Stogursey: Other estates

A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes). Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1992.

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'Stogursey: Other estates', in A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes), (London, 1992) pp. 145-146. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/pp145-146 [accessed 25 April 2024]

OTHER ESTATES.

After 1193 Alice, sister of William de Curci, gave to Richard son of Hugh of Buveny land at CATHANGER which continued to be held of the lords of Stogursey and in the late 15th century owed rent of a pair of spurs, or wax, or cash. Richard's brother Geoffrey (d. by 1248) gave the land to Barlinch priory, which retained it until the house was dissolved in 1536. (fn. 1) The Crown granted the reversion in 1543 to Humphrey Colles (d. 1570) and his son John was probably in possession in 1599. (fn. 2) By 1690 Cathanger had come to Edmund Wyndham and was probably sold c. 1703 to Bartholomew Farthing (d. 1718). (fn. 3) Benjamin Farthing (d. 1730) was succeeded by his widow Mellior (d. 1783) and his daughter Sarah Kebbey. (fn. 4) Samuel Kebbey, Sarah's son, sold to Samuel Poole (d. 1808) in 1799, (fn. 5) and Samuel's son Henry sold to William Fripp in 1830. The Society of Merchant Venturers of Bristol acquired the farm from Fripp in 1862, and probably sold it with Farm estate to the Hill family in 1919. (fn. 6)

A capital messuage was recorded in 1690. (fn. 7) The present house, divided into two cottages, has a main range of the later 16th or early 17th century with a cross-passage plan. A short cross wing at the west end was reconstructed in the 18th century.

By the early 14th century an estate called Loveleston, later LOWSTON, was held by Taunton priory of the heirs of Matthew Furneaux who held of the heirs of William de Forz, and they in turn of Glastonbury abbey. (fn. 8) No later record of this estate has been found.

STEYNING was probably part of the 11thcentury estate of Stockland, evidently in Stogursey and Spaxton, which was held by two thegns in 1066 and by Ansketil of Roger de Courcelles in 1086. (fn. 9) Steyning was held of William Malet, from whom the lords of Stogursey held a mesne lordship, in 1208, of Matthew Furneaux in 1300, (fn. 10) and of Glastonbury abbey in 1512. (fn. 11) Between 1338 and 1578 the main holding there was held of Chilton Trivet manor. (fn. 12)

Ansketil son of Herbert held land at Steyning in the early 12th century. (fn. 13) He was followed in turn by his son William of Eston (d. by 1166), by William's son Osbert (d. by 1181), and by Osbert's son William of Eston. (fn. 14) By 1200 the Estons had disposed of their land, partly to Stogursey church and partly to William of Steyning. William was succeeded by his son Roger de Solers. About 1200 the abbot of Lonlay (Orne), the appropriator of Stogursey church, confirmed to Roger the house and land once held by Ansketil son of Herbert. (fn. 15) Lonlay's cell Stogursey priory in 1284-5 held what was called Steynings Place, (fn. 16) probably let to the family called Steyning. (fn. 17)

Roger de Solers was probably followed by William of Steyning (fl. 1260). (fn. 18) John of Steyning died c. 1338, (fn. 19) having settled Steyning in 1300, subject to his own life interest, on Maud, daughter of Warin Ralegh. (fn. 20) In 1340 Maud's son Henry Furneaux conveyed it to his brother (Sir) Simon whose daughter and heir Elizabeth, wife of John Blount, held it in 1386. (fn. 21) After the death of Elizabeth's daughter Alice, wife of Richard Stury, without children in 1414 the whole Furneaux inheritance became subject to division between the heirs of Sir Simon Furneaux. Steyning seems to have been the share of the heirs of his sister Margaret, and to have passed in 1421 to John Roynon. (fn. 22) William Roynon (d. 1512) was succeeded by his grandson Thomas Roynon, who in 1545 sold the estate to the lessee William Poole. (fn. 23)

Poole (d. 1550) settled Steyning on himself and his wife Alice (d. 1562). Their daughter Joan (d. 1570) was followed by her son John Burland (d. 1604) (fn. 24) from whom Steyning passed in the direct male line to John (d. 1648), John (d. 1649), John (a minor in 1649, d. 1713), John (d. 1746), Sir John (d. 1776), and John Berkeley Burland (d. s.p. 1804). The next heir was John Burland Harris, infant great-grandson of John Burland (d. 1746) who in 1835 took the additional surname Burland (fn. 25) and died in 1871. His heir was his son William (d. 1890) whose son John Burland Harris-Burland offered the estate for sale in 1897. (fn. 26) Part was bought by Sir Alexander Acland-Hood in 1904. (fn. 27)

Roger de Solers had a house at Steyning c. 1200 (fn. 28) and there was a chief messuage in 1338. (fn. 29) Steyning Manor is a small, earlier 17th-century building with a double-pile plan, a gabled south elevation of three bays with mullioned and transomed windows, and a central porch. Many original fittings survive including panelling and richly ornamented plasterwork in the southeastern room on the ground floor. At the back is a detached earlier house with a three-roomed plan which has a cross passage and a projecting newel stair.

In 1301 Henry and Walter Everard held land of the lords of Stogursey, (fn. 30) whose lordship of West Wall or WALLSEND was recorded until 1614. (fn. 31) That land might have been at Wildmarsh where the Hatherick family had an estate in 1318 part of which was held by Henry Everard. (fn. 32) In 1423 John Everard settled land in Westwall on his son John. (fn. 33) By the later 15th century there were three estates at Wallsend. One, later known as Wallhouse and Kilwall, descended in the Everard family until the later 18th century and was subsequently divided and sold. (fn. 34) A second estate, sometimes known as Curwell's Place after its 15th-century owners, belonged to the Lyte family in the 16th century (fn. 35) but from 1622 probably descended with Durborough Dodington manor. (fn. 36) Another estate at Wallsend, possibly traceable to a holding of John Pokeswell in 1472 and of Humphrey Colles (d. 1570), was held by John Day in 1614. (fn. 37) Day died in 1654 and was followed by his son John (d. 1668) and his grandson, also John Day. The estate then descended like Wyndeats manor until 1761 when it was divided. (fn. 38)

Footnotes

  • 1. Proc. Som. Arch. Soc. lxvi. 113; Tax. Eccl. (Rec. Com.), 204; S.R.S. xi, p. 337; Dugdale, Mon. vi. 386; Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), i. 219; W. Suff. R.O. 449/E3/15.53/2.5-6.
  • 2. L. & P. Hen. VIII, xviii (1), p. 197. A grant of 1544 to Sir William Stourton probably did not take effect: ibid. xix (1), p. 40; P.R.O., WARD 7/13, no. 32; Eton Coll. Rec. 6/203.
  • 3. S.R.O., DD/WO 5/3; DD/AH 3/3, 21/4.
  • 4. Deeds in possession of Mr. & Mrs. Hill, Farm, Fiddington.
  • 5. Ibid.; S.R.O., DD/AH 29/14.
  • 6. Deeds in possession of Mr. & Mrs. Hill.
  • 7. S.R.O., DD/WO 5/3.
  • 8. S.R.S. xxvi. 62.
  • 9. V.C.H. Som. i. 486; above, Spaxton, manors (Stockland Lovel).
  • 10. S.R.S. vi. 25, 311.
  • 11. P.R.O., C 142/27, no. 101.
  • 12. S.R.S. lvii, p. 30; S.R.O., D/B/bw Steyning MSS. 12.
  • 13. S.R.S. lxi, pp. 1, 8, 44-5.
  • 14. Red Bk. Exch. (Rolls Ser.), i. 227; Bradenstoke Cart. (Wilts. Rec. Soc.), 192.
  • 15. S.R.S. lvii, pp. 25-6; lxi, pp. 27-9; below, church.
  • 16. Eton Coll. Rec. 6/152.
  • 17. S.R.O., D/B/bw Steyning MSS. 12.
  • 18. S.R.S. lxi, p. 38.
  • 19. Ibid. lvii, p. 33.
  • 20. Ibid. vi. 311.
  • 21. Ibid. lvii, pp. 31, 33; S.D.N.Q. xvi. 281-2.
  • 22. S.D.N.Q. xvi. 281, 283.
  • 23. S.R.O., D/B/bw Steyning MSS. 12.
  • 24. Ibid,; D/P/stogs 2/1/1.
  • 25. S.D.N.Q. iii. 268-9.; S.R.O., D/B/bw Steyning MSS. 14; DD/DK 1; DD/GJ 2.
  • 26. S.D.N.Q. iii. 268-9; S.R.O., DD/SAS (C/2401) 64.
  • 27. S.R.O., DD/AH 28/7.
  • 28. S.R.S. lxi, pp. 27-8.
  • 29. Ibid. lvii, p. 30.
  • 30. Cal. Inq. p.m. iv, p. 34.
  • 31. S.R.O., DD/X/WI 34.
  • 32. B.L. Add. Ch. 26760-1.
  • 33. S.R.O., trans. file 2/62.
  • 34. Burke, Land. Gent. (1914), 626; S.R.O., DD/X/WI 34; ibid. Q/REl 7/8D; ibid. tithe award.
  • 35. S.R.O., DD/X/LY 3; DD/S/WH 9.
  • 36. Ibid. DD/S/WH 8; DD/AH 35/32; above, manors (Durborough).
  • 37. Deeds in possession of Mr. & Mrs. Hill, Farm, Fiddington.
  • 38. S.R.O., DD/AH 28/1; S.R.S. lxvii, p. 102.