Newport Hundred

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Buckinghamshire, showing Newport Hundred

Newport Hundred is a hundred of Buckinghamshire. It is situated in the north of the county and adjoins Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire. It was commonly known as 'the three hundreds of Newport' because it amalgamated three earlier (11th-century) hundreds: Bonestou, Moulsoe and Siglelai (or Seckley). Containing most of the new town of Milton Keynes, it had a population of 225,314 in 2011.

History

Until at least the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086 there were 18 hundreds in Buckinghamshire. It has been suggested however that neighbouring hundreds had already become more closely associated in the 11th century so that by the end of the 14th century the original or ancient hundreds had been consolidated into eight larger hundreds.[1] Newport became the name of the hundred formed from the combined 11th-century hundreds of Bonestou, Moulsoe and Sigelai although these original names still persisted in official records until at least the early part of the 17th century. The court leet was every three weeks near Gayhurst and in 1830 also took place at the Swan Inn, Newport Pagnell.[2]

Traces of the moot hill of Sigelai Hundred were discovered by archaeologists working for Milton Keynes Development Corporation, during the construction of Central Milton Keynes; the site is behind the central library and has been reconstructed.[3]

Parishes and hamlets

Newport hundred comprises the following ancient parishes and hamlets:

*: Shenley Brook End hamlet in Cottesloe Hundred.

References

Hundreds of Buckinghamshire

Ashendon • Aylesbury • Buckingham • Cottesloe • Newport • Chiltern Hundreds: Burnham  • Desborough • Stoke