Hundred of North Petherton
| North Petherton | |
|---|---|
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| Area | |
| 23,150 acres (9,370 ha) excluding Bridgwater | |
| History | |
| • Created | unknown; before 1066 |
| Status | Hundred |
| • HQ | North Petherton |
| Subdivisions | |
| • Type | Town, parishes |
| • Units | Bridgwater, Bawdrip, Chedzoy, Chilton Trinity, Durston, St Michael Church, Pawlett, North Petherton, Thurloxton, Wembdon |
The Hundred of North Petherton is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, dating from before the Norman conquest. Although the Hundreds have never been formally abolished, their functions ended with the establishment of county courts in 1867 and the introduction of districts by the Local Government Act 1894. The name of the hundred derives from the name of the large royal estate (later expanded by Henry II to become the Royal Forest of North Petherton) that covered much of the area in 1086, recorded variously as Nortpetret in the Domesday Book, Nortpedret in Liber Exoniensis and Nort Peretu in the associated tax returns. This, in turn, was derived from the area's location to the northern end of the River Parrett.
The hundred was administered from North Petherton, which had been the hundred meeting place and at the centre of the royal estate during Saxon times.
A large royal estate existed at North Petherton in 1084 and constituted a hundred; assessed at 38 hides, 3 virgates, and ½ ferling. At the time of the Norman invasion the hundred covered a large area corresponding, today, roughly to a north–south corridor along the M5 motorway from Junction 25 near Taunton, to north of Junction 23 at Stretcholt, and east–west from Athelney to Goathurst. According to the Domesday Book it included the 37 places in the table below. Although the settlement of North Petherton had what was then considered to be a very large population, it paid little tax as much of it, including the Manor of North Petherton, was held by the king. The Manor and hundred were granted at fee farm by Henry I to John of Erleigh (d. circa 1162). The North Petherton hundred, the former royal estate, was held by the family of John of Erleigh as was the manor of North Petherton until 1371 when his descendant another John of Erleigh was licensed to alienate the hundred and manor to John and Margery Cole.
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Wikipedia