Kingsland
Herefordshire

Kingsland School

 

	The 14th century church of St Michael at Kingsland
In Domesday several manors are identified as Lene or a close variant - Leine.  The name is derived from a British name meaning ‘the district of the streams’ which occurs in the British name for Leominster - Llanllieni – ‘church in the district of the streams’. One of these manors had been held by King Edward the Confessor before 1066; referred to in the Herefordshire Domesday as Kingeslen(a).  Nearby, another manor had been held by Earl Morcar and would become known as Eardisland, while two manors which were merged and held by St Peter’s abbey at Castillion of Ralph de Tosny would become Monkland.     Domesday book name Held by in the time of Edward the confessor Held by in 1086 Note Herefordshire Domesday Kingsland Lene King Edward King William   Kingeslen (a) Eardisland Lene Earl Morcar King William Werlesluna Gall Chris 1067-71 Orleslen (a)   Monkland Leine Aelmer and Ulfketel (as 2 manors) Ralph Tosny   Monecheslene Lyonshall Lenehalle Earl Harold Roger de Lacy     The manors of Lene in the 11th and 12th centuries Kingsland is listed in Domesday as having 15 hides, in lordship 5 ploughs, and a further 3 possible ploughs. It was inhabited by 21 villagers and 9 smallholders with 17 ploughs, 10 ploughmen, 2 slaves and 6 freedmen. Its income came from ‘2 mills at 26s 4d and 500 eels; from woodland and pasture, 8s; from customary dues, mills, villagers and freedmen come 100s, less 5s, besides eels’. Most of the archaeology recorded in the parish of Kingsland comes from the medieval period, however, a subtle mound approximately 50 meters from the present cross roads is the possible site of a Bronze Age round barrow. A major earthwork in Kingsland is the early medieval motte and bailey, divided by a ditch, and adjacent to what is asserted to be the burial place of Merewalh. Traces of a bridge abutment and barbican to the keep have been noted, and pottery from the early 12th to late 14th centuries has been found on the site. Evidence of medieval field systems and ridge and furrow have been recorded, as well as what may represent the remains of a deserted medieval settlement. Kingsland is also the site of the battle of Mortimers Cross, in which the Yorkists defeated the Lancastrians in 1461. St Michael’s church and associated graveyard also date to the medieval period: the church was built during the late 13th or early 14th century.
	St Michael's by Walker in 1849
Archaeological records from Kingsland are held by Historic Herefordshire On Line Illustrations courtesy of Hereford City Library