CHAPTER VII

The Forest and Vale in Norman Times

A.D. 1066-1154

In the early years of the reign of William I., when the northern counties rose against his rule, the Pickering district seems to have required more drastic treatment than any other.  In 1069 the Conqueror spent the winter in the north of England, and William of Malmesbury describes how “he ordered the towns and fields of the whole district to be laid waste; the fruits and grain to be destroyed by fire or by water ... thus the resources of a once flourishing province were cut off, by fire, slaughter, and devastation; the ground for more than sixty miles, totally uncultivated and unproductive, remains bare to the present day.”  This is believed to have been written about 1135, and would give us grounds for believing that the desolation continued for over sixty years.  A vivid light is thrown on the destruction wrought at Pickering by the record in the Domesday Book, which is as follows:—­

“In Picheringa there are to be taxed thirty-seven carucates of land, which twenty ploughs may till.  Morcar held this for one manor, with its berewicks Bartune (Barton), Neuuctune (Newton), Blandebi (Blandsby) and Estorp (Easthorp).  It is now the king’s.  There is therein one plough and twenty villanes with six ploughs; meadow half a mile long and as much broad:  but all the wood which belongs to the manor is sixteen miles long and four broad.  This manor in the time of King Edward was valued at fourscore and eight pounds; now at twenty shillings and four-pence."[1]

[Footnote 1:  “Dom Boc,” the Yorkshire Domesday.  The Rev. Wm. Bawdwen, 1809, p. 11]

This remarkable depreciation from L88 to L1 and 4d. need not be, as Bawdwen thought, a mistake in the original, but an ample proof of the vengeance of the Conqueror.  All the lands belonging to the powerful Saxon Earls Edwin and Morcar seem to have suffered much the same fate.

The Domesday account also mentions that “To this manor belongs the soke of these lands, viz.:  Brunton (Brompton), Odulfesmare ( ), Edbriztune (Ebberston), Alnestune (Allerston), Wiltune (Wilton), Farmanesbi (Farmanby), Rozebi (Roxby), Chinetorp (Kinthorp), Chilnesmares ( ), Aschilesmares ( ), Maxudesmares ( ), Snechintune (Snainton), Chigogemers ( ), Elreburne (Ellerburne), Torentune (Thornton), Leuccen (Levisham), Middeletun (Middleton) and Bartune (Barton).  In the whole there are fifty carucates to be taxed, which twenty-seven ploughs may till.  There are now only ten villanes, having two ploughs:  the rest is waste; yet there are twenty acres of meadow.  The whole length is sixteen miles and the breadth four.”

The unrecognisable names all end in mare, mares or mers, suggesting that they were all on the marshes and Bawdwen is probably incorrect in calling Locte-mares—­Low-moors.  Associated with each place the Domesday record gives the names of the former landowners.