Introduction to the Kent Domesday Survey - V.C.H. of Kent

Victoria County History of Kent Vol. 3 1932 - Introduction to the Kent Domesday Survey - Page 199

Domesday and the allied documents give a little more information about Canterbury. There is mention of ditch work. The king had in demesne 51 houses paying gablum, 212 paying sake and soke, by which probably is meant the right to take the forfeitures arising from breaches of peace within the houses, perhaps also from offences committed by the residents therein. Outside the king had sake and soke from 45 masurae, while the gablum was paid to the burgesses, these being probably the 45 masurae held by the burgesses in their gild. Forfeitures in streets going through the town and continuing outside for a distance of three poles and three feet went to the king, who also received through the reeve fines from obstructors of roads.
The brief mention of Rochester before the terra Regis would place it amongst the county boroughs. It, too, is distinguished by tenurial heterogeneity. The contributory houses were distributed as follows amongst the rural lordships :

The question at once arises whether these contributory holdings in Rochester are those which in Saxon and later times contributed to the support of Rochester bridge. The Saxon document ⁹⁸ pertinent to the question shows
⁹⁷The others had been destroyed to make room for the new residence of the archbishop.
⁹⁸Birch, Cartul. Saxon, Nos. 1321, 1322.

Previous Page Page 199 Next Page

For details about the advantages of membership of the Kent Archaeological Society click here

To Introduction to the Kent Domesday Survey page listings To Contents Page To Research To Homepage

This website is constructed by enthusiastic amateurs. Any errors noticed by other researchers will be to gratefully received so
that we can amend our pages to give as accurate a record as possible. Please send details to research@kentarchaeology.org.uk