Z157 (ZJB 1/5/1), The Hauwisia Quitclaim, 1301
This is our oldest document that relates to land ownership. It was written for a woman called Hauwisia, the daughter of Walter of Coxhoe. In the document, she gives over all rights to the mill and township of Thrislington to Peter, Lord of Thrislington. The seal has an abbreviation of Hauwisia’s name and Trillisden, an old name for Thrislington.
Both Thrislington and Coxhoe are in County Durham. Thrislington was a deserted medieval village until the 1970s, although the site no longer exists. It was destroyed by quarrying in 1974. Archaeological evidence comes from a rescue excavation of 1973; you can find out more here.
The Hauwisia Quitclaim was written in Latin on parchment, and has a wax seal.
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