Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIG 32 . The fossilised medieval field system known as the Viel. (Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical
Monuments of Wales)
Barry Stewart for Figures
Anothercharacteristicofopenfieldsisthattheyaresubjecttocommonrightsanduses.Inparticularit
was the custom to graze livestock over the fields and furlongs that were lying fallow in a given year. The
stubble fields could also be freely used after the crop had been harvested. There are no memories of com-
munal grazing on the Viel, though grazing of strips by supervised cattle was a feature several generations
ago. Fortunately a document has survived which proves beyond doubt that the fields were once managed
in this way. Interestingly it also tells us that the area was then known as the Great Field, or sometimes as
Rhossili Field. Drawn up by a group of 13 local men in the summer of 1731 at a 'Court Leet & Baron …
held at the dwelling house of John William in the village of Reynoldston', the aim of the document was
to set out new regulations for the equitable use of common grazing on the Viel. Each man was a tenant of
that part of the manor of Landimore at Rhossili, the 'homage of Rosilly' as they called it, which was then
owned by Lord Mansel. It appears that some tenants had put an excessive number of cattle and horses
on the Viel 'to the great Detriment, prejudice and losse of several of the tenants there' while others had
turned livestock loose 'when several of the Tenants have their Corn on the Ground' (i.e. they were in the
middleofharvest).Thishad'oftenbeentheoccasionofagreatdealofdisturbanceandliketoendinLaw
suites for divers Trespasses committed there'. It was therefore decided that there were to be restrictions,
a 'Stint', on the number of animals and when common grazing was permitted. It is interesting that there
is no mention of sheep in the document. Gower farmers in the eighteenth century certainly kept plenty
of sheep, but they were evidently not folded on the Viel, being kept instead on the open commons of the
cliffs.
Ifthetenanthadoneacreoffallowunploughedlandhewasallowedtograzeahorseandtwooxen,or
two mature cattle, or six young cattle. If he had an acre under crops he could graze an ox, one mature and
two young cattle, but no horse. The tenant, however, could only exercise these rights at agreed times. He
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