Walsall Town Chest - part one

Glossary of place names

Medieval variations in spelling are written in brackets.

Abenhall (Abenhale), Gloucs. nr. Cinderford.

Aldridge (Alrewic', Altherwych, Alderich, Allerich), Walsall Borough.

Alrewas (Altherwas), Staffs.

Ardens Grafton, Warks., nr. Stratford.

Attleborough (Attelberg), Warks., nr. Nuneaton.

Gt. Barr (Barre, Magna Barr'), Walsall Borough.

Bascote (Bascott), Warks., nr. Southam.

Bentley (Benteleye), Walsal Borough.

Bescot (Bortmuscote, Berscote), Walsal Borough.

Birchills (Burchells, Byrchylles), Walsal Borough.

Birmingham (Burmyngeham).

Bloxwich (Bloxwych, Magna Bloxwyche, Blockswich, Parva Bloxwiche), Walsal Borough.

Caldmore (Caldemore), Walsal Borough.

Canwall (Canwalle), Staffs.

Darlaston (Derlaueston, Dorlaston, Derlaston), Walsal Borough.

Essington (Esengton, esyngton), Staffs.

Fisherwick (Fysherwycke), Staffs. Deserted settlement between Hampton Lucy and Sherbourne.

Fulbrook (Fulbroke, Warks.), now Oxon, nr. Burford.

Garlickhithe (Garlethuthe), London.

Goscote (Gorscote), Walsal Borough.

Halesowen (Hales), Dudley Borough.

Harden (Howreden, Hawarden), Walsal Borough.

Long Itchington (Ichyngton, Long Hitchington, Igington), Warks., nr. Southam.

Lapley (Lappoleye, Lappeleye), Staffs.

Marston (Mershton, Merston), Staffs.

Misterton, Leics., nr. Lutterworth.

Olton (Oloughton), West Midlands, nr. Solihull. Upton nr. Long Itchington, Warks.

Lt. Packington (Lytul Pakynton), Warks.

Pelsall (Pelsale), Walsall Borough.

Rushall (Russhale, Rushale, Ruschale, Russhale, Ryschall, Ruysshall), Walsall Borough.

Shelfield (Schelfull, Shelfeld), Walsall Borough.

Nether Schuckburgh (Nether Schukburgh), Warks., nr. Daventry.

Shustoke, Warks., nr. Coleshill.

Stockton (Stokton), Warks., nr. Southam.

Swithland (Swethelond), Leics., nr. Loughborough.

Walsall (Walessale, Walsale, Wallsall, Waleshal, Walssale, Walshale, Walleshale, Wallshall).

Warwick (Warrewyk).

Wednesbury (Wednesburrie), Borough of Sandwell.

Wheaton Aston (Wheton Aston, Whetonaston), Staffs.

Wilmcote (Wylmencote), Warks., nr. Stratford.

Willenhall (Wylnale), Walsall Borough.

Withybrook (Wythybrook), Warks., nr. Rugby.

Woodend (Wodende, Woodyend), Walsall Borough.

Explanation of terms

Bargain & Sale: Form of conveyance.

Burgage: Property in an ancient borough, which was held by feudal tenure, directly from the Crown or Lord of the Manor.

Burgess: A citizen of a Borough, holding full municipal rights. A leading citizen and property holder.

Court Baron: Manorial court to enforce the customs of the manor. Mainly property transactions.

Court roll: Written record of proceedings in a manorial court.

Curtilage: Yard and outbuildings of a house.

Demesne: Manorial land held by the Lord himself.

Feoffee: Specifically, persons holding lands in trust for an institution, corporation or a charity.

Feoffment: A deed recording the conveyance of freehold property. It was the custom for the vendor to hand over a piece of turf from the property to the purchaser to symbolise 'livery of seisin'.

Final Concord: A deed in settlement of a legal 'dispute', entered into by all parties to ensure secure tenure of property.

Forinsic: External to the demesne of the Lord of the Manor.

Gift: Deed concerning conveyance of property, when no 'livery of seisin' took place. See feoffment.

Grant: Deed concerning rights or privileges, rather than property.

Heriot: A money payment, made by an heir upon the death of a landowner.

Inspeximus: Confirmation of an earlier grant of land or privileges.

Letters Patent: Royal 'open' letters, usually granting lands or priviliges.

Mark: Not a coin, but a unit of accountancy, originally 10s. 8d.

Meading: Meadow.

Messuage: A house with outbuildings and a yard.

Moiety: Usually, but not always, a half portion of a property.

Pannage: A payment by tenants for the right to pasture their pigs in the Lord's woods.

Quarteroun: A fourth part.

Seisin: See feoffment.

Selions: Cultivated strip in an open field, consisting of a ridge with a furrow on each side.

Tallage: A feudal tax exacted on towns by the Crown or the Lord of the Borough.

Terrier: Survey of land, usually owned by a Manor, a Town or a Church.

Virgate: A variable measure of land, about 30 acres.

A number of documents were missing at the time of transfer to the custody of the Archivist. These documents have been included in the list with a note that they are missing.

Documents deposited by the Chief Executive and Town Clerk, Civic Centre, Darwall St. Walsall.

The First Calendar of Corporation Archives was commissioned by the Borough in 1880, when Richard Sims of the British Museum examined and listed in detail 261 individual documents, mainly deeds, from the earliest grant of William Ruffus to the burgesses of Walsall, c.1220, to items dating from the late 17th century. The Calendar was published in 1882 and is widely available.

To avoid confusion, Sims' order and numbering was retained when the documents were transferred to the Archivist.