Narberth Hundred
Former Hundred in Pembrokeshire, Wales
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The Hundred of Narberth was a hundred in Pembrokeshire, Wales. An administrative and legal division, it was formed by the Act of Union of 1536 from parts of the pre-Norman cantrefs of Penfro (the commote of Coedrath) and Cantref Gwarthaf (the commote of Efelfre).[1]: 463
Name
Region
The hundred spanned the linguistic boundary, with the parishes of Velfrey being identified by George Owen[3] as Welsh-speaking, and the southern coastal part being English-speaking, part of Little England beyond Wales. The area in 1887 was 55,813 acres (22,587 ha).[4]
Demographics
The hundred incorporated twenty two parishes.[5] The parliamentary election polling book for 1812 is held at the National Library of Wales.[6] The 1821 census provided detailed demographics for the hundred. The total population was 11,321, living in 2,249 properties.[7] At the 1831 census, the hundred had a population of 11,942 in 2,343 houses.[8] The population was quoted as 11,469 in an 1887 gazetteer.[4]
Land tax assessments for 1857 to 1949 are held at Pembrokeshire Archives.[9]
Discontinuation
The hundred courts declined from the 17th century, and most of their powers were extinguished with the establishment of county courts in 1867.[10] Until 1974 Wales was divided into civil parishes, which to some extent coincided with ecclesiastical parishes, and in 1975 it was divided into communities. [11] The jurisdiction of hundred courts was finally curtailed by the Administration of Justice Act 1977.[12]