Manor of Hougun


The Manor of Hougun is the historic name for an area which now forms part of the county of Cumbria in North West England. Only the southern band of land in the south of Cumbria was surveyed in the Domesday Book. The westernmost entries for Cumbria, covering the Duddon and Furness Peninsulas are largely recorded as part of the Manor of Hougun. The entry in Domesday Book covering Hougun refers to the time when it was held by Tostig Godwinson, Earl of Northumbria.

Location

The exact location of Hougun has been long disputed and Millom is often suggested, although High Haume near Dalton-in-Furness has also been proposed, given that it was recorded in 1336 as Howehom. It has also been suggested that the centre of the district was Furness, and that the territory included the Millom area, plus part or all of Cartmel – what would later be the Lancashire territory known as Amounderness. The notion that the manor of Hougun was an administrative district and not just the chief vill of the area has been challenged.

Etymology

The name itself is commonly thought to derive from the Old Norse haugr meaning mound or hill. Island of Hougun was also the name given to nearby Walney Island at the western end of Morecambe Bay.

Domesday Book of 1086

The Domesday entry for Hougun is therefore significant in indicating the extent of Norman control of the north-west, probably down to 1092, when William II of England took over Carlisle and northern Cumberland. North of the Hougun district, the land was part of Strathclyde/Cumbria, under Scottish overlordship. It has been suggested that the Domesday entry offers a snapshot of the "transition between the Anglo-Norse and Norman worlds in the 11th century", and suggests a largely self-governing area with a lack of the shire and wapentake structure that prevailed further south in England.
At some time before the shiring of Lancaster, Cumberland and Westmorland, parts of the Hougun area had been split off. Furness Abbey was given the Furness peninsula; and St Bees Priory was granted land from the Norman lord of Millom around 1125.
The Hougun entry is as follows :
Hougun, 4 c., TostiChiluestreuic, 3c.Sourebi, 3c.Hietun, 4c.Daltune, 2c.Warte, 2c.Neutun, 6c.Walletun, 6c.Suntun, lost, 2c.Fordbodele, 2c.Rosse, 6c.Hert, 2c.Lies, 6c.Alia Lies, 2c.Glassertun, 2c.Steintun, 2c.Clivertun, 4c.Ourgrave, 3c.Meretun, 4c.Pennigetun, 2c.Gerleuuorde, but possibly "somewhere south of Ulverston and east of Dalton", 2c.Borch, several possible locations might fit, 6c.Beretseige, 4c.Witingham, 4c.Bodele, 4c.Santacherche 1c.Hougenai, scribal error for Wagenai, 6c.
Ulvreston, 6c., TurulfDene, 1c.Bodeltun, 6c.
Aldingham, 6c., Ernulf
Cherchebi, Dwan from the King
Holecher, Orm from the King
Neutun, King's land
Bretebi, Orm from the King
Further east, in what was later to become Westmorland, several other places are mentioned but with similar brevity. Most of the places are within the low-lying areas around the Kent and Lune valleys. Most of the entries are in two groups: the first is land around Kendal belonging to the King which had belonged to a Gillemichael before the Conquest; and the second is land belonging to Roger de Poitou and held by one Ernwin the Priest under him:
King's landStercaland Mimet Cherchebi Helsingetune Steintun Bodelforde lostHoton Bortun Daltun Patun
Biedun, 6c., Ernwin the Priest from Roger de PoitouYeland, 4c.Fareltun 4c.Preston 3c.Borwick 2c.Hennecastre, 2c.Eureshaim, 2c.Lefuenes 2c.
Brebrune, King's land
Castretune, King's land
Holme, King's land
Hotun, King's land
Cherchebi, King's land
Lupetun, King's land
Manzserge, King's land
Middeltun, King's land

Related reading