General Notes

From "Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society", Vol I, Colchester, pp 251-273, The History of the Barrington Family
@www.southfrm.demon.co.uk/Genealogy/Barr.html:

Nicholas Barrinton was living in 1343, and died soon after. His eldest son John de Barenton succeeded him, on whom settlement had been made by his father in 1330 of his estates and his office of woodward. This was done on John's marriage to Margaret daughter and heir of Sir John Blomville. The seal is remaining to this settlement, it is of red wax an Eagle displayed surmounted by a shield with the Barrington arms three chevronells and a label of three points round it is inscribed

"Sig. Nicholai fil'i dni Nicholai de Barenton."

On the back of this deed are the following remarks in Mr Micklefield's writing,


Yre is no Consciens in kepying of Ye deeds with Mikyfeld enidence for it shal nevr case ye Baryntons no hurte the for ye hath be so long possession of Baryngton Hall in Hatfield, in the name of Barynton, ye is to say syth ye first Heneys days yt was sone to Willm Conquer and before but it myght hurte my son Rob Mekylfeld or hys heyr yt the heyr of my fadr Lawe Baryngton had it, & wolde be dispoyd to selle it, thanne yf he yt solde it dies wtout heyrs, my sone' or his heyr to ye Baryntons myght be delaid of their four done by yt dede.


Immediately on this settlement being made by his father, John claimed the woodwardship for himself as appears by the following statement,


John fitz Nicholas de Barenton of Hatfield Regis claimed (to be an appurtenant to his free tenement in Hatfield aforesaid, which he had of the gyft and feoffment of the said Nicholas his father, that is to say to the maner and ancient lands to the said Manor belonging, the which the ancestors of the said Nicholas had of gift and confirmation of the King) the Bailiwicks of the forestership and woodwardship. By virtue of which Bailiwick he was to have all the woods fallen by wind in the forest what kind of tree soever it were, and also the escheats of all sorts of trees that shall be fallen in the said forest, and if the Lord will fell in the forest any ancient trees called Stockhok he is to leave the stocks from the ground the height of a mans knee, and the said John was to dig up and have the same with the roots, and carry them away and also sufficiently to clear the said lands of the underwoods lying within the forest to wit, from Florentes Heene to Bush Endgates, and also that he should take in the said forest, at what time he should send in the yeare, so much underwood, as with the underwood and es-cheats aforesaid should be sufficient fewel for his expenses in his tenement in the town aforesaid, and also to gather nuts in the forest at reasonable times, the Lord one day with his tenants, and he another day with his tenants, and also that he have a stock of hay in the Lords meadow called the marsh, the Lord to choose the first best, and he to have the second best after and also to common in the said forest with all manner of beasts, as his father and his ancestors had at all times used, which profits the feoffee of the said John and his ancestors had enjoyed time out of mind.


John de Barenton was also keeper and woodward of the Earl of Oxford's park and warren of Great Canfield, as appears by letter patent from John de Vere, seventh Earl of Oxford, dated Hedingham 6th of March, 25th year of King Edward the Third, by which he gave and granted


To his faithful friend and servant John de Barenton the keeperage of his park and Warren of all his outwoods in Kanfeld. To have and to hold the same bailiwick, soe long as it shod please the said Earl, and to take of him for every ten weeks one quarter of wheat, one cart load of hay. and three quarters of oats, and five shillings in silver yearly for his fee to issue out of said Manor, and one Robe, of the same that the Esquires of his Household did wear, and as made his common livery to himself. And he also granted that the said John shold have in his Park of Kanfeld pasture for four Cows, one Bullock, one Colt, and four Hogs ringed, to feed and eat the pannage all the year within the said Park. And also that he have all the wood fallen by the wind within the park, except great timber, and that he have all the fern growing within the said Park, and outwoods without disturbance of the said Earl, or any under him. And also that he have the escheats of trees within the said Park and Warren aforesaid. And willed that the said John shold answer for all manner of trespasses done in all the woods within his Bailiwick, and present all trespassers at every Court his Lordships Steward or his Deputy shold hold at his manor of Kanfeld aforesaid.


John de Barenton was knighted by King Edward the Third, in his father's life time, and had a resettlement of his estates made in the year 1345 by a deed from John Knyvet, rector of Dunmow, and William Amys, chaplain of Hatfield, by which they gave and granted to John de Barenton, son of Nicholas de Barenton, and to Margaret his wife, all lands tenements &c with the woodwardship of the forest.
Sir John was living in 1368 as he appears as a witness to a deed April 20 the 41st year of King Edward the Third, but he must have died soon after, as in a deed dated 11th of Jan. in the 42nd year of Edward the Third, Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Essex, Hereford and Northampton, Constable of England, at the request of his dear and well beloved John Knyvet, discharged Dame Margaret Barenton, wife of the late Sir John Barenton, for her life, from all services and customs due from the tenements she held in Hatfield, excepting quit rents, with an acknowledgement of services due, and the care of the fence round his park.