Put simply, a manor is an area of landed property, with tenants,
held by a single landlord who exercises jurisdiction through
various types of manorial courts. During the Middle Ages the manor
was the main local government and economic unit in a locality (and
often the only source of written records), but from the 16th
century the authority and nature of manors changed greatly. Manors
still exist today but their major responsibilities and powers have
all disappeared. Their role in land ownership, for example, was
abolished by the Law of Property Act 1922, when copyhold property
was turned into freehold property.
The quickest way to discover the history of a specific manor is
to look it up in the relevant volume of the Victoria County
History. Descriptions of how manors operated can be found in Sidney
and Beatrice Webb's The Manor and Borough vol. 1 (London, 1908).
Philip Riden's Record Sources for Local History (Batsford 1987)
places manors in the wider context of English local administration.
Descriptions of the sorts of records left by manors are given in
Denis Stuart's Manorial Records (Philimore 1992) and P D Harvey
Manorial Records (British Records Association, 1985).
Huntingdon Record Office holds court rolls or books for about 40
Huntingdonshire manors, and other sorts of documents for many
more.
In relation to the Peterborough area Huntingdon Record Office
holds:
Manor of Farcet
- Court books 1696-1924; court minutes 1834-1908; supplemental
court roll 1925-1934; views of frankpledge 1558-1636; quit rental
1834-1907; copyhold rentals 1822-1835; deed 1905-1906.
Manor of Fletton
- Court books 1677-1916; court minutes 1740-1757, 1878-1916; quit
rent book 1848-1876; miscellaneous papers 1758-1786; admission and
surrenders 1753-1896; enfranchisements 1890-1916.
Manor of Stanground
- Court books 1696-1884; court minutes 1834-1866; quit rentals
1834-1866; various deeds 1646-1871.
Northamptonshire Record Office holds:
Manor of Alwalton
- From 1730 to 1861 the rolls are included in the Dean &
Chapter of Peterborough's Peterborough Court Roll Books.
- Court roll books 1863-1937.
Manor of Boroughbury
- From 1795 to 1862 these court roll books called 'Bishop's Court
Roll' include also the rolls of Paston (Gunthorpe and Thwaites),
Walton and Werrington.
- Court roll books 1795-1948.
- Minute book 1801-1953.
- Index of copyholders 1731-c.1893.
- Index of mortgages (of all 4 manors) to 1935.
Manor of Eye
- Court roll books 1782-1933.
- Minute book 1813-1952.
- Index of mortgages 1867-1934.
Manor of Glinton with Peakirk
- From 1730 to 1864 the rolls are included in the Dean &
Chapter of Peterborough's Peterborough Court Roll Books.
- Court roll books 1865-1946.
- Minute book 1911-1951.
Manor of Longthorpe
- From 1730-1863 the rolls are included in the Dean & Chapter
of Peterborough's Peterborough Court Roll Books.
- Court roll books 1863-1933.
Manor of Maxey with Northborough
- From 1730-1862 the rolls are included in the Dean & Chapter
of Peterborough's Peterborough Court Roll Books.
- Court roll books 1864-1935.
Manor of Paston, Gunthorpe and Thwaites
- From 1795-1862 the rolls are included in the Bishop's
Boroughbury Court roll books.
- Court roll books 1863-1940.
- Minute book 1874-1940.
Manor of Peterborough
- From 1730-1861/4 these court roll books include also the rolls
of Alwalton, Glinton with Peakirk, Longthorpe and Maxey with
Northborough.
- Court roll books 1730-1935.
- Minute books 1908-1955.
- Index of copyholders 1730-1900.
- Index of mortgages of all 5 manors in the above court roll
books and also of Collingham, Great Easton, Fiskerton and
Irthlingborough to 1935.
Manor of Walton
- From 1795 to 1862 the rolls are included in the Bishop
Boroughbury's Court roll books.
- Court roll books 1863-1938.
- Minute book 1860-1938.
Manor of Werrington
- From 1795 to 1862 the rolls are included in the Bishop's
Boroughbury Court roll books.
- Court roll books 1863-1948.
- Minute book 1860-1938.
- See also Peterborough Abbey (Peterborough Cathedral): Dean and
Chapter records.
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