Ock hundred: Introduction

THE HUNDRED OF OCK

Containing The Parishes (fn. 1) Of Appleton; Drayton; Fyfield; Kingston Bagpuize; Marcham; Milton; Steventon; Sutton Courtenay; Tubney; Little Wittenham; Long Wittenham

In 1086 Appleton, Fyfield, Kingston Bagpuize, Marcham and Tubney were in the hundred of Marcham, (fn. 2) and the remaining parishes of the present hundred of Ock with the hamlet of Carswell, were in the hundred of Sutton, (fn. 3) while the hundred of Marcham also contained the parishes of Hatford, (fn. 4) Bessels Leigh and part of Hanney, (fn. 5) and the hamlets of Newton, (fn. 6) Inglewood in Kintbury, (fn. 7) Goosey in Stanford, Draycott Moor in Longworth, and Lyford in West Hanney. (fn. 8) Sutton Hundred also contained Stanford in the Vale and parts of Hendred and Pusey. (fn. 9) Hatford, Stanford and Pusey, the latter of which was partly in Ganfield Hundred in 1086, (fn. 10) had been transferred to that hundred before the end of the 13th century. (fn. 11) The hamlets of Newton and Carswell were in Ganfield and Inglewood was in Kintbury Eagle by 1316. (fn. 12) Goosey, Draycott Moor and Lyford still remain in Ock Hundred. The land in Hendred was a member of Sutton in the 12th century, (fn. 13) and was probably separated from it when Sutton was given to Reynold de Courtenay (1175–84). Land in Hendred was still returned in Ock Hundred in 1428, (fn. 14) though the rest of the parish has always been in Wantage Hundred. No mention of Marcham Hundred is found after 1086; the whole district was known as the hundred or hundreds of Ockford (Eggeford, Hokkeford) and Sutton before the end of the 12th century. (fn. 15) The name 'Ock' superseded Ockford before the middle of the 13th century, (fn. 16) and the hundred was known as Ock and Sutton until 1428 (fn. 17) or later, and afterwards simply as Ock. By 1316 it was constituted as at present. (fn. 18)

At the close of the 13th century the hundred court was held in a place between the town of Abingdon and Ock Mill, (fn. 19) evidently at Ock Bridge, the successor of Ock Ford. (fn. 20) A jury sat at this spot in 1290. (fn. 21)

The hundred has always belonged to the Crown. (fn. 22) In 1651 it was leased to William Lenthall, Speaker of the House of Commons, (fn. 23) and in 1681 Queen Catherine leased it to Sir John Stonhouse, bart., the lease being renewed in 1706 to his son John. (fn. 24)