So that, by a convenient chance, we are able to bring together upon the evidence of the Domesday [p184] Survey the land systems of a district which for five hundred years before the Norman Conquest had been the extreme south-east edge of Wales, and of a district which for the same five hundred years had been the extreme south-west corner of Saxon England, beyond the Severn.
We have seen what was the Saxon land system on one side of the Wye, which divided the two districts; let us now see what was the Welsh land system on the other side of the river, so far as it is disclosed in the Survey.
Gwent.
Part of the Welsh district of Gwent is thus described in the Domesday annexe to Gloucestershire:—
'Under Waswic, the præpositus, are xiii. villæ; under [another præpositus] xiiii. villæ, under [another præpositus] xiii., under [another præpositus] xiiii. (i.e. 54 in all). These render xlvii. sextars of honey, and xl. pigs, and xli. cows, and xxviii. shillings for hawks.[208] . . .
'Under the same præpositi are four villæ wasted by King Caraduech.' [209]
Again, a little further on, this entry occurs:—
'The same A. has in Wales vii. villæ which were in the demesne of Count William and Roger his son (i.e. Fitz-Osbern, Earl of Hereford and Lord of Gwent). These render vi. sextars of honey, vi. pigs, and x. shillings.' [210]
Passing to the Domesday description of the district of Archenfield, we find a similar record.
Archenfield.