A Survey of the Manor of Warwick

This volume contains a survey of the lands belonging to the Earl of Warwick in Warwick in 1575; it is detailed in its description, by street, of the property held by individuals and the occupiers of those properties, with the rents these properties attracted. It is a fascinating look at the landscape of Tudor Warwick.

The Earl of Warwick at the time this survey was carried out was Ambrose Dudley, (c.1530–1590). During this period the Earl and his family, when not at court or in London, mainly lived in a house called North Hall, in Northaw, Hertfordshire. Perhaps this is why he commissioned such a detailed account of his Manor in Warwick so he could know his holdings while living in absentia from them.

Transcription

St Nicholas Streete

William Lapworth also holds of the Lord in ffree soccage foure cottages and foure gardens lying togeather with the appurtenances in the tenure of Aston[s] Widdow by ffealty and free rent paying yeerely xiiid and other services as aforesaid

Jno Bewfoo Esq also holds of the said Lord in free soccage one cottage with the appurtenances now in the tenure of Johne Sadler[s] widow by ffealty and free rent paying y’ly vid and other services as abovesaid.

John Yardley also holds of the said Lord in ffree soccage one burgage tenement, garden and Barne adjoining and foure acres of arable land in        fields with the appurtenances now in the tenure of Raph Marton by ffealty and free rent paying yeerely xiiiid and other services aforesaid

Capitall rents belonging to said late College of Warwick and now payable to the Lord aforesaid.

William Hudson Gent also holds of the said Lord in ffree soccage one little Burgage or tenement and garden adionyning with the appurtenances in the tenure of James Marden by ffealty and free rent paying yeerely xiid and other services as aforesaid.

Thomas Oaken decceased also holds of the said Lord in free soccage one burgage or tenement with the appurtenances late in the tenure of Thomas Shottiswell by ffealty and free rent paying y’ly iid and other services abovesaid.

The said late Guild of Warwick also late holds of the said Lord in ffree soccage one little house or tenement with the appurtenances now in the tenure of Henry Cooke By ffealty and fre rent paying y’ly vid and other services as abovesaid.

Thomas Alleyne also houlds of the said Lord in ffree soccage one burgage or tenement now in his owne tenure by fealty and free rent paying yeerely xd and other services as abovesaid.

Reference

Simon Adams, ‘Dudley, Ambrose, Earl of Warwick (c.1530–1590)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [accessed 3 April 2013]

This article was Document of the Month for the Warwickshire County Record Office in April 2013. Further articles can be found on their website.