Norton Ferris (hundred)
Encyclopedia
The Hundred of Norton Ferris 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.
In 1084 at the time of a geld
inquest the area now covered by this Hundred was part of Bruton Hundred
. Later it was named for Wincanton and then during the 12th century took the name of Norton manor in Kilmington
, which became part of Wiltshire
in 1896. Part of the name of the Selwood Forest
was added to make Norton Selwood. In the 16th century it was called Norton Ferrers or Ferris and Norton Stourton in 1557.
The Hundred of Norton Ferris consisted of the ancient parishes of: Bratton Seymour
, Charlton Musgrove
, Cucklington
, Kilmington
, Penselwood
, Shepton Montague
, Stoke Trister
, Wincanton
, and parts of Maiden Bradley
and Stourton
. It covered an area of 18730 acres (7,579.8 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.
In 1084 at the time of a geld
Danegeld
The Danegeld was a tax raised to pay tribute to the Viking raiders to save a land from being ravaged. It was called the geld or gafol in eleventh-century sources; the term Danegeld did not appear until the early twelfth century...
inquest the area now covered by this Hundred was part of Bruton Hundred
Bruton (hundred)
The Hundred of Bruton 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...
. Later it was named for Wincanton and then during the 12th century took the name of Norton manor in Kilmington
Kilmington, Wiltshire
Kilmington is a village and civil parish in the extreme west of Wiltshire, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Norton Ferris. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 292.It lies on the northern edge of the ancient Selwood Forest...
, which became part of Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
in 1896. Part of the name of the Selwood Forest
Selwood Forest
Selwood Forest is an area of woodland on the borders between Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire in south west England. In Anglo-Saxon times it was far more substantial and covered a much greater area forming a natural barrier between the Anglo-Saxons of Wessex and the Britons of Dumnonia and the Severn...
was added to make Norton Selwood. In the 16th century it was called Norton Ferrers or Ferris and Norton Stourton in 1557.
The Hundred of Norton Ferris consisted of the ancient parishes of: Bratton Seymour
Bratton Seymour
Bratton Seymour is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on a tributary of the River Brue south-east of Castle Cary and north-west of Wincanton in the South Somerset district...
, Charlton Musgrove
Charlton Musgrove
Charlton Musgrove is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north east of Wincanton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 375...
, Cucklington
Cucklington
Cucklington is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated on a hill south east of Wincanton and north west of Gillingham in the South Somerset district, near the Dorset border...
, Kilmington
Kilmington, Wiltshire
Kilmington is a village and civil parish in the extreme west of Wiltshire, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Norton Ferris. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 292.It lies on the northern edge of the ancient Selwood Forest...
, Penselwood
Penselwood
Penselwood is a village and civil parish in the English county of Somerset. It is located north east of Wincanton, south east of Bruton, west of Mere, and north west of Gillingham. The south-east of the parish borders Zeals and Stourhead in Wiltshire, and Bourton in Dorset...
, Shepton Montague
Shepton Montague
Shepton Montague is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated on the River Pitt in the South Somerset district midway between Wincanton, Bruton and Castle Cary....
, Stoke Trister
Stoke Trister
Stoke Trister is a village and civil parish south-east of Wincanton and miles north-west of Gillingham close to the Dorset border in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England...
, Wincanton
Wincanton
Wincanton is a small town in south Somerset, southwest England. The town lies on the A303 road, the main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry...
, and parts of Maiden Bradley
Maiden Bradley
Maiden Bradley with Yarnfield is a small Wiltshire civil parish near the Somerset border and the home of the Duke of Somerset. The B3092 road that joins Frome to Mere runs through the middle of the village of Maiden Bradley....
and Stourton
Stourton, Wiltshire
Stourton is a village in Wiltshire, England, at . The village is close to the county boundary with Somerset and about south of the Somerset market town of Frome.Stourton is part of the Stourhead estate, now in the ownership of the National Trust....
. It covered an area of 18730 acres (7,579.8 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...
.