A History of Cranfield

Some years ago, a series of articles appeared in a local newspaper, and Cranfield Express felt it would be of interest to readers to repeat the series during the next few months. Here is article number 2.

Poorer Classes had a Hard Life - According to the Ramsey Chartulary, work had to be performed for the Abbey by the tenant: Each holder of land called a virgator, or villein (a man who held 30 acres of land), was bound to plough for one day and work for two days each week, excepting from early to Michaelmas, when he was free from ploughing but had to work five days of the week, reaping, binding, carrying, etc., also an additional day if required. He had to plough and sow with his own seed one rood, or to plough without sowing one acre. Finally, he had to act as carrier to Ramsey, Cambridge, or any other town, or pay a fine. Later, a Freeman had to send a man to work for the Lord on certain occasions. Another class, called 'cottars' (same rank as bordard), who held small pieces of land, had to act as carriers, and had to carry on their own backs whatever was required. As the most, the tenants had three days a week to cultivate their own ground, and at harvest time they had only one day in which to harvest their crops.

Sundays and holy days brought relief from working for the Lord of the Manor. The number of holy days gradually increased as the Roman Church added more saints to the calendar. In 1324 there were six festivals during the harvest season and ten during the remainder of the year. The life of the poorer classes was very hard. They cultivated the land under the three-field system: First year, wheat, barley, or rye; second year, pulse (peas and beans); third year, fallow. Generally, the crops were very poor. As the population increased, land was reclaimed from the waste. The Ramsey Abbey Rule was eight oxen to one plough.

In 1127, a dispute arose over the boundary between Cranfield and a neighbouring village, North Crawley. It was referred by the King to the Local Hundred Court, and settled by a jury of twelve men - four each from the villages of Cranfield, North Crawley, and Stagsden. In 1144, during the war between Stephen and Matilda, the village was pillaged by Stephen. When Abbot Robert de Redinges retired in 1206, King John, with the assent of the Abbey, granted the manor to him for life. The Abbot appears to have been involved in a quarrel with the Kind, and the manor may have been given to him as a pension to compensate him for having to retire. In the reign of King John, the Abbot was granted a view of frankpledge in his manor of Cranfield. In 1251 Henry III gave the Abbot and convent a grant of free warren in all their demesne lands at Cranfield. There appears to have been some doubt as to the validity of these grants, for on 25th June, 1330, the Abbot of Ramsey was summoned to the Bedford Assizes by the King, to show by what warrant he had a view of frankpledge in his manor of Cranfield, and why he had the right of free warren in all his lands in Cranfield.

The Abbot, represented by his Attorney, William Lanet, said that the view of frankpledge was granted by King John to the Abbey of Ramsey by a charter in that the view of frankpledge was granted for all the lands of the Abbot and his monks. The Charter of King John was produced in Court. The Court agreed that the Abbot had the view of frankpledge and free warren, with the exception that the Abbot now levied fines and inflicted punishments for transgressions against the assize, of bread and ale - as much as 20 shillings (£1) , and that the offenders also were punished by the pillory and the ducking stool. Because of this it was decided that the view be taken into the King's hands. The Abbot sought to have the view restored to him, and eventually, on payment of 40 shillings (£2), the view of frankpledge was re-granted to the Abbot.