BADSELL MANOR

For months after the invasion life carried on as normal at Badsell. The churl and his family continued to farm the land and husband their livestock, their fear gradually evaporating with time. Then in the spring of 1067 their peace was disturbed when Richard de Tonbridge, together with a small party of knights thundered into the farm on their great stallions. With them was Queen Ediva's elderly bailiff, now working for a new master. The farmer dropped to his knees, not daring to even raise his eyes to his new lord. The bailiff muttered a few words in French to the mighty Richard and the troop rode on, without even acknowledging the frightened family. Life was to carry on as usual, the land was worked and tithes paid, but now to a new Norman overlord.