The ancient manor of Chilthorne Vagg, near Yeovil in Somerset was from the mid 12th century to the late 14th century held by the Vagg family. An overview of these early Vagg's is here. After the death of Marmaduke Vagg in 1360 the manor seems to have passed into the Slade family, who are first mentioned in 1377, they may have been followed by the Jeanes family, but this is still to be confirmed. The Hawker family were resident in 1552 and held the manor for at least two hundred years when it passed to the Napper family in 1752.

Hundred of Stone

Chilthorne Vagg was one of several communities forming the Hundred of Stone. A ‘hundred’ was an administrative division of the county, probably established in the tenth century and thought originally to have contained a hundred families or tithings. A moot, an assembly of head men from each constituent tithing, met at frequent intervals to deal with legislative matters brought before it. This was conducted in the open, perhaps sheltered by trees and the hundred to which Chilthorne Vagg belonged took its name from the stone around which the meeting took place. Still known as the Hundred Stone it is situated at a crossroads at the highest point in Mudford Road which overlooks the whole of the domain.


Stone hundred comprised of the residents of Ashington, Brympton, Chilthorne Domer, Chilthorne Vagg, Limington, Lufton, Mudford, Preston Plucknett, Preston Bermondsey and Yeovil. The early importance of the Hundred court gradually declined as parochial, manorial, and judicial bodies superseded its authority. The last gathering of Hundred officials at the stone took place in 1843 when a bailiff, two constables, and tithingmen were appointed. After a libation of port was poured on the stone the meeting adjourned to a local hostelry for dinner.