10 Jul Lordship Title of Beansheaf ID1369
Posted at 20:03h
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The so-called manor of BEANSHEAF, now in the parish of Theale, was held under the Abbot of Reading by fealty, and after the Dissolution under the manor of Tilehurst in free socage. The rent in 1514–15 was £1 9s. 8d., and the tenant paid 12d. a year to the abbot apparently to be quit of suit of court. It took its name from a family living in Tilehurst in the 13th century. Robert Beansheaf and his wife Joan held a messuage and 1 carucate of land in Tilehurst, for their lives, of John de Drokenesford, clerk, with reversion to John and his heirs. In 1316 John Beansheaf granted land in Tilehurst to John Stonor, who was already a tenant of other land in the parish. Whether this grant included the whole of the Beansheafs' holding does not appear, but their name is not found again amongst the tenants at Tilehurst. John Stonor, chief justice of the Common Pleas, died in 1354 seised of one messuage and 1 carucate of land held of the Abbot of Reading. He was succeeded by his son John, who died in 1361 also seised of land in Tilehurst, but the name of Beansheaf is not given to their property until 1390, when Ralf Stonor granted the manor of Beansheaf to William Sutton of Campden, and John Frank, clerk. The latter afterwards released his right in the manor to Ralf, and the Stonors held the manor throughout the 15th century. Sir William Stonor, son of Thomas, died seised of Beansheaf in 1494, and it passed to his son John, who died leaving no children. The manor passed to his sister Anne the wife of Sir Adrian Fortescue. Part of the Stonor inheritance passed to a younger branch of the family, represented by Sir Walter Stonor, and there appears to have been some difficulty in settling the respective rights of Sir Adrian Fortescue and of this younger branch in Sir William's estates. Beansheaf Manor, however, was retained by Sir Adrian Fortescue and his wife and was held by a lessee at an annual rent of £7 8s. 4d., and it descended to their daughter and heiress Margaret. She married Sir Thomas Wentworth, who was created a baron in 1529. Their son and heir Thomas second Lord Wentworth succeeded his father in 1551 and sold the manor in 1562 to John Bolney and Ambrose Dormer; from them it seems to have passed to the Vachell family, who had been settled in Tilehurst parish certainly since the 13th century. Thomas Vachell died seised of Beansheaf in 1610 and was succeeded by his nephew Sir Thomas Vachell, kt. At the present day Beansheaf Farm belongs to Mr. H. B. Blagrave.
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Listed in the Domesday Book:
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