Lesnewth Hundred facts for kids
The Lesnewth Hundred was an old way of dividing land in Cornwall, England. Imagine it like a very old district or area. Hundreds were used a long time ago to help with things like collecting taxes and keeping order. Lesnewth Hundred was located in the northern part of Cornwall. To its southwest was an area called Trigg, and to its northeast was Stratton Hundred.
Many well-known places were part of Lesnewth Hundred. These included Tintagel, famous for its castle and legends, along with Camelford, Boscastle, and Altarnun. The village of Lesnewth itself, which is now a small hamlet, was once very important. A very long time ago, even before the Normans came to England (around 1066 AD), Lesnewth was home to a powerful local leader, sometimes called a Celtic chieftain. People believed this chieftain ruled the entire Trigg area.
How Hundreds Began
The idea of dividing land into "hundreds" is very old. Many historians think this system started during the time of King Athelstan. He was a powerful king who ruled England in the 900s. These divisions helped his government manage the country better.
The Domesday Book
Later, in 1085, King William the Conqueror ordered a huge survey of England. This survey was written down in a famous record book called the Domesday Book. It listed all the land, who owned it, and what it was worth. For Cornwall, the Domesday Book often grouped manors (large estates) together based on the hundreds they belonged to. Even though the book didn't always use the hundred names, the way it was organized showed these old divisions.
In an even earlier record from 1083, called the Geld Inquest, only seven main hundreds were mentioned in Cornwall. These were named after their most important manors. For example, the area called Stratton in that record actually included what later became Stratton, Lesnewth, and Trigg. This shows how these land divisions changed and developed over time.
Places in Lesnewth Hundred
Many different parishes (small local areas, often with a church) were part of Lesnewth Hundred. These included:
