Chedzoy: Manor and 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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'Chedzoy: Manor and 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. 246-247. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/pp246-247 [accessed 24 March 2024]

MANOR AND OTHER ESTATES.

Chedzoy was a member of the royal manor of North Petherton in the 12th century, and Henry I granted it to Roger de Mandeville (d. 1130), though possibly only for life. (fn. 1)

Alfred de Pirou apparently held CHEDZOY manor in the 1140s. (fn. 2) Alexander de Pirou married Alice, widow of Richard de Montagu (d. by 1166) and mother of William de Montagu, who was later lord of Chedzoy. In 1195 William de Pirou paid to have possession of his inheritance in Chedzoy, (fn. 3) and was later succeeded by his son Richard who leased his land in Chedzoy to William Brewer. (fn. 4)

Chedzoy manor (from 1485 often called Chedzoy with Cauntelos) (fn. 5) was adjudged to William de Montagu in the court of John as count of Mortain; as king, John allowed William seisin in 1199. (fn. 6) William held the manor in 1212 (fn. 7) but after his rebellion in 1215 he lost possession to William Brewer. (fn. 8) William de Montagu died in 1217, having apparently submitted to Henry III, and custody of the land and of his grandson William de Montagu was given to Alan Basset. (fn. 9) Between 1219 and 1226 Brewer and Basset disputed possession of Chedzoy, Basset securing custody after Brewer's death in 1226. (fn. 10)

William de Montagu paid homage for his lands in 1234, presumably on his coming of age, (fn. 11) and died in 1270 when he was succeeded by his son Simon (d. 1317). (fn. 12) Simon's son William died in 1319 (fn. 13) leaving a widow, Elizabeth (d. 1354), holding dower in Chedzoy, (fn. 14) and a son, also William (cr. earl of Salisbury 1337, d. 1344). William's two thirds passed to his widow Catherine (d. 1349). (fn. 15) On the death of William's son in 1397 the whole manor passed to his widow Elizabeth (d. 1415). (fn. 16) Thomas Montagu, earl of Salisbury, great-nephew of the last William, inherited the manor on Elizabeth's death and died in 1428 when Chedzoy became part of the dower lands of his widow Alice, later countess of Suffolk (d. 1475). An annuity from the manor was paid to Alice (d. 1462), Thomas's daughter and heir and wife of Richard Neville, earl of Salisbury. (fn. 17)

Their granddaughter and coheir Isabel, wife of George Plantagenet, duke of Clarence, inherited Chedzoy in 1475 but died in 1476 leaving an infant son Edward, earl of Warwick. (fn. 18) On his attainder in 1499 the manor was forfeit to the Crown, but his sister Margaret, widow of Sir Richard Pole, successfully petitioned for restoration in 1513-14 and became countess of Salisbury. Following her execution in 1539 the manor again reverted to the Crown. (fn. 19)

In 1553 the manor was granted to William Herbert, earl of Pembroke (d. 1570), who was succeeded in turn by his son Henry (d. 1601) (fn. 20) and Henry's sons William (d. 1630) and Philip (d. 1650). (fn. 21) Philip Herbert, earl of Pembroke and son of the last, sold the manor in 1652 to Henry Rolle and his son (Sir) Francis. (fn. 22) Sir Francis died c. 1686 leaving the manor in trust for his daughters. Priscilla, Sir Francis's widow, acquired the remaining interest in 1694 and held the manor until her death c. 1708. (fn. 23) She was followed by her brother-in-law, Denzil Onslow (d. 1721), (fn. 24) by his widow Jane (d. by 1747), by Jane's executor Henry Weston (d. by 1771), (fn. 25) and by Henry's executor, Heneage Finch, earl of Aylesford (d. 1777). (fn. 26) In 1775 Jane Henley, countess of Northington, with others, conveyed the manor to William Lawson (fn. 27) possibly in trust for John Dawes, the owner in 1781. (fn. 28) Dawes died c. 1788 leaving his estate to his son John who in 1791 sold the manor to Sir Robert Mackreath. Sir Robert conveyed it in 1802 to Thomas Porter, (fn. 29) on whose death in 1815 Chedzoy passed in turn to his sons William (d. c. 1821) and Henry (d. 1858). In 1860 the estate was ordered to be sold. (fn. 30) The lordship was not recorded later. Many farms were purchased by tenants c. 1861 but most were bought immediately afterwards by Oxford University, the owners in 1988. (fn. 31)

The capital messuage of the manor with garden and dovecot was recorded in 1320 (fn. 32) and a hall, garderobe, and stable were repaired in 1341-2. (fn. 33) In 1344 the house was said to be ruinous. (fn. 34) In 1576 the dovecot was held with a field called Court close, (fn. 35) which may have been near Court Farm, an early 17th-century cob and stone house. (fn. 36) A house called Manor House, later probably Manor Farm, was described as newly built in 1860. It was then occupied by the estate steward and accommodated the owner when visiting the estate. (fn. 37)

By 1350 John de Cauntelo and Isabel his wife held a house and land of Chedzoy manor for their lives. (fn. 38) The capital messuage called Cauntelos probably stood at Slapeland and disappeared between 1537 and 1576. (fn. 39)

Bruton priory had an estate in Chedzoy in 1291 (fn. 40) and 1362, (fn. 41) but in 1485 a messuage and 13 a. were described as formerly belonging to the prior. (fn. 42)

Footnotes

  • 1. Bk. of Fees, i. 84; Rot. Hund. (Rec. Com.), ii. 140; for Roger de Mandeville, Sanders, Eng. Baronies, 42.
  • 2. S.R.S. xxv. 105.
  • 3. Ibid. viii, p. 105; xiv, p. 135; Pipe R. 1195 (P.R.S. N.S. vi), 39, 234.
  • 4. P.R.O., DL 25/200-1.
  • 5. Ibid. SC 6/974/6; Dors. R.O., D 124, box 10, acct. of ctess. of Salisbury 1529-30.
  • 6. Rot. de Ob. et Fin. (Rec. Com.), 8.
  • 7. Bk. of Fees, i. 84.
  • 8. Rot. Litt. Claus. (Rec. Com.), i. 252.
  • 9. Ibid. 313, 336.
  • 10. Cur. Reg. R. viii, p. 29; x, p. 125; xi, pp. 1, 233; xii, pp. 168, 448-9; Rot. Litt. Claus. ii. 160.
  • 11. Ex. e Rot. Fin. (Rec. Com.), i. 257.
  • 12. S.R.S. iii. 10; Complete Peerage, ix. 80-2, where Simon's death is given erroneously as 1316; Cal. Inq. p.m. vi, p. 75; Cal. Fine R. 1307-19, 341.
  • 13. Cal. Chart. R. 1257-1300, 346; Cal. Inq. p.m. vi, p. 142.
  • 14. Cal. Close, 1318-23, 192, 194; Cal. Inq. p.m. x, p. 147.
  • 15. Cal. Close, 1343-6, 307; Cal. Inq. p.m. ix, p. 274.
  • 16. P.R.O., C 136/94, no. 35; Feud. Aids, vi. 505; Cal. Fine R. 1413-22, 94-5; Cal. Inq. Misc. 1399-1422, p. 62.
  • 17. Cal. Close, 1422-9, 422; Cal. Pat. 1422-9, 504; S.R.S. xxii. 189; Complete Peerage, xi. 393-5.
  • 18. Cal. Pat. 1476-85, 522, 528.
  • 19. P.R.O., C 142/28, no. 22; B.L. Harl. Ch. 43 F 8; Cal. Pat. 1553, 169; Complete Peerage, ix. 83; xi. 399-402; xii(2), 394-7.
  • 20. Cal. Pat. 1553, 169; 1555-7, 492; P.R.O., C 142/154, no. 79; C 142/264, no. 181.
  • 21. P.R.O., WARD 7/80, no. 203; Complete Peerage, x. 410-18.
  • 22. P.R.O., CP 25(2)/592/1652 East.
  • 23. S.R.O., DD/S/WH 111; Som. Wills, ed. Brown, 1. 84.
  • 24. Burke, Peerage (1949), 1529; S.R.O., DD/BR/to 2.
  • 25. S.R.O., DD/S/FA 5, 37; DD/S/ST 19/3.
  • 26. Ibid. DD/X/RY 4/2; Burke, Peerage (1949), 104.
  • 27. P.R.O., CP 25(2)/1399/15 Geo. III Mich.
  • 28. S.R.O., Q/REl 29/3.
  • 29. Ibid. D/N/bmc 2/1/2; DD/MY 35.
  • 30. Ibid. D/N/bmc 2/1/2.
  • 31. Ibid. DD/X/HUNT 6; DD/LC 2/12; D/R/bw 15/3/6; D/P/chedz 3/1/2; ibid. C/C 43/1; P.O. Dir. Som. (1861); inf. from Oxford University Chest Estates Office.
  • 32. P.R.O., C 134/65, no. 3.
  • 33. B.L. Add. Ch. 16125.
  • 34. P.R.O., C 135/75, no. 2.
  • 35. Pembroke Survey, ed. Straton, ii. 456.
  • 36. S.R.O., DD/V/BWr 8.2.
  • 37. Ibid. DD/FD 18.
  • 38. B.L. Add. Ch. 16129.
  • 39. P.R.O., SC 6/Hen. VIII/3043; Pembroke Survey, ed. Straton, ii. 442 sqq.
  • 40. Tax. Eccl. (Rec. Com.), 198.
  • 41. B.L. Add. Ch. 16015.
  • 42. P.R.O., SC 6/974/6.