General Notes

Richard de Strode was born in West Hewstock or Beaminster in Dorsetshire about 1390, married Margaret Jerard of Pernham about 1419 and settled there near Parnham Castle. Their two sons were born there within the next three years. The family probably farmed and likely lived in a longhouse, so named because it was substantially longer than its one-room-deep width. They shared the structure with their livestock. Humans and animals entered via a common door and passage,the animals went to one end and the people lodged in the other. Each had one large room, although the animal section might have stalls; a partition separated the two areas. Sometimes the house was built taller to allow for a sleeping loft. This shared arrangement was only satisfactory if the livestock was limited to a cow and a team of oxen or horses. Larger numbers of animals had to be kept in pens outside or perhaps sheltered in a lean-to attached to the house. Both Richard and Margaret died in Parnham, she in her twenties before 1428, he at an undetermined date. (Taken from: A Family History, by Donovan Faust)