Buckden - a Huntingdonshire Village

MEDIEVAL BUCKDEN: THREE GLIMPSES 212 Buckden families, but just within the bounds of possibility. John Gynwell, bishop of Lincoln 1347–62, is mentioned elsewhere as a threatened martyr. His name possibly has the same root as the various Gunilds. Occupational names Other surnames derive from occupations. The first is le Hunte, pronounced Hunter in German. One of the main pastimes of the elite was hunting, and the bishops of Lincoln had a large enclosed deer park in Buckden. The hunter might make sure there were suitable deer to hunt when the bishop and other noble visitors came. He must have been good at his job to own such valuable moveable goods (maybe he was tipped well after a good day’s hunting). There is also a John Perker, or Parker, in the lists: the parker was in charge of ensuring that the deer park was well stocked and maintained. Was John the parker who drove the king’s deer fromWeybridge and Sapley wood into the bishop’s enclosure in 1354? The second name on the lists is le Cok – the Cook, who probably managed the kitchen of the bishop’s hall. This was a respected calling: the earls of Leicester, whose seat is at Holkham in Norfolk, have the surname Coke. Le Cok of Buckden had a useful taxable income. There are two Mil(n)ewards (mill wards) in the lists. William (John) le Mileward in 1327 becomes William (John) Milneward in 1332 (Miller, Millward, Milner today). They may have been related, or perhaps one looked after the water mills and the other the windmill (if it was built by then). Both Milnewards were fairly well off, but one probably died before the second taxation day. Other occupational names are William le Colier, no doubt a charcoal burner; Henry Clerk, a lowly member of the church, perhaps a curate; another Clerk (Godfrey) paid 18 pence, showing there were opportunities to make some money even in a lowly position, or maybe he was progressing in the hierarchy and had the livings of several parishes. We cannot tell if these two were related or if perhaps one of them was employed by the bishop, as a secretary. John le Couper made barrels, probably as an independent tradesman, and since we know there was a vineyard in Buckden he may well have received at least some of his income from the bishop, though he probably also made barrels for water butts, water pails and ale casks for other villagers. John le Carter may have been a cart maker or a carter who went on a more or less regular basis to Huntingdon and St. Neots markets. Thomas le Chapman hawked his goods around from village to village. He was possibly elsewhere in 1332, since he is not in the second list. The word ‘chap’ in his name comes from an old English word that means to buy and sell; from it comes the ‘Chipping’ in place names, and Cheapside, and also ‘cheap’ as an adjective. William le Souter was a shoemaker. John le Shepherd probably worked for the bishop, and may have lived at Hardwick. ‘Hard’ denotes a herd either of sheep or cattle, and ‘wick’ a minor settlement of a few houses. There are Hardwicks within several Huntingdonshire parishes which were probably the sites of summer pasture for the flocks, which would spend their winters in the village proper. John (le) Heremite is an interesting inclusion: the name means ‘hermit’, and it is possible he was living as an anchorite on the bishop’s estate and made his wealth by alms (he was taxed at 7d and 2/-). However, some names were in the nature of nicknames, and John may just have been a recluse. One extra name appears in the second list: John le Webester, whose loom and stock of wool were his moveable goods. Usually a weaver was called Webber, as ‘webster’ is the female form (as ‘spinster’ is). It may be that John was paying tax on behalf of a woman who could not own property. John le Faukener (falconer), probably another bishop’s servant, left a widow, Alice Faukener. There were many other trades in those largely self- sufficient times: the reason the trade names do not occur in the lists is probably because the tradesmen already had surnames of other sorts. The village must have had one (or more) baker, smith, butcher, and possibly a tailor, turner, thatcher and so on. Names which indicate status Closely allied to trade names are names which show status. John Burg, John Burges (who appears to have paid four times as much tax in 1332 as in 1327) and Hugh Freman are three. A fre(e)man was one free from service duties; a burgess was a citizen of a town, who usually paid money rents for his dwelling or business premises and who usually had civic duties to perform. William Frere was a brother: possibly a monk or friar, though neither was supposed to have (taxable) possessions. He is more likely to have been the brother of the name immediately before him. Names from places These—known as toponyms—fall into two categories: names from local features and names from further afield. John atte Stille, atte Welle, Attehoo, Attegrene, in the Hirne, in the Lane are six examples of people named from local landmarks. The hirne is a bend in a stream or river. The second group includes Est (east?), West, de Peterborough, Elie (Ely) and Chatteris. Robert Edeline and Robert Edyham may be the same person, and may be related to a man in the church vicar’s list, Simon Ediburn. They could all be