Alwinton : Population

The muster rolls for the border tenantry provide some idea of population levels in the individual townships in this period. At the musters of 1538 there were 15 armed and mounted men from Alwinton and a further 4 lacking horses and armour (1538 Muster Roll, 166).

The Muster Roll of 1580 reveals that only 5 men from Nether Alwinton and 1 from Over Alwinton attended (CBP I, 20-23), an indication, perhaps, of the declining numbers and prosperity of border tenants by the late 16th century. This is the first reference to the separate settlements of Over and Nether Alwinton (CBP I, 20-23).

The 1604 survey of the Royal estates in the Debateable and Border lands found there were 5 freeholders who held a total of 390 acres and 5 customary tenants who held in all 480 acres in Alwinton (1604 Survey, 116; Selected Sources and Surveys no. 5). Four of the customary tenants, designated the fosters (foresters?) of the Forest of Harbottle, paid only 1½d each yearly for their farms, performing forest service in lieu of rent.

The Hearth Tax return of 1665 lists 11 householders one of whom, Mr Widdrington, had 10 hearths (PRO E179/158/103).  Neither of these sources differentiates between the two settlements of Alwinton. However, the Rate Book of 1663 has 10 proprietors including Mr Widdrington in High Alwinton and Mr Thirlwall in Low Alwinton (Hodgson 1820, 271).