Early Medieval – 1066-1365

Date Event
1066 Gytha, the mother of King Harold held the estate of Aldbourne
 
1086 William I siezes the Manor of Aldbourne from Gytha.
Aldbourne granted to a count of Perche.
Aldbourne was assessed at 40 hides.
There were :

  • 10 ploughteams, with 25 serfs and 14 ‘coliberts’, were assigned to the demesne
  • Woodland measuring 2 leagues by ½ league
  • Four mills, valued together at 16s. 8d.
 
1135 Aldbourne was held by Rotrou, count of Perche (d. 1144), and passed with the title to his son Rotrou (d. 1191) and to the younger Rotrou’s son Geoffrey (d. 1202)
 
1191 Rotrou (d. 1191), gave Aldbourne church to the priory of Nogent-le-Rotrou (Eure-et-Loir).
 
1216 Louis the Dauphine garrisons Lewisham Castle
 
1217 The manor was confiscated after the death of Geoffrey’s son Thomas, count of Perche, at the battle of Lincoln. Then granted to William Longespee, earl of Salisbury
 
1226 After Longespee’s death in this year Aldbourne passed to his wife Ela, countess of Salisbury, but in 1229 was granted to their son Sir William and in 1230 Ela was ordered to release the manor to him
 
1228 A vicarage was ordained.
 
1229 Henry III gave Aldbourne to William Longsword
 
1260 The advowson of the vicarage was claimed both by the priory and by Queen Eleanor, wife of Henry III, in the right of her ward Margaret Longespee, lord of Aldbourne manor. Judgement was given in the priory’s favour but the Longespee claim persisted
 
1285 The Manor of Aldbourne is 16 years in arrears to the Hundred of Selkley
 
1291 The vicar received £8 13s. 4d., rather less than most incumbents in Marlborough deanery
 
1295 A mill valued at 33s. 4d., was perhaps the windmill which was part of Aldbourne manor in 1311 and 1347. Its site may have been south of Aldbourne village, where there was a Windmill field
 
1301 Richard de Whityngdigh – first known Vicar of Aldbourne
 
1302 From this year the bishop of Salisbury collated the vicars
 
1307 Lord of Aldbourne manor had a park and rights of free chase and warren at Aldbourne
 
1311 Earliest mention of a market (worth £1 6s. 8d. a year to the lord of Aldbourne manor).
The demesne of Aldbourne manor included 306 a. of arable, 80 a. of meadow in Wanborough, several pasture for 24 oxen, and pasture for 500 sheep.
There were 21 yardlanders and 8 ½-yardlanders, owing services valued at £5 6s. 1d. The yardlanders’ services included ploughing in winter a strip for each beast, ploughteam, and yardland they held and in spring a strip for each beast and yardland. Each yardlander owed seven boonworks of reaping and services of hoeing and shearing. Halfyardlanders were to plough three strips and owed services of washing and shearing sheep. Hay in the lord’s meadows in Wanborough was cut by tenants of Wanborough manor but carried by those of Aldbourne
 
1318 William Walrond is appointed Reeve of Aldbourne Forest. The family remain as Rangers of the Chase until 1620.
 
1339 Aldbourne passed to Duchy of Lancaster
 
1365 John of Gaunt receives Aldbourne from the Earl of Salisbury

 

Archaeology

Barnes Yard excavation found medieval rubbish pits, but no buildings (suggesting the street frontage line may not have changed since at least medieval times).