Houndsborough (hundred)
Encyclopedia
The Hundred of Houndsborough is one of the 40 historical Hundreds
in the ceremonial county
of Somerset
, England, dating from before the Norman conquest
during the Anglo-Saxon
era although exact dates are unknown. Each hundred had a 'fyrd', which acted as the local defence force and a court which was responsible for the maintenance of the frankpledge
system. They also formed a unit for the collection of taxes. The role of the hundred court was described in the Dooms (laws) of King Edgar. The name of the hundred was normally that of its meeting-place.
It is also known as Houndsborough Barwick and Coker Hundred.
There were 11 places listed at the time of the Domesday Book
, however at the time the hundreds were called Hundesbera and Licget or Liet. Licget or Liet. It was also called Coker Hundred at a later time.
It consisted of the ancient parishes of: Barwick
, Chilton Cantelo
, Chinnock (East, Middle, and West), Chiselborough
, Closworth
, Coker
, Hardington Mandeville
, Haselbury Plucknett
, Norton-under-Hamdon, Odcombe
, Pendomer, North Perrott
, and Sutton Bingham. It covered an area of 18890 acres (7,644.5 ha).
The importance of the hundred courts declined from the seventeenth century. By the 19th century several different single-purpose subdivisions of counties, such as poor law union
s, sanitary district
s, and highway district
s sprang up, filling the administrative role previously played by parishes and hundreds. Although the Hundreds have never been formally abolished, their functions ended with the establishment of county court
s in 1867 and the introduction of districts by the Local Government Act 1894
.
Hundred (division)
A hundred is a geographic division formerly used in England, Wales, Denmark, South Australia, some parts of the United States, Germany , Sweden, Finland and Norway, which historically was used to divide a larger region into smaller administrative divisions...
in the ceremonial county
Ceremonial counties of England
The ceremonial counties are areas of England to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as counties and areas for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997...
of Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England, dating from before the Norman conquest
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
during the Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
era although exact dates are unknown. Each hundred had a 'fyrd', which acted as the local defence force and a court which was responsible for the maintenance of the frankpledge
Frankpledge
Frankpledge, earlier known as frith-borh , was a system of joint suretyship common in England throughout the Early Middle Ages. The essential characteristic was the compulsory sharing of responsibility among persons connected through kinship, or some other kind of tie such as an oath of fealty to a...
system. They also formed a unit for the collection of taxes. The role of the hundred court was described in the Dooms (laws) of King Edgar. The name of the hundred was normally that of its meeting-place.
It is also known as Houndsborough Barwick and Coker Hundred.
There were 11 places listed at the time of the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, however at the time the hundreds were called Hundesbera and Licget or Liet. Licget or Liet. It was also called Coker Hundred at a later time.
It consisted of the ancient parishes of: Barwick
Barwick, Somerset
Barwick is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated south of Yeovil in the South Somerset district and on the border with Dorset. The parish, which includes the village of Stoford has a population of 1,289.-History:...
, Chilton Cantelo
Chilton Cantelo
Chilton Cantelo is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated on the River Yeo north of Yeovil and east of Ilchester in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 132...
, Chinnock (East, Middle, and West), Chiselborough
Chiselborough
Chiselborough is a village situated on the river Parrett west of Yeovil in Somerset, England. The village has a population of 335.The village consists largely of small cottages built in the local golden hamstone quarried at the local Ham Hill.-History:...
, Closworth
Closworth
Closworth is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated five miles south of Yeovil in the South Somerset district, on the border with Dorset. The village has a population of 192....
, Coker
East Coker
East Coker is a village and civil parish in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England. Its nearest town is Yeovil, which is situated two miles north from the village. The village has a population of 1,781...
, Hardington Mandeville
Hardington Mandeville
Hardington Mandeville is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south west of Yeovil in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 598.-History:...
, Haselbury Plucknett
Haselbury Plucknett
Haselbury Plucknett is a village and civil parish on the River Parrett in Somerset, England, situated south west of Yeovil in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 641....
, Norton-under-Hamdon, Odcombe
Odcombe
Odcombe is a village and civil parish in south Somerset, England, west of the town of Yeovil, with a population of 730 in 2002.The upper part of the village, Higher Odcombe, sits on the crest of the hill, while the lower part, Lower Odcombe, is built on its northern slopes...
, Pendomer, North Perrott
North Perrott
North Perrott is a village and civil parish in the South Somerset district of the English county of Somerset.-History:The name Perrott comes from the River Parrett.There is evidence of Roman and Iron Age settlement in the village....
, and Sutton Bingham. It covered an area of 18890 acres (7,644.5 ha).
The importance of the hundred courts declined from the seventeenth century. By the 19th century several different single-purpose subdivisions of counties, such as poor law union
Poor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
s, sanitary district
Sanitary district
Sanitary districts were established in England and Wales in 1875 and in Ireland in 1878. The districts were of two types, based on existing structures:*Urban sanitary districts in towns with existing local government bodies...
s, and highway district
Highway district
Highway Districts were areas in England and Wales united for the maintenance and repair of highways. They were first formed in 1862 and consisted of groupings of civil parishes in rural areas...
s sprang up, filling the administrative role previously played by parishes and hundreds. Although the Hundreds have never been formally abolished, their functions ended with the establishment of county court
County Court
A county court is a court based in or with a jurisdiction covering one or more counties, which are administrative divisions within a country, not to be confused with the medieval system of county courts held by the High Sheriff of each county.-England and Wales:County Court matters can be lodged...
s in 1867 and the introduction of districts by the Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
.