10 Jul Lordship Title of Biddenham or Newnham ID1022
Posted at 20:00h
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At the Survey of 1086 the canons of St. Paul's, Bedford, held in all 4 virgates in Biddenham, which later became known as BIDDENHAM or NEWNHAM MANOR. Of this property 3 virgates were held by Osmund the Canon and 1 by Ansfrid. Of Osmund's share 1 virgate had previously been held by Leviet the priest, and 2 virgates had been granted to the Church by Ralph Taillebois: Ansfrid's virgate, formerly the property of Marwen, had been similarly granted. In 1166 these secular canons were succeeded by the Augustinian priory of Newnham, founded by Simon de Beauchamp, a transference of all their endowments being made at the same time. During the 12th and 13th centuries various additional grants were made by the Beauchamps and Passelowes to Newnham, whose property in Biddenham was valued at £3 in the Taxatio of 1291. In 1386–7 the priory obtained a charter of free warren in their demesne lands of Biddenham. At the Dissolution the temporalities of Newnham in this parish were valued at £9 8s. 8d., (fn. 27) and were granted in 1540 to John Gostwick, who in the same year sold them to William Boteler and Anne his wife. The family of Butler appears to have been long resident in this parish, the name of Thomas Boteler of Biddenham occurring in a charter dated 1313, whilst towards the end of the 14th century Thomas Boteler of Biddenham, a branch of the same family, acquired, by his marriage with Grace daughter and heir of Alan de Kirton, Kirtons, a 'capital messuage' in Biddenham, which became the residence of the family for several generations. William Boteler, who acquired Biddenham Manor, as it is henceforward called, died in 1554–5, when his son William succeeded to the estate, on whose death in 1601 the manor passed to his son Thomas Boteler. He was knighted by James I, and died in 1625, leaving five sons and three daughters, of whom William Boteler, the eldest son, acquired this manor. He died in 1671, and appears to have left three daughters as co-heirs. Of these daughters, reference has been found to the shares of Helen wife of Sir Pynsent Chernock and Mary wife of William Farrer, and the former in 1708 and again in 1709 conveyed her third of Biddenham by fine to William Farrer. In 1735 Thomas Russell owned one-third of this manor, and two years later another portion was held by William Townsend and his wife. Between this date and 1758 the whole property, including the advowson, appears to have been transferred to Robert Lord Trevor, who owned the larger manor here, and it is henceforward to be found attached to what is known as the Bromham estate.
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Listed in the Domesday Book:
No