Welsh Journals

The Manor of Halcetor. By GEORGE MOUNTFORD. Amongst a number of old documents examined some time ago in the Welshpool Public Library was one which throws an interesting light on the early history of the Manor of Halcetor, on the Shropshire side of the county. This manor comprises the townships of Church- stoke and Hurdley, in the parish of Churchstoke, the township of Hyssington, i.e., the Montgomeryshire portion of the parish of the same name, and the small parish of Snead. It adjoins Shropshire everywhere except on its south side, where a line about a mile and a half long, formed by the Camlad and its tributary the Ceibutrach, separates it from the rest of Montgomeryshire. This document, of which a transcript is given below, is evidently one of a bundle of twenty, as it is numbered 252 of a set which once consisted of Nos. 252-271. These lumbers were pro- bably given when the following endorsement was made "5 Hen. 7. A petition from the Tents. of the Lordship of Halcetor to have their privileges, &c., therein mentd. confirmed by the Steward Richd. Poole, Knt., &c., 1779." An earlier endorsement, apparently about 1650, reads A paper concerning ye Lorp. of Holcetor," while the writing in the body of the document suggests that the copia vera was made about a century earlier. We can only surmise what interesting details of local history have been lost by the disappearance of the rest of the series. ANNO QUINTO HENRICI SEPTIMI. Theise be the peticons that the poore tenants of the Kings lp: of Halcetor besechyn for to have confirmed by theire Excellent master the Steward Sr Richard Poole, Knight, &c. 1. Firste yt hath ben vsed out of the time of minde, that the contrey shall choose two credable men of the cuntrey, one to be maior, the other to be ringeld, And in case that they doe aney Extorcion or Wronge to aney man, and there openly be founde giltie by iudgemt of the cuntrey, Or by an inquest then the said maior and ringeld to forfect howse & lands and theire bodies to prison at the kings will. And in likewise for the Forresters of Corndon.