Churt: A Medieval Landscape: Peasant Life in Medieval Churt

Philip Brooks mastered the intricacies of medieval Latin to translate the contents of the "Winchester Pipe Rolls", and in this book, he opens our eyes to the rich source of information found in the medieval and Tudor records. Having had first-hand experience of using traditional farming techniques, he is particularly well-informed on agricultural matters. This knowledge has given him a remarkable insight into the world of ox plough teams, hand-sown crops and a community whose very survival was dependent on the produce of the land. This work is essential reading for local historians and anyone with an interest in how our ancestors really lived.

Table of Contents:
List of Illustrations; About the Author; Preface; Churt; The Landscape; The Medieval Farming Year; Farming in Churt; The Manor of the Bishop; High Churt; Lanes, Farms and Places; Manorial Fines; Abbreviations & Glossary; Appendix; Index

About the Author :
Philip Brooks was born in Leicester in 1910 and first developed an interest in agriculture when his father, a well-known scientist, bought Holywell Farm, not far from the city. As a result, Philip went to agricultural college, but could not find permanent work because, at the time, farming was severely affected by the Great Depression of the 1930s. Consequently, he first worked in South Africa and later in Argentina where he was involved in clearing forest and managing orange plantations. He returned to Britain towards the middle of the Second World War and joined the RAF, remaining in the forces until virtually the end of the war. After a brief return to Argentina, he came back to Britain and after working in several other places, came to Churt in 1950, taking a job as farm manager for Col. Rose at Old Kiln Farm. His interest in documentary history started as a result of examining deeds while purchasing parcels of land in Churt to expand Col. Rose's landholding. This led him to become involved on several archaeological excavations and on his retirement in 1974, having moved next door to the bungalow, he devoted himself to the study of the history of Churt. In this, as in nearly everything else, he was helped greatly by his wife Mary, whom he had originally met at college and who sadly died in 1999. Initially, this interest led him to help with the work of the Domestic Buildings Research Group (Surrey) in recording the remarkable numbers of surviving Tudor buildings in the surrounding area. However, increasingly his attention was drawn to the documents preserved in the Hampshire Record Office in Winchester and in particular to the Winchester Pipe Rolls - the great medieval account rolls of the bishops of Winchester. Philip mastered the intricacies of medieval Latin and over a number of years produced a series of articles on life in the medieval Hundred of Farnham. He became well known to a wide audience for the scope of his research and he opened the eyes of many people to the rich source of information to be found in the medieval and Tudor records. He is particularly authoritative on agricultural matters, as almost uniquely he has first-hand experience of clearing forest and of the use of traditional farming techniques. This knowledge has given Philip a remarkable insight into the world described by the medieval bishopric accounts - a world of ox plough teams, hand sown crops and a community whose very survival was entirely dependent on the produce of the land. Philip Brooks died in June 2000.