Merton College, Oxford, was established in 1262 and its estates were mainly scattered across the southern Midlands. Two of the three manors in this case study were conventional demesne manors, but they were situated a considerable distance from one another. Cuxham (Oxfordshire) lies six miles north east of Wallingford, and twelve miles from Merton College itself, and the manor was small but dominated by its demesne and unfree holdings: there were few free tenures. Kibworth Harcourt (Leicestershire) was a large manor, but it was detached from the main estate and situated 12 miles south east of Leicester. Merton acquired both manors soon after its foundation. The third manor, Holywell, had been acquired in 1266, and was a much smaller manor, located just outside Oxford. Cuxham and Holywell were chosen for study because of their excellent surviving archives, their relative geographical proximity, and their contrasting manorial structure. Kibworth is added to the case study because much is already known about it from Cecily Howell's detailed research, and because its detachment from the main estate enhances the scope for comparison with two manors close to Merton itself.

Cuxham

Customary land tenures

Before 1348–9 villein tenure dominated peasant landholding in Cuxham. A custumal of 1298 listed 21 villein tenants (13 half virgates, each of 12 acres, and eight cottars) and five free tenants.