Pages by Lisa R Marshall.

Wandering through the history and landscape of Worcestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Herefordshire.

A NOTE ON THE HALF SHIRE HUNDRED

The Half Shire Hundred was one of the 12 'hundreds' in Worcestershire, as recorded at the time of that great landmark survey, the ‘Domesday Book’ of 1086. 

The ‘Halfshire' was unusual as it did not have a single owner or group of owners and included; Dudley, Stourbridge, Hagley, Pedmore, Oldswinford, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove and Droitwich amongst other parishes. More details can be found here.

The use of the term ‘shire’ dates back to Anglo Saxon times. The West Midland shires would have originally formed part of the ancient kingdom of Mercia. 

Underneath the larger areas covered by the shires and managed by the sheriffs, a much more local form of ‘government’ or administration was needed - these were known as ‘the hundreds.’ 
The hundred is thought to have been a portion of land large enough to sustain approximately one hundred households or ‘hides' and were also used to assist the King in raising men for ships and battle. 

The old shire structure was to largely remain in place until 1974, when the Local Government Act changed borders across the land, here creating the West Midlands County Council that cut the old counties back to allow for the growth of Birmingham and its conurbation.

Maps are by the cartographer John Speed and date from 1611.