estates bequeathed by King Alfred to his kinsman Osferth. (Asser's Alfred by Wise, 77.)
14. Ashburnham.—I have assigned the Domesday name "Esseborne" to this place correctly, as I believe, though not without consideration. It is described as in "Folsalre" hundred, the first name, which occurs in connection with it, being "Herste," as I conceive Hurst Monceux, a neighbouring parish to Ashburnham. The second is "Werlinges;" Wartling, the next parish to Hurst Monceux. "Esseborne" follows, and then "Francwelle," which last I am unable to identify. My application of the name Esseborne appears to be justified by (A.D. 1291), where we read "Vicarius de Essheburnehamme cum Penhurst." On the other hand at Esseborne are stated to be "three saltpans," which certainly does not seem to accord very well with the situation of Ashburnham. The distance however to the sea is not very great; and we know not how far the manor might extend, those of (D.B.) having occasionally portions remote from the central part. See, for example, Burgemere below. Werlinges also had "three saltpans," of higher value, namely, "of seven shillings," whereas those of Esseborne were only "of fifty-eight pence;" and the existing limits of parishes afford abundant evidence of the great care, anciently taken to distribute equally the varying advantages or disadvantages of soil and situation; on which principle saltpans might be attached to Ashburnham, though the manor generally laid far from the sea. Moreover it is possible that the sea approached nearer to Ashburnham in 1086, than at present. It should likewise be mentioned, that elsewhere, among the possessions of the same peer, the Earl of Eu, "Brunham," in "Hailesaltede" hundred, can apparently signify no other place than Ashburnham, most of the names, occurring in the same description, being clearly to be recognised for Watlington, Mountfield, Netherfield, and Beche, probably Bexhill. But these places lie on the eastern, Hurst Monceux &c. on the south-western, side of Ashburnham; and there are numerous examples of manors being mentioned in (D.B.) partly in one hundred, partly in another, while variations in spelling names are perpetual, as already alluded to in the Preface. Although both are now included in the same parish, and even the two names amalgamated, Esseborne and Brunham might well be separate estates or manors in the time of K. William I, the former lying on the western, the latter on the eastern side of the parish. Unquestionably Esseborne cannot
