What is a Terrier?
Terrier, or Glebe Terrier, is a term unique to the Church of England and refers to a document that lists the property available to the vicar to support himself and his church. (Terrier is derived from 'terra' the Latin for land).
Originally, every church was entitled to a house and glebe. The glebe could be cultivated by the incumbent himself or by tenants. The terrier often includes the names of the tenants and may be defined by naming the holders of adjoining lands. This can give a very useful picture of the fields in the parish, especially where the land was part of a strip system.
Where the parish had little or no glebe land tithes formed the major source of income for the incumbent. Some terriers include a description of how income from tithes and fees is calculated and collected.
The holdings of each parish church was first required was in 1571, when the bishops were required to hold a copy of terriers in their archives. The actual survey was left largely to the discretion of the vicar and the contents therefore vary widely.
Note that in the Terriers recorded here:
Currency is pre-decimal sterling : for those of us not old enough to remember 12d (pence) = 1s (shilling); (1shilling =5p) 20s = £1 (pound)
Measurement of land: 40p (poles) = 1r (rood); 4r = 1 a (acre)
Measurement definitions
Rood = ¼ acre = 1,210 sq yards = 40 sq poles
Pole or Perch = 25 links = 5½ yards [about 5 metres]
This Terrier is dated 26th April 1955
A True Terrier
Of all the Glebe and other Lands, Houses Tenements, Tithes Rent-charges in lieu of Tithes, Goods Utensils, Ornaments, and all other Rights belonging to the Rectory and Parish Church of Houghton on the Hill in the County of Norfolk and Diocese of Norwich, or given or appropriated to other pious uses in the Parish, taken, made, and renewed according to the old Evidences and the knowledge of the ancient Inhabitants; at a Parochial Church Meeting holden the fourteenth day of April in the year of our Lord 1955, pursuant to due and legal notice given for the purpose; and exhibited in the Visitation of the Right Rev. Father in God, Percy Mark Lord Bishop of Norwich, holden at King's Lynn on the twenty sixth day of April 1955.
GLEBE containing one acre. There is no Glebe House, outbuildings or garden. The Glebe consists of FIRSTLY. One piece of enclosed land containing one acre, situate in Houghton, abutting on the South Pickenham Estate East West and North, and on the Houghton Lane South.
SECONDLY. One piece of land containg 25 perches, abutting on the South Pickenham Estate on South and East, on the churchyard West and on the Houghton Lane North.
The CHURCHYARD contains two roods 31 perches. The total quantity of the Glebe land including the Churchyard is 1 acre, 3 roods and 16 perches.
Belonging to the church are :- One Oak communion table, One Oak prayer desk, one lectern, - In South Pickenham Church . One bell, One font, one silver chalice inscribed “ for ye Towne of Holton” one silver paten inscribed “ For the church of Hought on the Hill AD 1862”
The Tithes were commuted for the sume of £188.9s.4d and are now replace by interest on Redemption Stock received form Queen Ann's Bounty.
It is signed by:
Leslie G Stevens - Rector
and
Walton R Bly - Church warden.
A Much earlier Terrier.
Please note any spelling inconsistency is not my doing this is copied exactly from transpcript .
THE HUNDRED OF SOUTH GREENHOOE.
This inventorie made in the fyste Daie of September in the Sixte yere int the reigne of our most Grande Soverayne Lorde Edward the syte year of Inglond and also of Irelond in the hewe between William Fermour, John Robert , Heydon Knighte, Osbert Mundford, Robert Barney and John Callybutt Esquyres Comyssiones amonge other assigned by vertu of the kynge.
Comyssiones to them directed for the eye of all churche godes in Norfolk of the old partie and Wiliam Harper parson there. Lovegold Robert Dale John Abra inhabytantes, Richard Fayerman and John Bain church wardens of the same twon of the othe partie witnesseth that ther remayneth in the costodie of the seid person thses parcettes flolwyng.
In primus one chales parcel in weyghte 12 ounces
Every ounce 3s. 8p...............................................................£10.4s
Item one vestment with a ceacon and sub deacon of Grene
sylke valued at............................................................................11s
A vestment of whyght sattene valued at.....................................
A brydges with a cape to the same belonging..................... 5s.8p
A vestment of whyght fustyne valued at …........................
Item a vestment of black......................................................20p
Sattene with an aube valued at …............................................2s
Item one cape of crysmen velvet valued at..............................20s
Iitem one whyghte cape of threde valued at …..........................12s
Iitem 2 aulter clothes and 3 towelles valued at …......................22p
Iitem thre belles in the steple ther weyeng.................................27 pounds
Whereof the first belle in weight by estymacion........................1 pound
The second belle in weight …......................................................15 pounds
The thyrde belle in weight.............................................................11 pounds
Every hundred assessed at …........................................................15s
The thre clappers valued at …........................................................5s
Item cpae of grene silke valued at ….............................................2s8d
Item a crosse with a staffe parcel gylte valued ….........................16p
Item 2 lytle candelstykes valued at …........................................ ….5s
to be used and ? In admynstracion of the Devyne there the seid chales with that patyne the foreseid belle weying..................................................................................1 pound
whereof the forseid commissiones and other the seid persons have to thes inventories putt ther names the date and yere above wretyn by me
William Harper
Robert Ashe
John Abbott.