10 Jul Lordship Title of Billingbear ID1381
Posted at 20:03h
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Sir Henry Neville, who in 1552 obtained the grant of the manors of Wargrave, Waltham St. Lawrence and Warfield with their dependent manors, settled at BILLINGBEAR (Pillingbere) in Waltham St. Lawrence. This place is first mentioned in the 13th century and later is often called the manor of Billingbear. The Bishops of Winchester, some time during the 13th century, inclosed a large piece of the forest of Windsor, lying mainly in the extreme south of Waltham St. Lawrence parish, but extending also into Binfield parish. The hedge of Billingbear is mentioned in 1208, in the time of Bishop Peter des Roches. Some years later, however, the inclosure was attributed to Aymer de Lusignan (or Valence), who held the see for six months in 1260, and it was maintained and enlarged by the succeeding bishops. In 1275 this inclosure was said to be to the damage of the king, but in 1284 Billingbear was quitclaimed by the Crown to the bishop. After the manors of Waltham St. Lawrence and Billingbear were forfeited on the attainder of Cardinal Wolsey they remainted with the Crown and were not alienated until Edward VI granted them to Henry Neville, who, however, did not obtain final possession until the reign of Elizabeth. He was knighted in 1549 and sat for Berkshire in three Parliaments. He died in 1593 and was succeeded by his son Sir Henry Neville, a distinguished diplomatist and politician. He was born about 1564. After his father's death he lived at Billingbear, and was at various times member of Parliament. As ambassador to France he negotiated the treaty of Boulogne, but later becoming concerned in Essex's plot in 1600, was imprisoned in the Tower, from which he was not released until the accession of James I. Sir Henry died in 1615, and his son Henry, knighted in 1609, succeeded to his estates. The third Sir Henry Neville died in 1629, leaving his son Richard as his heir. Billingbear, however, had been settled on his wife Elizabeth for her life; she afterwards married Sir John Thorowgood, and lived there until her death in 1669. Richard Neville served with the royal forces in the Civil War and was at Oxford in 1646, but afterwards compounded for his estates under the articles of surrender. He died in 1674, and his estates passed to his son John, who was followed on his death without issue in 1677 by his brother Richard. The latter married Catherine, the only daughter and heir of Lord Grey of Wark, and their second son Henry took the name of Grey. Richard Neville died in 1717 and was followed by his two sons Grey and Henry in succession. The former was the member of Parliament for Abingdon in 1705 and Wallingford in 1708. He died in 1723, and, his only daughter having died in infancy, he was succeeded by his brother Henry, who was apparently in financial difficulties three years after inheriting the family property, and his disappearance and threat of suicide created some sensation in London. He had married Elizabeth, the sister and co-heir of the third Lord Griffin of Braybrooke, and Billingbear was settled on her for life. After the death of Henry Grey in 1740, she married John Earl of Portsmouth, but died childless in 1762. Billingbear then passed to Richard Aldworth, the nephew of Henry Grey, he being the son of Henry's sister Catherine, who had married Richard Aldworth, the impropriator of Wargrave rectory. The new owner of Billingbear took the name of Aldworth-Neville the year he obtained the property. He died in 1793 and was followed by his son Richard AldworthNeville. The latter changed his name to Griffin on succeeding his third cousin as Lord Braybrooke in 1797. Billingbear is now the property of his greatgrandson the seventh Lord Braybrooke.
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Listed in the Domesday Book:
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