Flock Management in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries

Abstract

HIS article draws mainly upon the data provided in the sheep accounts of some of the leading flock masters of Norfolk in the sixteenth and T seventeenth centuries. Most of the accounts fall into one of three classes. those prepared for individual flocks; those drawn up by a sheep-reeve for a number of flocks; and rough accounts compiled by the flock master himself.:At the end of the shepherd's year, usually at Michaelmas, he prepared a comprehensive account of the year's activities with the help of the sheep-reeve. Following a statement of sheep remaining from the previous year, he recorded the deaths, losses, sales and home consumption throughout the year; hc accounted for lambs born and for their disposal; he gave the number 01 animals shorn and the weight of the wool clip; and he described the build-up of the flock and its composition at the end of the year. The sheep-reeve pre-1 The accounts used arc (Sshepherds' accounts, SRsheep-reeves' accounts, RNrough notes) : Sir Hemy Bea5zgfidd of Oxborough 1553-7 ( S and SR), Bedingfeld MS. Oxborough Hall. 1 a m indebted to Lady Bedingfeld for permission for a photo-printed copy to be made of this account book, and to Mr. A. E. B. Owen of the National Register of Archives for providing the copy. 1531-89 (S), Holkham MS., Tittleshall Books No. 19 and Holkham Deeds 9/255, 10/318, 392,398,399-I a m indebted to the Earl of Leicester for permission to consult these documents. and to his Librarian, Dr W. 0. Hassall, for his assistance.

Medieval Horned and Polled Sheep: The Archaeological and Iconographic Evidence

“…Large flocks of sheep, often exceeding 2,000 head, were, however, to be found in areas where a sheepcorn husbandry (or fold course system) was practised, as for example on the heathlands and arable stubbles of Norfolk. 22 These Norfolk sheep were valued as much for their dung and urine for fertilizer as for their fleece. Sheep also dominated the hills of southern England well into the Tudor period and beyond, and Sir Anthony Fitzherbert could write in 1523 that, in his opinion, sheep were still 'the most profitable cattle that any man can have'.…”

Wool and cloth production in late medieval and earlyTudorEngland

“…Fisher and Juřica, eds., Documents , pp. 30–1; Mate, ‘Pastoral farming’, p. 529; Allison, ‘Flock management’, p. 108.…”