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Example of typical Court Leet business, 8th October 1790 (D936/M11)

We present that the Ditch bounding Wm Wood’s ground adjoining on to Wallham Lane wants riding and that Wm Wood ought to rid the same. We therefore Order that he should rid the said Ditch by Christmas next under a pain of one shilling a lug for so much as shall be suffered to remain unrid after that time.

This image taken from the court leet volume shows a typical item of business handled by the court.  In this instance, it records a ditch along Walham Lane that was overgrown and therefore, probably blocked, preventing water from draining into the Severn.  The court ordered that William Wood, who occupied the land adjoining the lane was responsible for it and that he should clear the ditch (‘rid it’) by Christmas or pay a fine of 1 shilling per lug that was left uncleared.  A lug – also known as a rod or perch – was 5.5 yards (5m) in length.  At this time, a shilling was about £4 in modern money.