Hawkesbury Common - tranquility and beasts
Hawkesbury and Inglestone Commons - these extensive commons with their typical settlement pattern of small groups of cottages and farms around the edges, are ancient landscape features which have survived unchanged for a millennium. Commons were part of the “waste” of a manor, not suitable for arable or rich meadow land. Hawkesbury Common was known as “Hawkesburye’s More”, and Inglestone Common as “Inguston Greene”, “The Green Common”, or even “The Grosse Common of Hawkesbury below the Hill”.
The traditional grazing period of beasts on the commons was regulated by manorial custom, as were their number and type. Animals do not respect parish boundaries, as this account from 1603 shows: “the wastes of these two manors (Hawkesbury and Horton) do abutt each upon the other divided only with a little brook or ford through which cattle have used time out of mind to wade or stray through into the other common”.
At fixed times of the year the Lord of the Manor could “drive” the common and “if he findeth any cattle of the tenants of Horton then he impound them and for any beasts the owner do paye a poundpenny before they have had these cattle again delivered”.
The traditional grazing period of beasts on the commons was regulated by manorial custom, as were their number and type. Animals do not respect parish boundaries, as this account from 1603 shows: “the wastes of these two manors (Hawkesbury and Horton) do abutt each upon the other divided only with a little brook or ford through which cattle have used time out of mind to wade or stray through into the other common”.
At fixed times of the year the Lord of the Manor could “drive” the common and “if he findeth any cattle of the tenants of Horton then he impound them and for any beasts the owner do paye a poundpenny before they have had these cattle again delivered”.
News from the CommonYou may have spotted machinery and mud! This might look drastic but is part of a bigger, long-term picture. Wildflowers thrive with low competition from grasses so we prepare ground to 50% bare earth ready for wildflower seeds. Seeds were harvested from the adjacent SSSI of beautiful Yarley Meadows.
Thanks for your support. Hopefully in a few years time, we will have a vista similar to this! 
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Management of Hawkesbury, Inglestone, Assley and Hareley CommonsThe commons are all managed by South Gloucestershire Council. Hawkesbury, Inglestone, Assley and Hareley Commons are owned by Badminton Estate. Hareley and Assley Commons are located in Stroud District Council and managed by South Gloucestershire Council.
Information on management of the group of commons, including the scrub management plan, can be found on this site under the Management of Commons section. |