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Pinfolds and pounds in the Vale Wymeswold's pound in February 1991. Wymeswold is not in the Vale. But this is the only photograph I have of a pound before late twentieth century restorations. The terms 'pinfold' and 'pound' are interchangeable throughout England. There was once one in nearly every village. They are enclosures in which cattle and other animals could be held, either as a penalty for straying and causing damage, or as an indemnity against debt or default. They were in regular use before the eighteenth century when straying cattle and sheep were common in the open fields which had no hedges or fences to control animals. After the Enclosure Awards the new hedges kept livestock under better control. In medieval times the 'pinder' or 'pounder' who looked after the pinfold and any animals was an important officer of the Manor Court. He gathered strays, impounded them, then presented the owners to the Manor Court to be assessed for fines before collecting any fines so the animals could be released. Attempts were often made to rescue impounded animals. The rescue however had to be completed before the animals reached the pinfold. Once there they were considered in legal custody. Typical fines in the late eighteenth century were 1d for a horse, 2d for twenty sheep and 4d for a pig. In addition the pinder collected recompense for feeding the animals while impounded. In 'The Shepherd's Calendar', written in 1827, John Clare describes the arduous life of the Helpston Pinder: The Pinder on the Sabbath Day Soon as the darkness waxes grey Goes round the folds at early morn To see what stock are in the corn. There like a fox upon the watch He in the morning tries to catch And drive them to the pound for pay Careless about the Sabbath Day. Source Based on www.woodborough-heritage.org.uk/pinfoldappendix.html In the Vale pinfolds at Flintham, Scarrington and Screveton survive and have been restored. Scarrington's pinfold in June 2017. Screveton's pinfold in November 2022. Flintham's pinfold in August 2025. Pinfolds are shown on 1880s OS maps of Aslockton, Barkestone, Branston, Colston Bassett, Cropwell Butler, Elston, Elton on the Hill, Harby, Normanton, Orston, Redmile, Thoroton and Whatton. All these have either been lost or adapted into other structures. Pinfold Cottage, Chapel Street, Orston in 2025. Back to top of this page     Back to home page   This website does not gather or store any visitor information. Copyright Bob Trubshaw 2025 No unauthorised copying or reproduction except if all following conditions apply: a: Copy is complete (including this copyright statement). b: No changes are made. c: No charge is made. www.hoap.co.uk/chronicle

Chronicle entries home page what's new? the geology of the Vale the boundaries and rivers of the Vale long, long ago prehistory in the Vale prehistoric boundaries in the Vale north-south prehistoric routeways Romans roads in the Vale Roman settlements in and near the Vale long ago introduction to Anglo-Saxons place-names of the Vale waterborne transport around the sixth century Orston's early church Anglo-Saxon sculpture in the Vale why Orston lost out to Bingham and Bottesford what the Normans did for the Vale Granby's importance in 1086 Granby's lost castle the Vale's watermills in 1086 Romanesque sculpture in the Vale St Remigius why Bottesford is in Leicestershire the Vale in medieval times medieval gargoyles of the Vale Eastwell's chancel screen St Ethelburga's church other early saints Elston's old chapel Muston and Long Clawson saltways of the Vale the Vale's medieval tile collection the Vale in Tudor times Dissolution in the Vale not that long ago the Vale in the C17th the 'great and the good' of the Vale Bottesford's effigies 'wicked practice and sorcerye' the whales on the Whalley memorial Car Colston's bigoted GP cum JP the Vale's very own regicide Wiverton Hall five rare C17th fonts in the Vale pinfolds and pounds in the Vale dovecotes in the Vale the Vale in the C18th turnpiking the Vale gravestones and C18th trade routes goodbye 'Belvoir Angels' C18th gravestone carvers in the Vale Daffy's Elixir the Marquess of Granby Stilton from the Vale springs and spas of the Vale outstanding organs in the Vale Grantham canal changes in the Vale's agriculture since 1800 Eastwell's recusant priest house and chapel Colston Bassett's ruined church seems like yesterday windmills in the Vale stained glass in the Vale village life in the southern Vale 1850 to 1880 folklore of the Vale Flintham museum lacemaking in the Vale gypsum pits in the Vale brick and tile works in the Vale ironstone quarrying in the Vale ironstone railways ironstone quarries of Leicestershire (YouTube video) The Vale's railway stations Orston's famous architect Mothers Union banners of the Vale redundant telephone exchanges in the Vale WWII airfields and pillboxes in the Vale the Vale in 1944 location shooting at Belvoir Castle Screveton's giants researching and writing local history the Vale as a verb getting started free advice from 2005 asking curious questions (YouTube video) local history groups in and around the Vale Aslockton (Cranmer LHG) Bingham Heritage Trails Association Bottesford Eastwell Harby Harlaxton Hickling Redmile archive Belvoir Villages History and Memories Group Belvoir Angel Society Grantham Canal Society you may also be interested in free PDFs written by Bob Trubshaw Earliest Churches in Nottinghamshire How Anglo-Saxons Found Their Way Anglo-Saxon Leicestershire Conversations in Churchyards Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland Bob Trubshaw's YouTube channel Introduction to medieval carvings Anglo-Saxon and Romanesque carvings How Anglo-Saxons found their way Anglo-Saxon shrines at fords Meetings at triangles Rota's Land and Franni's Land Reading Romanesque fonts Church and manor The significances of square headdresses Early churches and waterborne trade Charnwood slate gravestones and C18th trade routes Ironstone quarries of Leicestershire Roman roads in north-east Leicestershire Salt ways in Leicestershire Why Melton Mowbray needed to called 'middle town' Evolving Anglo-Saxon agriculture Nottinghamshire's earliest churches Ploughs not piety? Economic regeneration in the C7th Were Anglo-Saxon weaving huts women-only places? Barrowby Until Now website Rutland Village by Village website Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland