St. Michaelchurch: Manor and other estates

MANOR AND OTHER ESTATES.

The manor of MICHAELCHURCH was held of the honor of Trowbridge, later part of the Duchy of Lancaster, by 1324 and until 1604 or later. (fn. 1)

In 1066 Alwi held Michaelchurch and in 1086 it was held by Ansger the cook, holding by serjeanty. (fn. 2) It had come into the possession of the Erleigh family by the 13th century, (fn. 3) and continued to be held by them until 1373 or later with North Petherton. (fn. 4) In 1377-8 the manor was settled by trustees on William Cheddar of Bristol, (fn. 5) and in 1380 he gave it to Robert Cheddar, possibly his brother, and to Robert's wife Joan. (fn. 6) Joan and her second husband Sir Thomas Brooke held the manor in 1409. (fn. 7) After Sir Thomas's death in 1418 Joan continued to hold the manor, (fn. 8) probably until 1425 when their son Thomas conveyed it to John Seymour (d. 1438) and Elizabeth his wife. (fn. 9) Elizabeth survived her husband and died in 1457 in possession; the manor passed to her son Sir Thomas Seymour. (fn. 10) Michaelchurch descended like Durston until 1799 when Henry Seymour and his son, also Henry, conveyed it to John Slade of Maunsel in North Petherton. By then the estate had shrunk to 26 a. in the parish from 125 a. or more in several parishes in the 14th and 15th centuries. (fn. 11) The manor descended with Maunsel; (fn. 12) no capital messuage has been traced.

A small estate called Ellerhaye belonged to Newton Plecy chantry from the later 13th century. (fn. 13) A cottage and land called Hamwood were added later and in 1549 the holding was granted with other chantry lands to John Hulson and William Pendred of London. (fn. 14) The estate descended with the Bluets' manor of North Petherton to the Slade family. (fn. 15)

By 1338 Buckland priory, Durston, had probably appropriated the 'little church'. (fn. 16) The rectory of Buckland alias Michaelchurch was granted to William Parr, earl of Essex, (Sir) Edward Rogers, and others in 1544. (fn. 17) In 1554 Rogers was in sole possession. (fn. 18) He died in 1567 and was followed in turn by his son Sir George (d. 1582), Sir George's son Edward (d. 1627), and Edward's son Sir Francis Rogers (d. 1638). Hugh Rogers, son of Sir Francis, was a minor in 1638. (fn. 19) No later reference to the rectory has been found, but by the mid 18th century the tithes belonged to the incumbent. (fn. 20)

Henry of Erleigh (d. 1272) gave a house and lands in St. Michaelchurch, later known as Rawlin's Cross, (fn. 21) and other land in the parish to Philip Maunsel and another small estate to John Wyter. (fn. 22) The Maunsels' estate lay probably north of Maunsel House on the eastern side of the parish and descended with the manor of Maunsel in North Petherton. (fn. 23) In 1417 Richard Maunsel acquired the land which had been John Wyter's. (fn. 24)