Welsh Journals

the growth of population within village communities led to the expansion of township open fields between the twelfth and early fourteenth centuries, and in some cases to the creation of new nucleated settlements nearby with their own field systems. For example, the old village of Carew Cheriton was left by a number of settlers who established a "Newton" a mile or so away: as late as the end of the sixteenth century, the tenements of Carew Newton had a higher proportion of rough land than those of the old parochial centred Here, as was normally the case, the primary settlement occupied the best site. Similarly in the lordship of Manorbier, a "Newton" was founded some two miles or so from the parent village on an inferior site, with Jameston representing a second offshoot. In the foothills of Presely, a new settlement was established at New Moat on the demesne lands of the bishop of St. David's, though without marked success, for despite the liberality of tenure offered to newcomers, its eighty-nine burgages were occupied only by forty-six tenants in 1326.4 There were three population centres in the Englishry of Narberth lordship in 1282, but by 1356 the additional vills of Canaston and Newhouse had come into existence, the former containing twelve burgages and three half-burgages, and the latter fourteen: in each case the familiar shilling rent was charged for each burgage.5 Apart from the founding of new settlements within the lordship, the old centres continued to expand, as may be seen from the general increase in rents of assize. The establishment and growth of villages and hamlets meant, in many and perhaps in most cases, the laying out and extension of township open fields. In the case of Cemais, the former existence of open fields is proved conclusively by documents in the Bronwydd collection, now housed in the National Library of Wales. Apart from direct references to the campi of Bayvil, Bridell, Monington, Nevern, Newport and St. Dogmaels,6 there are many allusions to individual freemen holding dispersed parcels of land within trefi,7 and the mere fact that the Owen family of Henllys enclosed much arable land in the sixteenth century presupposes the earlier existence of open fields.s Although the enclosure of the open fields of Cemais was proceeding rapidly in George Owen's day, they were still a familiar part of his landscape, and in his writings he throws considerable light on their prevalence. Among the customs he describes was one "called Rudwall custome, which was that no action of trespasse laye for pasture in open fieldes out of enclosures, which custom I my selfe remember to be much spoken of (though mightilie crack't) in my yong yeares. This custome seemed somewhat reasonable among the gavelkinde men, for that at every descent the landes were shared, and so the whole land of the contrey grewe into small peeces, so that of necessitie the owners must grase in common. And therefore some reason there was at