Charter of Henry II [1166 X 1169] (DCD 1.2.Reg.12) OR [1155 x 1157] (DCD 3.1.Reg.9) OR [1154 x 1166] (DCD 3.1.Reg.4)

DCD 1.2.Reg.12.

Ed. N. Vincent (forthcoming); Bishop (1961) scribe xxxviii.

Charter of King Henry [II] confirming to Hugh of Morwick the vill of Preston (par. Jarrow, now lost) to be held of the prior and convent of Durham for 20s. a year, as held by Lawrence his uncle, Château-de-Loir.
No date [1166 X 1169: death of [Hilary] bishop of Chichester; ? late 1167: Henry II near-by at Argentan with Bishop Hilary and William fitz Hamo]

A typical product of Henry II’s chancery, save for the tie cut from the upper edge of the turn-up. The royal style (‘H. Rex Anglie et Dux Normannie et Aquitanie et Comes Andegavie’ [view] ) does not include the phrase “Dei gratia” introduced in 1172 or 1173, while the long string of addressees (‘Archiepiscopis. Episcopis. Abbatibus. Comitibus. Baronibus. Iusticiariis. Vicecomitibus. Ministris. et Omnibus fidelibus suis francis. et Anglis totius Anglie’ [view] ), in which ecclesiastics are well represented, does not include the “ballivis” found late in the reign. Characteristically at this period there is a long list of the potential sources of revenue of the property (‘In Bosco et plano. In pratis et pascuis. In viis et semitis In aquis et molendinis In stangnis et viuariis. et In Omnibus locis. cum Omnibus libertatibus et liberis consuetudinibus suis; sicut umquam aliquis antecessorum suorum melius et liberius tenuit. et sicut laurentius awnculus suus illam melius et quietius tenuit’ [view] ).

The seal is attached by a tag formed from a folded strip of parchment.
The charter came into the monks’ possession when they acquired Preston, which happened in two stages: two-thirds in 1392 and the remaining third in 1486. The dorse has typical Durham press-marks of the early fifteenth century.
The damage caused to the document by vermin, a relatively rare phenomenon in the Durham archive, occurred after the early fifteenth century; the cartulary copy made then has a full text.