The Old Pound

On the south side of Binham Road you may have noticed this structure:

Its purpose is explained by an old article in the Sussex County Magazine.

Nearly every village once had its pound for stray cattle, pigs, geese, etc. to be driven into and there kept at the expense of the owner, till such time as he should pay the fine (the amount claimed by the person on whose land they had strayed, for damage done), and the fee to the pound keeper, man or sometimes woman, for feeding and watering the same.

If not claimed in three weeks, the animals were driven to the nearest market and sold, the proceeds going to the impounder and pound-keeper. An ingenious form of receipt was sometimes used. The person who found the animals on his land cut a stick and made notches, one for every beast, and then split the stick down the centre of the notches so that half of each notch appeared on each stick; one half he kept, the other he gave to the pound-keeper. When the owner came to redeem his property and had paid for the damage done, the impounder gave him his half stick. He took this to the pound-keeper, and if the two pieces tallied, it proved he had paid and his beast was freed. Hence the word tally-stick and the pound-keeper being referred to as the tallyman.

As a matter of fact, tally-sticks were of much more widespread use than that, and go back to earliest times.

A better preserved example of a village pound is in North Elmham:

Image credit: John Wernham; licence

Added 21.5.23

‘At a Vestry meeting held this 20th day of February 1827 after due notice thereof given, Edmund Massingham was sworn in to the office of Pindar* for the Parish till he shall be therefrom legally discharged and he is hereby authorised and required by us whose names are hereunto affixed to impound every species of animal and cattle which he shall find loose and trespassing in any of the Highways, Private Roads, inclosed grounds or waste lands in the Parish of Langham and he shall charge for impounding the same as follows viz. For every Horse Mare Bull Cow Mule Mute Pony Ass and Swine the sum of sixpence, and for every Score of Sheep the sum of sixpence and no more.

Signed – Thomas Rippingall

Wm. Starling

J. F. Hillen

Beeston Wright’

*Pinder (not pindar) is an old name for a poundkeeper; one who impounds.