Hundred of Chewton

The Hundred of Chewton is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England,[1] dating from the Anglo-Saxon era before the Norman conquest, although exact dates are unknown. Each hundred had a "fyrd" (the local defence force) and a court which maintained the frankpledge system.[2] Hundreds also formed units for the collection of taxes.[3] The role of the hundred court was described in the Dooms (laws) of King Edgar. The name of the hundred was normally that of its meeting-place.[4]

Chewton Hundred
Area
 • 187032,158 acres (13,014 ha)
Population
 • 187012,112
History
 • Createdunknown
StatusHundred
Subdivisions
 • TypeParishes

The Hundred of Chewton consisted of the ancient parishes of: Brockley, Cameley, Chewton Mendip, Chilcompton, Compton Martin, Emborough, Farrington Gurney, West Harptree, Hinton Blewett, Kingston Seymour, High Littleton, Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Ston Easton, and Ubley.[5] In 1870 it had a population of 12,112 and covered 32,158 acres (13,014 ha).[6]

The importance of the hundred courts declined from the 17th century. By the 19th century several different single-purpose subdivisions of counties, such as poor law unions, sanitary districts and highway districts, sprang up, filling the administrative role previously played by parishes and hundreds. Although the hundreds have never been formally abolished, their functions ended with the establishment of county courts in 1867[7] and the introduction of districts by the Local Government Act 1894.[8]

References
  1. "Chewton Hundred". Vision of Britain through time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  2. "Administrative Units Typology | Status definition: Hundred". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 2010-01-31.
  3. "The Shire and the Hundred". Somerset County Council. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  4. "Summary". Institute of Archaeology. Archived from the original on 25 May 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  5. "Somerset Hundreds". GENUKI. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  6. "Chewton Hundred". parish mouse. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  7. County Courts Act 1867 (30 & 31 Vict. c. 142) s.28
  8. "Mapping the Hundreds of England and Wales in GIS". University of Cambridge Department of Geography. 6 June 2008. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
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