The Black Death in Essex

At our April meeting Frances Sparrow gave an interesting talk on the Black Death concentrating on its spread across Europe to Britain in the autumn of 1348 arriving in Essex the following spring.
This is a heavily edited version of an article which appeared in The Essex Review1 in 1943 written by the Rev. John L. Fisher, M.A. drawn from the Court Rolls of Fingrith manor in Blackmore which in 1348 was estimated to comprise around 60 to 65 tenants. (The other manor in Blackmore was held by the Prior and Canons.)
Fingrith Manor's principal court was held on Whit-Monday, with another after St. Laurence's day fair (11 August) and usually two or three others in autumn, winter, or early spring.
The epidemic had reached Blackmore when the Court was held on 23 March 1349 . Twelve recent deaths have occurred amongst the tenants, including both Maude and Albreda atte Tye.
During the next two months the pestilence raged through the village. In 1349 Whit-Monday fell on 1 June; at the court held on that day fifteen deaths are reported since the last court. There were a number of vacant holdings which indicate that around 55 tenants had recently died. Fisher reproduced the record of this court in full in his article.
Some short extracts are given here.
FYNGRYTH.-COURT and VIEW held there on Whit-Monday in the 23rd year of the reign of King Edward III (1349).
John atte Well, who held of the lord a cottage and 18a. of customary land, has died since the last court. After whose death there fell to the lord as heriot nothing, because he had no animals. After whose death came his son John, who is his nearest heir and of full age, and claimed the tenements on his father's death, and is admitted to hold to himself and his issue for the customary services, and he gives as earnest-money 12d., and does fealty.
Maud Aluryth, who held of the lord 1½a. of free land, has died since the last court, after whose death there fell no heriot to the lord as she had no animals. Service 3d. a year. To that court came William, brother of the same Maud and claimed the said land as the nearest heir after the death of the said Maud his sister. He is admitted, and gives to the lord for a fine 3d. and does fealty.
John Hardyng, who held of the lord a messuage and 3 a. of customary land, has died since the last court, After whose death there fell no heriot to the lord. John, son and heir of the said John, came and claimed the said tenement as his nearest heir, and is admitted, and gives to the lord as earnest-money, 9d., and does fealty.
John Serie, who held of the lord a messuage and 40 a. of customary land, has died since the last court, after whose death there fell to the lord as heriot an ox. Agnes, who was his wife, came and claimed to hold the same tenement for the term of her life … .
Agnes Page, who held of the lord a cottage with curtilage … has died since the last court, after whose death came Juliana, who was the daughter of the same Agnes, and claimed the said tenement as her heir and was admitted to hold to herself and her issue of the lord by the services, etc., and she gives for a line 6d and does fealty.
John Adam, who held of the lord a messuage and 9 a. of free land by the service of 6s. 2d a year, has died since the last court. Heriot a full-grown calf. After his death came Richard, son and nearest heir of the said Adam, and claimed the said tenement in heredity, to whom it is granted to hold to him and his heirs by the customary services, and he gives as a relief 6s. 2d. and does fealty.
John Gerold, who held of the lord a messuage and 11a. of free land by the service of 7s. 1d. a year (has died since the last court). No heriot as he had no animals. After his death came Nicholas his brother and claimed the said tenement; seisin is delivered to him to hold to himself and his heirs of the lord for the services, etc., and he gives to the lord for a relief 7s. 1d. and does fealty.
Agnes Page, who held of the lord a messuage and 17a. of customary land, has died since the last court, after whose death there fell as a heriot one horse. Maude, Joan, and Juliana, her daughters, present in court, claimed the tenement and were admitted as the nearest heirs of the said Agnes, to hold for themselves and their issue, by the customary services, and they give to the lord as earnest-money half a mark, and they do fealty.
John Wyot, who held of the lord a cottage and a rood of customary land, has died, and after his death Nicholas, brother of the said John, seeks to be admitted to the said tenement as his inheritance, and it is found that the said Nicholas is the nearest heir, and it is granted that he enter on the same tenement, and he gives for a fine as earnest-money 3d. and does fealty.
It is found by enquiry that the prior of Blackmore holds of the lord a heriotable tenement, and that the lord of the same priory shall have the best animal but one by name of heriot, and it is found that John de Bumpstede, formerly prior of the same place, has died since the last court and that Geoffrey Wytoutethegate was elected prior after him and that he has died : it is ordered that the two best animals be seised, etc., and retained, etc.
Margaret Ryngold, who held of the lord 5a. of land with appurtenances, has died since the last court … .
Richard atte Ferne, who held of the lord a tenement and 16a. of land, has died since the last court … .
John atte Ferne, who held of the lord a messuage and 3a. of customary land, has died since the last court …. .
John Adam, junior, who held of the lord a (messuage and) 4a. of free land and 3a. of customary land has died since the last court, after whose death came Richard Adam and claimed the said tenement as his hereditary right after the death of the said John. It is found by enquiry that the aforesaid Richard is the next heir to the said tenement, therefore it is granted him to enter and to hold the said tenement by the customary services, etc. save the rights, etc., and he gives for a fine of entry, 8d. and does fealty.
Ordered that there be seised into the lord's hand a tenement and 24 a. of customary land and one ox as heriot, after the death of John Laufare, and an account rendered of the profits.
Also one cottage with adjoining curtilage, after the death of Ralph Smerman, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 26 a. of land, and one horse as heriot, after the death of Richard Andrew and an account rendered.
Also a cottage with curtilage, after the death of William Hereward, and an account rendered.
Also a tenement and 5a. of land and one cow as heriot after the death of Sarra atte Roche, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 26 a. of land and 20 a. of Rochelond and one ox-as heriot, after the death of John Symond, and an account rendered.
Also a cottage after the death of John Alstoun, and an account rendered.
Also a cottage and half an acre of land after the death of William le Hierd and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 8 a. of customary land which John le Fuller held by the service of 5s. 6d. and one tainter-ground which the same John held to himself and his heirs of the lord by the service of 13d. a year, after the death of the said John, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 3 a. of free land after the death of John Frevill, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 60 a, of land and a horse as heriot, after the death of John le Raan, and an account rendered.
Also a cottage and a heifer as heriot, after the death of Juliana Laverke, and an account rendered.
Also a cottage after the death of Christine Semannes, and an account rendered.
Also a cottage and an acre of customary land after the death of John Ragoun, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 8 a, of customary land after the death of Miles de Stapleford and an account rendered.
Also a cottage after the death of Adam Squyer, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 7 a. of customary land and 3 a. of free land, and a horse as heriot, after the death of William Badecok, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 12 a. of land and one ewe as heriot, after the death of John Josep, and an account rendered.
Also a cottage after the death of Joan Perkynnes, and an account rendered.
Also a cottage after the death of John le Thrawere, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 2 a. of land after the death of Agnes Kynotes, and an account rendered.
Also a cottage after the death of Joan Cokes, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and to 10a. of land and one stot as heriot after the death of Roger atte Feld and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 4 a. of land after the death of Roger Laufare, and an account rendered.
Also a cottage after the death of John Ferthyng, and an account rendered.
Also a cottage after the death of Robert atte Tye, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 4 a. of land after the death of Helewise la Stires, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 5 a. of land after the death of John Spicebotere, and an account rendered.
Also a tenement by the service of 1d. a year after the death of Thomas Smereman, and an account rendered.
Also to retain all the lands and tenements which Agnes, daughter of Walter Fraunceys, held, and an account rendered.
Also a piece of land by the service of 1d. a year after the death of Richard Duntele, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 6 a. of customary land and 4 a. of free land after the death of John atte Verne, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 4 a. of free land after the death of Margaret le Heyward.
Also a messuage and one acre of customary land after the death of Emma, who was the wife of John le Raan, and an account rendered.
Also a messuage and 12 a. of free land and 6 a. of bond land after the death of Richard le Maillour and an account rendered.
When the Court met on 30 June it was recorded that a further six or seven tenants had died. By the fair-time court in August there had been the death of a further tenant, bringing the total deaths of tenants in the first six months of 1349 to around 70, excluding wives and children who were not holders of property. In all nine tenements remained in the lord's hand because there was no issue, i.e., the late tenant had left no survivor.
The mortality in Essex and East Anglia was very high and there is good evidence for estimating that half the population perished. The courts held in the autumn of 1349 and the years immediately following are largely concerned with the collection of heriots and arrears of rent and with injunctions to the executors of the deceased. Curiously enough it is not till 1355 that there is any direct mention of the plague.