The local history of Worlingworth, Suffolk, to c.1400 A.D
From c1035, when Worlingworth was given to the Abbey of St. Edmund, the documentary evidence is both abundant and varied in nature. A map of 1605-6 makes possible, inter alia, a reconstruction of the village plan c1355 or earlier. The court-rolls 1301-13 were 'coded' for use with a computer. Before the Conquest, Worlingworth owed food-rents to the Abbey. The ending of these payments by c1200 brought fundamental economic and topographical changes to the village, notably an expansion in the number of ~Free~ and ~Mollond~ tenancies. Both the population and the commercial life of the area generally were growing rapidly from the early 13th century onwards. That the Famines of 1315-17 brought significant change to the village is not convincing. But the Revolt at Bury St. Edmunds of 1327 and the belated introduction at Worlingworth of demesne sheep-farming from 1333-4 both appear to have altered the direction of the village's development. To examine the relationship between the archaeological and the documentary evidence, an excavation of a medieval tenement was organised and a documentary profile prepared of its tenants. Studies on subjects outside the broad narrative of the village's history were undertaken, including
Ridgard, John M.
Suffolk local history study
The local history of Worlingworth, Suffolk, to c.1400 A.D. From c1035, when Worlingworth was given to the Abbey of St. Edmund, the documentary evidence is both abundant and varied in nature. A map of 1605-6 makes possible, inter alia, a reconstruction of the village plan c1355 or earlier. The court-rolls 1301-13 were 'coded' for use with a computer. Before the Conquest, Worlingworth owed food-rents to the Abbey. The ending of these payments by c1200 brought fundamental economic and topographical changes to the village, notably an expansion in the number of ~Free~ and ~Mollond~ tenancies. Both the population and the commercial life of the area generally were growing rapidly from the early 13th century onwards. That the Famines of 1315-17 brought significant change to the village is not convincing. But the Revolt at Bury St. Edmunds of 1327 and the belated introduction at Worlingworth of demesne sheep-farming from 1333-4 both appear to have altered the direction of the village's development. To examine the relationship between the archaeological and the documentary evidence, an excavation of a medieval tenement was organised and a documentary profile prepared of its tenants. Studies on subjects outside the broad narrative of the village's history were undertaken, including
local_history suffolk give abbey documentary_evidence abundant varied nature map make_possible inter reconstruction village plan early court use_computer conquest owe food abbey end payment bring fundamental economic topographical change village notably expansion number free population commercial life area generally grow rapidly onwards brought significant_change village convincing revolt bury introduction demesne sheep farming appear alter direction village development examine_relationship archaeological_documentary evidence excavation medieval organise documentary profile prepare tenant studies subject outside broad narrative village history undertaken include