Written evidence from Lloyd R Jenkinson (MAR 17)
Evidence for the Abolition of Manors and Manorial Rights
I, Lloyd Russell Jenkinson, of Bryn Ewig, Lon Ty Mawr, Llandegfan, Anglesey, am a private individual who was subject to a claim for Manorial Rights from the Lord of the Manor of Treffos in Anglesey.
I have also submitted an investigation into the claims of the Lord of the Manor of Treffos as a separate document. This is a general review of the Manors of Britain and the associated rights and provides evidence to support the abolition of both.
Executive Summary:
The Manors
1. When were manors first created?
Although Manors existed in Romans times the current disputed manorial rights relate to the Manors created by William the Conquer in 1066 following his invasion and suppression of Britain. William, the new King, confiscated all the land and he bestowed it on those who he wished to reward for supporting him in the conquest of Britain. In return they provided him with knights to help fight his battles and maintain his kingdom. Most of the land was given to Norman knights and clerics in exchange for military support.
2. How do we know this?
2.1 William the Conqueror commissioned a survey of his lands in 1085 which was completed in 1086 – the Domesday Book. The Normans had not yet suppressed parts of Northern Britain or Wales which were excluded. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/domesday/discover-domesday/making-of-domesday.htm
2.2 The Domesday book recorded 13,418 places. The King owned 17% of the land; the clerics, Archbishop, abbots and bishops owned 26% of the land and there were about 190 lay tenants who owned 54% of the land. Only two tenants-in- chief were Anglo-Saxon, the rest had their land confiscated and given to Normans. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/domesday/discover-domesday/interpreting-domesday.htm
The church clerics were also replaced by Normans. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/domesday/world-of-domesday/church.htm
3. What happened to the Anglo-Saxons?.
10% of the population were true slaves and could be bought and sold by the lord. 72% were unfree tenants who could be moved by the lord and owed service to him. This may be farming on his land, repairing or building his dwellings or tending his animals. The women may also have woven clothes.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/domesday/world-of-domesday/order.htm
4. What happened to the Manors?
Edward Ist found that Lords of the manor sub-let or subinfeudated their land to other “Lords”. The rights which he claimed from the Lords i.e. to provide soldiers (knights and men at arms) became less clear and the new tenants felt they did not owe this duty to the king. The previous land owner no longer had as many men and was unable to provide the soldiers. To avoid this confusion Edward Ist passed a new law, “Quia Emptores” in 1290. This prevented lords sub-letting their lands and they could only be transferred or sub-let by substitution. The new lord would take over the lands and responsibilities i.e. to provide soldiers to the king just like the previous lord. This effectively prevented any new manors being created.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Edw1/18/1/contents
5. Comment:
5.1 The Manors of Britain are over 1000 years old when the lands were taken by force from the indigenous Anglo-Saxon by the invading Normans. The Normans suppressed the Anglo-Saxons and many became their servants. They were tied to the land as serfs or provided other services. Some were slaves and owned by the King or Lord.
5.2 The continuance of Manorial Rights perpetuates the oppression of the descendants of Anglo-Saxons by the invading Normans and should have no place in modern 21st Century Britain.
5.3 No new manors have been created since 1290 over 700 years ago again showing that they are only a relic of mediaeval Britain.
Manorial Rights
What rights did the Lord of the Manor need in 1066?
6. Food
6.1 Mediaeval Britain was very different to today. The Manors were of a size that would support the needs of the lord and his family. As the Lord, your food was grown, or in the case of animals, reared on your own land. Without that you and your family would, and did, starve to death. There were famines in 1315-17, 1321, 1351 and 1369. There was unusually heavy rain, similar to 2013, and crops failed. The poor, unlike the nobility, had no stores of food and starved.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_of_1315%E2%80%9317
6.2 As Lord of the Manor the serfs or bondmen would cultivate your lands and harvest the crops in return for you allowing them to have land to grow their own crops and rear their own animals. The Manor was the only source of food. You may also hunt or fish either for food or entertainment.
7. Shelter
7.1 As well as food you would also need a dwelling in which to live, store food and shelter your animals during the winter months. The wealthy Norman lords built their homes and castles with quarried stone and mortar made of sand and lime. When they sub-let their lands they needed to retain the access to any quarries or mines on their lands to help maintain or build their dwellings.
http://www.ancientfortresses.org/norman-medieval-stone-castles.htm
7.2 Wood was also needed for doors and roofs and he again would have needed to keep the rights to the forests.
8. Minerals
Some manors would also have had minerals such as lead, tin or iron ore. These latter resources have now been depleted.
What rights does the Lord of the Manor need in 2014?
9. Food.
The Lord of the Manor is no longer reliant on his manorial lands or rights to maintain his food supply. Most will probably get these from the local supermarket, even game and fish!. The Lord’s food supplies were unaffected by the floods and poor harvest in 2013, unlike mediaeval times.
10. Shelter.
10.1 Very few of the mediaeval houses and castles remain and most of those that do are in ruins. These have mostly been replaced by bricks and mortar and very few are still made of local stone. It is also likely that small scale local quarries would not be economically viable and will have closed.
10.2 Wood is now obtained from building suppliers and access to forests is no longer needed.
11. Minerals
11.1 It is unlikely that any of the mediaeval mines are still in existence as the lead mines of Flint, tin mines of Cornwall and iron ore mines are exhausted and are now closed.
11.2 The modern minerals such as coal, oil and gas were not discovered at the time that Manors were created and would, therefore, not be a part of the Manorial mineral rights.
12. Comment.
12.1 Manorial rights were to ensure that the mediaeval Lord of the Manor of 1066 and his family had a supply of food and building materials. The Lords of the Manor are no longer at risk of starvation as food supply is now sourced elsewhere even at times of great flooding (2013).
12.2 Mineral and other rights are also no longer needed to maintain their mediaeval buildings as almost all have been replaced by modern buildings and materials.
13. Conclusion.
13.1 The Manors of Mediaeval Britain have been replaced by modern alternatives and are no longer needed in 21st century Britain. They are a vestige of the oppression of the population of Britain by Norman (French) invaders and their descendants.
13.2 If the descendants of the Norman lords wish to maintain their rights then the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons, whose land the Normans took, should also have the right to reclaim their land. The Domesday book will clearly identify them.
September 2014