What is a Greave?
Who was Dunning?

A question frequently asked about the Greave Dunning pub is the origin of the name.

The 1086 Domesday Book stated that in 1066 Dunning "tenuit" ("held") Greasby (i.e. an official or bailiff representing the Earl). The suggestion that Dunning's job title was Greave is not accepted by all historians. There is no known historical document showing that Dunning was a Greave.

There is, however, a document showing that Greasby had a Reeve. Cheshire legal records show "In 1309, a man called Hugh was the abbot of Chester's reeve of Greasby. He would have been unfree, and managed the manor on the abbot's behalf. On Wednesday 9th July he was told to go to Woodchurch and with others of the abbot's men, collect their lord's hay from his meadow there. There was serious trouble. The rector of Woodchurch wanted to collect his tithe of the hay, and Hugh and the others tried to stop him and his men, one of whom was called Robert Tebythetayl. The rector, John Tewe, who was on horseback, carrying a sword, rode Hugh down, and he was pushed to the ground. The horse then trampled on him. Hugh sued the rector in the county court, and won damages of two shillings. The rector and his gang were imprisoned in Chester castle.” (source TNA CHES 29/21 m. 29)

The word Greave originates from the Low and Middle German "graf/gräfe/grēve", becoming "ġerēfa" in Old English. In northern England the word typically became Greave, in the south it typically became Reeve. That north and south distinction was not rigid. In places the title for the town reeve became Portreeve.

The term 'shire reeve' later became 'sheriff'.

Reeve is used as the title for an elected official similar to a mayor in a number of towns in Canada.

'Cheshire Forest Eyre Roll 1357', Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, published 2015 - defines 'reeve' as "strictly speaking, a deputy; in the case of a manor, usually a man of villein status elected by his fellow tenants to organise the daily business of the manor".