Description:As well as various granges on their more distant lands (see 972/1/1/489) Lilleshall Abbey had three granges close to the mother house – Cherswell, Watling Street and Wildmoor – and a farm actually at Lilleshall run as a grange.
There is no evidence that Augustinian canons ever had lay brothers to run their granges as Cistercian monks had, but by the end of the 14th century it is clear that the abbey home grange was run by indentured servants such as this shepherd. While corn was grown essentially for home consumption, wool was produced for sale. How successful Lilleshall was in this respect is uncertain as wool sales were uneven.
The servants of the abbey sometimes received corrodies, as does this shepherd, entitling them to support when they could no longer work. The abbey accepted lifelong responsibility for their servants. This policy was humane but put a considerable strain on their resources.
To learn more about Medieval life in Shropshire, follow the link below to the article 'Aspects of Medieval Life: The Lilleshall Collection' written by Dr. Sylvia Watts and Robert Cromarty.
The transcripts and translations of Medieval deeds in the Lilleshall Collection and the stories written about Medieval life were produced by Dr. Sylvia Watts and Robert Cromarty at Shropshire Archives.