10 Jul Lordship Title of Avington ID1357
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The manor of AVINGTON, which had been held by Gunnere of King Edward the Confessor, was in 1086 in the hands of Richard Puingiant, but by, 1166–7 it had passed to Richard de Camville, the founder of Combe Abbey, who was still holding it in the following year. He died at the siege of Acre in 1191, when he was succeeded in this manor by his eldest son Gerard. Gerard de Camville held the manor between 1195 and 1208, when he sued the Prioress of Amesbury, who held the adjoining manor of Kintbury, about a pasture here called Thorndon or Torindon. He was constable of Lincoln Castle and Sheriff of Lincolnshire, and married Nichola daughter and co-heiress of Richard de la Haye, constable of Normandy. He died before 1214 and was succeeded by his son Richard, who married Eustacia daughter of Gilbert Basset, lord of Bicester. Richard was succeeded before 1226 by his daughter Idonea, who should have been in the custody of the king, but was actually in the custody of William Longespee Earl of Salisbury, whose eldest son William married her in 1226, when she was about sixteen years of age. William Longespee the younger (sometimes styled, though never actually Earl of Salisbury), with his wife Idonea was holding the manor in 1239, when he enfeoffed his brother Richard, with reversion to the heirs of Idonea should Richard die childless. This Richard became a canon of Salisbury and died before 1275, by which date the manor had reverted to Henry de Lacy Earl of Lincoln, who had married Margaret the only child of Idonea's son William. Henry de Lacy received a grant of free warren here in 1294, though he seems to have exercised this right as early as 1275, and he died on 5 February 1311, a few months after the death of his wife, which took place 22 November 1310. Their only child Alice was married about 20 October 1294 to Thomas Earl of Lancaster, who enfeoffed Emmeline de Longespee of the manor for life in May 1314. Emmeline was daughter and co-heir of Sir Stephen the third son of the Earl of Salisbury. She married Maurice Fitz Maurice, fourth Lord Offaly, Lord Justice of Ireland in 1272–3, and after the death of her husband without issue in 1277 seems always to have been known by her maiden name. On 4 July 1323 she was disseised by Hugh le Despenser Earl of Winchester, after whose attainder she petitioned the king in 1327 for restitution and obtained the manor again. She died childless at Whitsuntide 1331. After the attainder and forfeiture of the Earl of Lancaster his widow Alice obtained from the king a grant of the reversion of the manor in 1322. She soon afterwards married Eubold le Strange, son of John lord of Knockin. In 1331, soon after the death of Emmeline, Eubold and Alice settled the manor on themselves with remainder to the right heirs of Eubold, and in 1335 Eubold died childless, after which the manor was held by his widow, who within a year had been married to Hugh de Frene. Hugh died in 1336 and the manor remained in the hands of his widow until her death, 2 October 1348, when it passed, under the settlement of 1331, to the kinsman and heir of Eubold, namely, to Roger le Strange, second but eldest surviving son of his halfbrother John le Strange. Roger died 29 July 1349, when the manor passed to his eldest son Roger le Strange, who settled the manor in May 1372 on his son John and Maud his wife, third daughter and co-heir of John de Mohun Lord Mohun of Dunster. Roger died 26 August 1381 and John, his successor, at the end of July 1397, and under the terms of the settlement of 1372 Avington was held by his widow until her death on 20 September 1400. The manor then passed to their son Richard le Strange, who sold it in 1405 to William Coventre and others. William Coventre, described as of Denford, a township in the adjoining parish of Kintbury (q.v.), was holding in 1428, but died before 1450 when the manor was settled on his son Robert. The manor passed to Robert's daughter Alice, the wife of Richard Choke, who was the second son of Sir Richard Choke, kt., of Long Ashton, Somerset. After Alice's death Richard married again, and when he died, 27 October 1493, his widow Margaret took possession of the profits of the manor, his son John being then a little over eleven years of age. John eventually married Agnes daughter of Thomas Newborough, on whom he settled the manor in 1507. He made a further settlement in 1543 in favour of his eldest son Francis who succeeded at his death, 14 July 1547. Francis married about 1543 Catherine daughter of Sir Edward Darrell of Littlecote, and in 1550 he and his wife settled the manor on themselves and the heirs of Francis. Francis died childless in 1562 and his brother John then entered on the manor, but was soon after sued for it by Francis's executor and cousin Richard son of Alexander Choke of Westbury (co. Somerset). John claimed that it had been left to him and a son of his called Francis, but the elder Francis had left debts, the payment of which presumably swallowed up his property, for Avington passed to his executor. Richard Choke had married as his first wife Elizabeth daughter of William Boulting of Sutton, Somerset, and with her agreed in 1566 to settle the manor on their son Alexander and Joan daughter of Thomas Webb, both infants, if they should marry. This marriage took place at St. Mary-le-Bow, in London, 21 June 1574, when a fresh settlement was made on Alexander and Joan and their heirs male with remainder in default to his nephew Alexander, the son of his brother Francis. The elder Alexander was living at Avington in November 1599, when he addressed a letter from that place to the Earl of Hertford concerning a scandalous book published by a Spanish friar. He died childless 29 July 1607, when the manor passed under settlement to his widow, who married as her second husband Sir Gabriel Dowse. In 1624 the younger Alexander, who had already been knighted, placed the reversion of the manor in settlement on his wife Mary. Lady Dowse was still living at this time, and seems to have continued at Avington, from which her husband addressed a letter, 6 November 1630, discussing the riots at Newbury. Sir Alexander Choke died childless 5 February 1625, when the reversion passed under the settlement of 1624 to his widow Mary. How long Mary survived is uncertain; possibly she outlived Sir Alexander's brother and heir William, who was fifty years of age in 1625, and was succeeded by another Francis Choke, who was holding the manor in 1633, and may have been a son of William. With his wife Eleanor he placed it in settlement in 1635 in favour of his son Francis on the occasion of the latter's marriage. Francis the elder died at Shalbourne, 1 May 1640, when the manor passed under the settlement, subject to the life interest of his widow Eleanor, to his son Francis, then of age, who in 1635 married Anne daughter of Sir Gabriel Low of Newark. He was knighted in 1643, and after fresh settlements in 1646 and 1650 died in 1653, when the manor presumably passed to his eldest son Francis, then an infant. Francis was twenty-two years of age in 1664, and must have died shortly afterwards without leaving issue, for in 1671 his brother Alexander was dealing with the manor which he, with his wife Anne, sold in 1673 to Sir William Jones, attorneygeneral to Charles II. The purchaser died in May 1682, when the manor passed to his son Richard, who, however, died in April 1685, at the age of seventeen. The manor seems then to have passed to Sir William's younger brother Samuel, who died in May 1686, aged forty-seven, leaving two sons and a daughter, and the manor was held by his widow Mary for his elder son Richard, then an infant. Richard was holding the manor in 1699 and presented to the living in 1724; he seems to have died childless, and to have been succeeded by his brother William, who by his will dated 8 June 1753 bequeathed the manor of Avington to his daughters Elizabeth, who is described as lady of the manor in 1766, and Mary Eleanor. Elizabeth married in 1767 William Langham, who took the name of Jones. In 1772 she with her sister, then the wife of Francis Burdett, conveyed the manor to Sir James Langham for ninety-nine years after the death of Elizabeth in trust for William Jones and in the meantime to their own use equally in common. William was created a baronet in 1774 and died in 1791; Elizabeth survived him and died childless about 1800, when the estate passed to Mary Eleanor's elder son Francis Burdett. This Francis, who at first took the name of Jones, succeeded his grandfather Sir Robert Burdett as fifth baronet and is usually known by his original surname. He married Sophia daughter of Thomas Coutts of the Strand, and died 23 January 1844, when he was succeeded by his only son Sir Robert Burdett, the sixth baronet, who died unmarried 7 January 1880. The manor and title then passed to his cousin Francis, son of William Jones Burdett of Copt Hall, Twickenham. Francis, the seventh baronet, who was born 23 March 1813 and served in the 17th Lancers, was twice married and died 31 May 1892, when the manor passed to his eldest son Francis. Sir Francis Burdett, eighth baronet, was born in 1869, and sold the land in Avington 10 October 1896 to Mr. Humphrey Walmesley, but retained the manor, of which he is the present owner. In 1275–6 the Earl of Lincoln had gallows here and assize of bread and ale four dovecots are mentioned in 1607, and free warren, courts leet, courts baron and view of frankpledge in 1699 and 1800. In 1086 there was a mill here worth 10s. and in 1607 four mills are mentioned. Three watermills are referred to in 1633, 1640, 1699, and 1800. A free fishery in the River Kennet is mentioned in 1550, 1594, 1607, 1633, 1635, 1640 and 1800.
Other Information:
Listed in the Domesday Book:
Yes