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The Manor of Hougun is the historic name for an area which now forms part of the county of Cumbria in north-west England. Of the three most northern counties of England surveyed in the Domesday Book of 1086 (Northumbria, Durham and Cumbria), only the southern band of land in the south of Cumbria was recorded. The westernmost entries for Cumbria, covering the Duddon and Furness Peninsulas are largely recorded as part of the Manor of Hougun. The entry in Domesday Book covering Hougun refers to the time (ca. 1060) when it was held by Tostig Godwinson, Earl of Northumbria.
The exact location of Hougun has been long disputed and Millom is often suggested, although High Haume near Dalton-in-Furness has also been proposed, given that it was recorded in 1336 as Howehom. It has also been suggested that the centre of the district was Furness, and that the territory included the Millom area, plus part or all of Cartmel – what would later be the Lancashire territory known as Amounderness.
The name itself is commonly thought to derive from the Old Norse haugr meaning mound or hill. Island of Hougun (Houganai) was also the name given to nearby Walney Island.
The Domesday entry for Hougun is therefore significant in indicating the extent of Norman control of the north-west, probably down to 1092, when William II of England took over Carlisle and northern Cumberland. North of the Hougun district, the land was part of Strathclyde/Cumbria, under Scottish overlordship.
At some time before the shiring of Lancaster, Cumberland and Westmorland (which took place around 1157-1182), parts of the Hougun area had been split off. Furness Abbey was given the Furness peninsula; and St Bees Priory was granted land from the Norman lord of Millom around 1125. The Hougun entry is as follows (land is measured in carucates in the north, which is roughly the amount of land assumed to provide for one household for one year):
In Hougun Manor Earl Tosti had four carucates rateable to the geld. In Chiluestreuic iii c., Sourebi iii c., Hietun iiii c., Daltune ii c., Warte ii c., Neutun vi c., Walletun vi c., Suntun ii c., Fordebodele ii c., Rosse vi c., Hert ii c., Lies vi c., Alia Lies ii c., Glassertun ii c., Steintun ii c., Clivertun iiii c., Ouregrave iii c., Meretun iiii c., Penni- getun ii c., Gerleuuorde ii c., Borch vi c., Beretsiege iiii c., Witingham iiii c., Bodele iiii c., Santacherche i c., Hougenai vi c.. All these vills belong to Hougun.Hougun (?High Haume/Millom), 4 c., Tosti
Ulvreston (Ulverston), 6c., Turulf
Aldingham (Aldingham), 6c., Ernulf
Cherchebi (?Cartmel), Dwan from the King
Holecher (Holker), Orm from the King
Neutun (High and Low Newton), King's land
Bretebi (Birkby), Orm from the King
Further east, in what was later to become Westmorland, several other places are mentioned but with similar brevity. Most of the places are within the low-lying areas around the Kent and Lune valleys. Most of the entries are in two groups: the first is land around Kendal belonging to the King which had belonged to a Gillemichael before the Conquest; and the second is land belonging to Roger de Poitou and held by one Ernwin the Priest under him:
In Stercaland, Mimet, Cherchebi, Helsingetune, Steintun, Bodelforde, Hoton, Bortun, Daltun, Patun. Gillemichael had them. There are xx c. of land taxable in them. In Biedun Earl Tosti had vi c. taxable. Now Roger de Poitou has them, and Ernwin the Priest under him. In Yeland iiii c., Fareltun iiii c., Prestun iii c., Borwick ii c., Hennecastre ii c., Eureshaim ii c., Lefuenes ii c.King's land
Biedun (Beetham), 6c., Ernwin the Priest from Roger de Poitou
Brebrune (Barbon), King's land
Castretune (Casterton), King's land
Holme (Holme), King's land
Hotun (Hutton Roof), King's land
Cherchebi (Kirkby Lonsdale), King's land
Lupetun (Lupton), King's land Manzserge (Mansergh), King's land
Middeltun (Middleton), King's land