) but the tithing was not mentioned in 1560 when Wick, Stogursey, and Shurton were complete tithings within the parish and Durborough was held with Cossington. (fn. 5) Wick tithing was subdivided in the 17th century to form the quarter tithings of Newnham and Woolstone. (fn. 6) Woolstone had been part of Stockland tithing in Stockland Bristol until the mid 13th century. (fn. 7) Some Chalcott tenants paid rent called 'hardurzild' to Chilton Trivet tithing in Cannington parish in 1445-6. (fn. 8)

The lord of Stogursey claimed wreck of the sea in the 13th and the early 14th century, (fn. 9) and as lord of Wick manor in the 16th century. (fn. 10) The sale of the manor in 1681 included profits of wreck, stone, and timber from the shore, and new land 'accruing by violence of the sea'. (fn. 11) In the mid 18th century the lord of Wick manor claimed to control the coast from Lilstock to the Parrett, (fn. 12) a right which was exercised later in the century by the lords of Cannington hundred who also claimed jurisdiction over fishing and gathering seaweed. (fn. 13) The lord of Wick in the 17th century claimed deodands, felons' chattels, and strays, for which pounds were built at Stogursey, Wick, and on the Quantocks in Over Stowey parish. (fn. 14)

Nine borough courts were held a year in the late 13th century (fn. 15) and in 1301-2 they were called portmotes. (fn. 16) Four courts were recorded in 1485-6 (fn. 17) and there are court rolls for June and September 1532, (fn. 18) and for October 1576 and April 1577. (fn. 19) In 1614 it was noted that the lord might keep courts at his pleasure, (fn. 20) but no further record of courts has been found. A portreeve, said in the 16th and the early 17th century to have been chosen at each Michaelmas court in rotation according to his tenement, accounted for rents and profits. (fn. 21) There were also two bailiffs, two constables, two clerks of the market, two breadweighers, two aletasters, and two well keepers. (fn. 22) In the 18th century one of the bailiffs had to attend the reeve 'in the nature of a serjeant', the other attended the constables. The second clerk of the market then acted as scavenger and inspector of nuisances. (fn. 23) A seal of the 13th and 14th centuries, depicting a four-tiered, embattled tower or castle, bears the legend SIGILL' COMMUNE BURGENSIUN DE STOKES CURCI. (fn. 24) A copper-gilt and engraved seal matrix was recorded in 1559 which bore a legend SIGILLUM COMIT... DE STOKE SURSEY (sic). (fn. 25) An 18th century description mentions the castle with the legend SIGILLUM COMITIS DE ... DOMINI DE STOKE CURCY. (fn. 26)

Shurton manor had leet jurisdiction until the mid 13th century, (fn. 27) but there is no later evidence of it. Court rolls for Shurton manor survive for 1424-7 (fn. 28) and for shares of it for 1507-8, (fn. 29) 1579, 1588, 1592, 1594, and 1599-1605. (fn. 30) Fairfield and Stogursey Priory manors had leet jurisdiction with view of frankpledge. Records of a threeweekly court of Fairfield manor survive for 1275-1349; (fn. 31) from 1386 all Fairfield manor courts were called courts leet and included twice-yearly views of frankpledge 1457-1547. (fn. 32) One free tenant paid a rent called 'hardurzild' in 1302. (fn. 33) For the priory estate extracts from what appear to have been thrice-yearly courts survive for 1384-98, (fn. 34) and from 1449 until 1841 the thrice-yearly sessions held for Eton College were called courts leet and view of frankpledge. (fn. 35) The court records continued until 1918; (fn. 36) a tithingman and two aletasters were chosen every Michaelmas in the 15th century (fn. 37) but only one aletaster by the 1590s. (fn. 38) From the 17th century business was largely confined to admissions and surrenders. A tithingman continued to be chosen in a fixed rotation, and a hayward was similarly chosen from 1829. (fn. 39)

Manor courts were held twice a year on the Pokeswell share of Chalcott manor and rolls survive for 1445, 1448, (fn. 40) and 1517. (fn. 41) Manor courts were kept at Cock in 1514 (fn. 42) and twice a year on the Palmers' manor there in the 1650s. (fn. 43) Owners of the shares of the divided Durborough manor each held courts. For the later Durborough Dodington manor records of courts survive for 1365 and 1514. (fn. 44) From Durborough Verney manor there are rolls for various years between 1392 and 1518, (fn. 45) where courts were normally called manor courts but were held in the later 14th century only at Easter and Michaelmas. In April 1467 the court was called a leet, but thereafter sessions were held irregularly. For the Pokeswells' share rolls for annual manor courts survive for 1445-8, (fn. 46) and there is a record of a single manor court for part of Durborough Dodington manor for 1611. (fn. 47) Tenants owed suit to Farringdon manor in the 18th century (fn. 48) but no court rolls survive.

Two courts were held each year at Newnham in 1540-1 (fn. 49) and suit was still owed in the 17th century. (fn. 50) Two courts were also held for Stogursey Hadley in the 14th and 15th centuries (fn. 51) but no records have been found. There is a draft court roll for Stogursey Dodington for 1523 (fn. 52) but by the early 17th century tenants owed suit to either of the two Dodington manors, Stogursey or Durborough. (fn. 53) In the late 18th century the earl of Egmont claimed that the marquess of Buckingham could not hold court for the former as it 'had been given up for many years past'. The marquess held his court, however, and Egmont's steward was sworn foreman of the jury. (fn. 54)

The parish was divided into ten areas for tithe collection in 1431 and into 13 c. 1490. (fn. 55) From the mid 17th century the parish officers operated through ten tithings: Borough, Burton, Cock and Idson, Durborough, Knighton, Monkton, Shurton, Stolford, Whitewick, and Wick. (fn. 56) Land tax was assessed in five units: Borough, Cock and Idson, covering the whole eastern part of the parish, Monkton, Shurton, and, the largest, Wick. (fn. 57)

There were two churchwardens by 1502 and decisions on church affairs were made by a group of 24 parishioners. (fn. 58) That group approved all purchases and distributions for the poor in the mid 17th century, and vestrymen were chosen from their number. (fn. 59) By 1693 the vestry and the 24 appear to have been synonymous (fn. 60) and all were known as vestrymen by the 1730s. (fn. 61) The vestry had appointed a salaried clerk by 1797, (fn. 62) and in 1820 a select vestry of 15 was elected. (fn. 63) In the mid 17th century there were four overseers, two chosen from the 24. Their number had been reduced to two by 1738, (fn. 64) and a paid overseer who was also parish surveyor was appointed in 1779. (fn. 65) In 1749 it was agreed to restrict parish work to those on relief or with large families. (fn. 66) The poor were badged from 1780 and an apothecary was employed for their care in 1781. (fn. 67) Spinning wheels were supplied to poor women in 1784 (fn. 68) and provisions were sold to the poor at reduced prices in the 1790s. (fn. 69) In 1816 the parish paid for inoculating poor children (fn. 70) but in 1832 gave up apprenticing pauper children. In 1840 the parish considered establishing a fund for pauper emigration. (fn. 71)

There were four highway surveyors in the mid 17th century, (fn. 72) each assigned by the later 18th century to one of the four areas of Borough, Durborough, Monkton, and Wick or Shurton. (fn. 73) By 1828 there were 10 waywardens, a number reduced in 1839 to 5. (fn. 74) A paid surveyor had been appointed from 1779. (fn. 75) Road work was offered to paupers at established rates in 1822. (fn. 76)

In 1843 the vestry was concerned in the appointment of two borough constables, and provided an additional two pairs of handcuffs by subscription. It was active in improving roads in the 1860s and in 1867 erected a building over the brook in the churchyard as a place to distribute what was called parish relief, to store coal, and to act as a mortuary for bodies washed ashore. (fn. 77) The parish council elected from 1894 concerned itself with the condition of parish bridges, the maintenance of the village pump, and the use of the parish pound. (fn. 78)

The church house was in use as a dwelling, probably a poorhouse, by the later 17th century. (fn. 79) It was repaired by the churchwardens in 1707 when it had 7 chambers, a workroom, and 2 'fore' rooms. (fn. 80) It continued to be called the church house for much of the 18th century, (fn. 81) but by 1830 it was known as the poorhouse when five rooms were to be partitioned. It was decided to demolish the building in 1838, (fn. 82) but it was still standing in 1844 when its sale was approved. Its site was incorporated in the new road around the churchyard agreed in 1865. (fn. 83)

The parish became part of the Williton poorlaw union in 1836, Williton rural district in 1894, and West Somerset district in 1974. (fn. 84)