COLESTON-BASSET and NEWBOLD.
This Township being wholly omitted in Doomsday-Book, saving what is there recorded of Newbold, the Reader must look back to Kinalton for what he would be satisfied
in concerning it: where he will find two Parts of Newbold, one King William's, and
another his Son William Peverell's; the greater Part whereof, 'tis like, concerned this
Place, but how it was disposed is uncertain.
Raph Basset, Justice of England, 21 H. 1. gave one Carucat of Land in Chinalton,
and ten Oxen, for the Maintenance of a Monk in the Abbey of Eynsham, in Oxfordshire,
which Land was Parcel of the Lordship of Colestune. (fn. 1)
King Henry the First confirmed the Gift of Richard Basset, and Matildis Ridel, his
Wife, of several Lands, and very many Churches, amongst the Rest, this of Coleston, to
the Church of St. John the Baptist, of Laund, in Leicestershire, which they had founded for
the Soul of King William, his Father. (fn. 2) Their Son Galfr. Ridel certified King Henry
the Second, about the twelfth Year of his Reign, that Richard Basset, his Father, held
at the Death of King H. 1. nine Score Carucats of Land and four, and one Virg. for
the Fees of fifteen Knights; and that Raph, the Son of Raph Basset, held Coleston of
him, which was of the Honor of Warengford, for the Service of a Knight's Fee, which
Raph Basset, the said Galsr. his Grandfather held; (fn. 3) which last-mentioned Raph Basset,
Father of Raph, was one of the Heirs of Geva, Daughter of Hugh Earl of Chester, and
Galfr. Ridel was another, and both of their Grandfathers Chief Justices of England, for
King H. 1. (fn. 4) as was also Richard Basset, the first Raph's Son, before spoken of; which
Richard was likewise Grandfather to Raph, Son of Raph Basset, before mentioned, who
held this Coleston, which from this Family received the Addition Basset, to distinguish it
from another Coleston, in this Wapentac, called Car-Colston.
Raph Basset, of Draiton, held a Knight's Fee here, and was summoned, 27 H. 3. to
answer the Prior of Laund, that he should hold his Covenant formerly made by his Indenture, or Cyrograph, concerning Common of Pasture in Colston, which he did accordingly. (fn. 5) Raph Basset, 12 E. 1. had Market and Fair in this Town. (fn. 6) Raph, the last
Lord Basset of Draiton died May 12, 13 R. 2. (fn. 7) (fn. 8) and by the Inquisition taken the
Year following, viz. 14 R. 2. Thomas Earl of Stafford, aged 24 Years, was found one
of his Heirs, as Son of Hugh, Son of Raph, Son of Margaret, Sister of the said Raph,
Lord Basset's Grandfather; and Alice the Wife of Sir William Chaworth, another of his
Heirs, as Daughter of Catherine, Daughter of John, Son of Roger, Son of Joan,
Daughter of Matildis, another Sister of the said last Lord Basset's Grandfather, which
Alice was then, viz. 14 R. 2. a great Deal more than thirty Years of Age; it seems
the Women married young, and Matildis was much the eldest Daughter of Raph Basset,
because this Time overgoes that of Stafford two Descents in four. Joane, who had been
Wife of Raph, Son of Raph Basset of Drayton, held the third Part of the Manor of
Colston-Basset, and the Manor of Radcliff on Sore, for Life; (fn. 9) the Reversion belonging
to Walter Skirlaw, Bishop of Durham: but the Jury, 4 H. 4. found Edmund Earl
Stafford, Son of Hugh Earl Stafford, Son of Raph Earl Stafford, Son of Margaret,
Sister of Raph, Father (it should be Grandfather) of the said Raph Basset, was Cousin
and Heir of that last Lord.
This Manor was sold by Edward Stafford, the last Duke of Buckingham, of that Family, (fn. 10) who suffered a recovery of it, 4 H. 8. (fn. 11) before his Attainder, to . . . Kitson,
whose Heir, Sir Thomas Kitson, sold the same to Mr. Golding, his Steward, whose
Grandchild and Heir, Edward Golding, was by King Charles the First, at the beginning of the War created a Baronet, and was Proprietor of the whole Town, and impropriate Rectory, saving that Part which his Father (who inclosed most of the Fields) sold
to Mr. Francis Hacker, whereon he built a House, which was by Francis Hacker, his
eldest Son, forfeited by his Attainder, with the rest of his Lands, which the Duke of
York favorably sold to Colonel Rowland Hacker, his next Brother, who hath since sold
his Interest here to John Grubham Howe, of Langar, Enquire, the present Owner of
that Part.
Richard, Son of Gervas de Barneston, gave to the Priory of Lenton two Bovats of
Land in Coleston, with the Man who held them, (fn. 12) which his Father gave by Consent
of his faithful Wife Margaret, and of this Richard, his Son and Heir, when he confirmed
the Gift of Richard his Father, of two Bovats in Wiverton, with him that held them.
This Grant, of Richard the Grandchild, was made at Nottingham before the King's Justices John Cumin, Alan de Furneus, Mr. Hugh de Raherst, William de Bending,
(which was 25 H. 2) and before many other Witnesses, Robert de Davidwill, Serlo de
Grendon, William Fitz-Ranulf, Samson de Strelley, Gervas de Wiverton, (Son of that
Richard, I suppose) and very many others.
G. Ridel restored to Gervas, Son of Richard, (de Wiverton) his Inheritance, viz.
Dukmanton, (in Darbishire) to him and his Heirs, to hold of the said G. and his, free
and quiet, for the Service of a Knight's Fee for Duchemanton, and for the Land of Coleston, (fn. 13) which he held of the Brother of the said G. because it was recognized in the
Court of the said G. that W. Brother of Gervas, Son of Richard, in his free power rendered up Duchemanton to the said G. that he might pass the Inheritance to the said Gervas; which he did; and likewise to Richard, Son of Gervas, afterwards called Sir Richard
de Wyverton. Knight; (fn. 14) who, for forty-nine Marks of Silver, which Galfr. Fitz-Peter
gave him, conveyed his whole Land of Dukmanton to the Abbey of Wellebek; which
Gervas, his Son, confirmed, and Thomas de Mellys, Son and Heir of Adelina, Sister
of the said Sir Richard de Wiverton, by releasing.
There is an Error in the Register, or Ledger-Book, of Wellebek, p. 58, which hath
misled many excellent Genealogifts, (fn. 15) viz. that Galfr. Ridel, and Richard Basset, Father of Raph Basset of Welledon, were Brothers; and that Galfr. died without Heir, and
his Inheritance descended to the said Richard his Brother, and so to Raph Basset: whereas
it is manifest, that this Galfr. Ridel, (or Basset, for he was Son of Richard Basset, and
Matildis Ridel his Wife) had two Wives, and by his first left Richard Basset, who about
the 33 H. 2. was Heir of his second Wife's Dower, (fn. 16) whose Name was Sibylla, the
Sister of William Manduit, and she was then fifty Years old, and had two Sons and one
Daughter, (to confute the Story further) which were not Heirs of her Dower, by
Reason of the said Richard Basset, her Husband, the said Galfr. Ridel's Son by his
first Wife. (fn. 17)
The Line of the Bassets of Drayton, which were all Raphs, that I have met with, except their Wives, and Times of their Deaths could be certainly found, cannot be exactly
described. Mr. Robert Glover, Somerset-Herald, a most industrious Person, and one of
the best learned in this Kind, in his Time, sets down Raph Basset of Drayton, Husband
of Margaret de Someri, slain at the Battle of Evesham, 50 H. 3. Raph, his Son, the
Husband of Helewisa, died 27 E. 1. Raph his Son, the Husband of Joan the Daughter
of . . . Beaucamp Earl of Warwick, and Brother of Matildis, Wife of William de Heriz,
and of Margaret her eldest Sister, Wife of Edward Stafford, died 17 E. 3. Raph his
Son, Husband of Alice, Daughter of Nicholas Lord Audeley, died before his Father.
And his Son Raph, the last Lord Basset, of Drayton, Husband of Joan, Sister and Heir
of John Duke of Brittaine, died 13 R. 2. being sixteen Years old at the Death of Joan
his Grandmother, 27 E. 3. (fn. 18) which will not agree with a Confirmation made by Raph,
Son of Raph, Son of Raph Lord Basset, of Draiton, to the Priory of Canwell, printed
in the Monasticon, Vol. i. p. 441, dated at Draiton; (fn. 19) because at that Time there was
no Raph living of Age sufficient to make it, according to Mr. Glover's Draught. And
there may some Scruples arise, notwithstanding the Inquisitions after the last Lord Basset's Death, concerning six Generations, not exceeding three above twenty-three Years,
as in Alice the Wife of Sir William Chaworth, one of his Heirs, whose Ancestor Matildis, with her Husband William de Heriz, certainly lived in the former Part of the
Reign of H. 3. as in Wiverton will be manifest; and yet seem to be contemporary with
Joan, Daughter of Thomas Earl of Warwick, their Sister-in-Law, which could not well
be, if we consult Mr. Dugdales's Warwickshire: but we must not aver against a Record,
but endeavor to reconcile apparent Improbabilities by the utmost Possibilities.
Queen Elizabeth, March 27, in the forty-third Year of her Reign, granted to
Anthony Nevill, and his Heirs, the Rectory of Colston-Basset, and divers Lands in the
Lordship, belonging to the Priory of Land. (fn. 20)
The Vicarage was eight Marks value when the Prior of Laund was Patron. (fn. 21) It is now
81. 7s. 6d. in the King's Books, and the King Patron.
The Church stands in the Fields, now all inclosed, and the Town thereby depopulated.
In it were Varry Arg. and Sab.
Basset, with a Quarter Ermine of Drayton.
Azure a Crosse Argent impales, with Paly of six Or, and Gules, a Bordure Azure,
Besantè, Aylesbury and Basset of Weldon. (fn. 22)
Arg, a Crosse Sable between four little Crosses of the second.
[Throsby] Coleston-Basset
LORDSHIP contains about 2000 acres of land, arable and pasture, inclosed: 1600
acres belong to Lord Viscount Wentworth, who is lord of the manor. His ancestors
purchased it about the year 1714, of Sir Edward Golding. Other freeholders are Earl
Howe, Frederic Pigou, Esq. Mr. Noble, Mr. Greenfield, &c.
The village consists of 41 dwellings. In it resides, in an elegant house, William
Milnes, Esq. in the commission of the peace, and other reputable inhabitants.
In 1774 died John Bell, Esq. of this place, who was in the commission of the peace,
and served the office of High-Sheriff for the county. He was descended from an ancient
and respectable family. Thomas Bell, Esq. grandfather to this John Bell, Esq. married Jane Malton, grandaughter to Sir Edward Noel, Bart. and neice to Baptist Noel,
Viscount Campden. He died, as he had lived, much respected.
The church has a nave, and tower steeple, with five deep-toned bells. It is neatly
paved, and dedicated to St. Mary. Here is a stone to the memory of Sir Edward Golding,
Bart. who died in December 1715.
The living, which is worth about 100l. a year, is in the gift of the Crown. Incumbent Rev. Mr. Wright, of Mansfield. Mr. Bleigh, vicar, died in 1721, Mr. Rose in
1764. Archiepisc. pro Syn. 4. Yearly tenths 16s. 9d. in mans. cum gleb. ibidem per
ann. 13s. 8d. in oblat. in dec. paschnin dec. lin. canab. lan. agn. &c. Pri Landa, Propr.
The oldest register begins in 1591. Bap. five first years 40, bur. 30.—bap. last five
years 41, bur. 10. This place, we find by the register, was visited by the plague: in
the year 1604 not less than 83 people died in this place, from the beginning of July to
the end of September. There is a tradition, that the inhabitants of Nottingham and Bingham would not suffer any article whatever to be brought from this place to their markets
during this dreadful visitation of sickness. Also all communication and intercourse was
prevented by the inhabitants of the adjacent villages, by which means the contagion was
prevented from spreading, and consequently confined to the then wretched inhabitants of
Coleston-Basset.