Short title: Tenants and Inhabitants of the High Peak v Earl of Shrewsbury. Plaintiffs:...

Short title: Tenants and Inhabitants of the High Peak v Earl of Shrewsbury.

Plaintiffs: Tenants and Inhabitants of High Peak.

Defendants: [George Talbot] Earl of Shrewsbury.

Documents: depositions concerning Peak Forest, Derbyshire.

Taken on 26 September, 18 Eliz.

Deponents for plaintiffs: John Wigley of Hardwick Wall, husbandman, aged 64, whose memory goes back 'always' [to 1512], deposed that the Earl of Shrewsbury had denied the tenants 'anciente customes' by allowing Stephen Bapot to make enclosures to keep in the deer [ancient customs]. The inahbitants of Wormhill and Tiderwell and other places all have common rights to pasture in the Peak Forest. Shrewsbury stopped Bapot from further enclosure following complaints from the tenants; Hugh Warrington of Okerley, Cheshire, husbandman, aged 76, whose memory of Peak Forest goes back 50 years [to 1526] and who lived nearby for 20 years; John Howe of Castleton, husbandman, aged 64, whose memory goes back 'always' [to 1512], deposed that there used to be sworn men in Peak Forest called the 'ganferells' who enforced the forest laws and that he, his father and grandfather had all held that office; Nicholas Ashton of Brownside, husbandman, aged 49, whose memory of Peak Forest goes back 'always' [to 1527]; Anthony Barber of Pygreare, husbandman, aged 50, whose memory of Peak Forest goes back 'always' [to 1526]; Robert Barker of Tideswell, husbandman, aged 60, whose memory of Peak Forest goes back 'always' [to 1516]; Thomas Bagshawe of Wormhill, yeoman, aged 80, whose memory of Peak Forest goes back 'always' [to 1496]; Edward Swindell of Tunstead, husbandman, aged 60, whose memory of Peak Forest goes back 'always' [to 1516]; Robert Teddryngton of Wormhill, husbandman, aged 55, whose memory of Peak Forest goes back 'always' [to 1521]; Benet Bagshawe of Chapel-en-le-Frith, yeoman, aged 60, whose memory of Peak Forest goes back 'always' [to 1516]; William Greatrax of Greatrax, yeoman, aged 50, whose memory of the Peak Forest goes back 30 years [to 1546]; Thomas Wilson of Hardwickwall, husbandman, aged 40, whose memory of the Peak Forest goes back 28 years [to 1548].

Deponents for defendants: William Litton of Litton, gentleman, aged 54, [explains division of common land within Peak Forest], deposed that he heard that there were 18 score [360] complainants in Tideswell against Shrewsbury but since the bill was exhibited 31 had dropped the complaint. Of the complainants 20 had no cattle, 4 were beggars, 8 score [160] were poor cottagers with few or no cattle and some of their homes were recent encroachments on the Queen's waste and the rest were also landless save for their gardens; Robert Eyre of Rochdale, esquire, aged 48; Godfrey Bradshaw of Bradshaw, gentleman, aged 45; George Yeveley of Chapel-en-le-Frith, yeoman, aged 63; Thurston Allen of Wheston, yeoman, aged 67; John Howe of Castleton, husbandman, aged 64; Henry Bagshawe of the Ridge, gentleman, aged 38; Edmund Woodrofe of Little Hucklow, gentleman, aged 40; Thomas Sanderson of Hope, husbandman, aged 55; Richard James of Castleton, husbandman, aged 36.

UBP

18 Eliz.

Topics

Common land

Crown lands and estates