10 Jul Lordship Title of Colmworth ID1063
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Colmworth in 1086 was a 10-hide manor, which was divided into two parts: 5 hides were held by Hugh de Beauchamp himself, and were called by the name of Chainhalle, which has been identified with Channel's End. It was held in the time of King Edward by Aschil, a king's thegn. No further mention of it is found as distinct from the other part of the manor, which was also 5 hides, and was held in 1086 by Wimund de Taissel, and in the time of the Confessor by the same Aschil. Subsequent references to the manor of Colmworth, therefore, refer to both parts of the original manor, which appear to have coalesced early. The manor which Wimund de Taissel held in 1086 was possibly held by a descendant, for a certain 'Roger son of Wimund' held lands in Bedfordshire in 1167. Early in the next century Robert de Taisso was witness to a grant of land in Colmworth, so that it is possible that the Oyldebœufs, who are the next family to hold the property, acquired it from Robert. William Oyldebœuf alienated lands in this parish to Walter, another member of his family, in 1218–19. Ralf brother of William de Oyldebœuf was in possession in 1261. In 1275–6 Richard de Oyldebœuf was a large landowner in Colmworth, who was accused at this date of obstructing a road called Smithewell streete in this vill. About this time the manor again became divided into two parts. One portion of it went to the Braybrookes and the other to the Longuevilles, members of these two families marrying in all probability two daughters of Walter de Oyldebœuf. Sir John Braybrooke and Joan his wife, 'the heirs of the Weldebœufs,' held a moiety of the Colmworth property in 1283. Joan, seised of the property in 1302, left it to her son Gerard de Braybrooke, who held Colmworth vill in 1316, together with Peter de Saltmers, who represented the Longueville moiety. By 1324 Gerard's son and namesake had inherited the property and was holding the manor in 1330–1, and received a grant of free warren in 1333. This Gerard ('son of Gerard') was still holding in 1346 and 1350, but in the same year Sir Gerard de Braybrooke, his son, had inherited the moiety of the manor. The last named Sir Gerard died in 1359, when his wife Mabel received the issues from the family property. It was at his death that the other portion of the Oyldebœufs' manor became joined again to the Braybrooke property by the marriage of Margaret daughter and heir of John de Longueville and Margaret, the other daughter of Walter de Oyldeœuf, with his son and heir Gerard de Braybrooke. The latter's son inherited Colmworth Manor, but died in 1389. The Braybrookes continued to hold this property until the death of Gerard Braybrooke in 1422, when it passed to Elizabeth, his daughter and co-heir, who had married Sir William Beauchamp some time previous to 1426. Sir William was created Lord St. Amand in 1448 in right of his wife, who was granddaughter of Almaric Lord St. Amand, and both were seised of the manor in 1429 and 1437–8. He died in 1457, and his wife Elizabeth married for her second husband Sir Roger Tocotes, who died seised of the manor in 1492. The manor with the advowson at this time was valued at 40 marks. Elizabeth died in 1491, when the manor passed to her son Richard Beauchamp Lord St. Amand, who held it till his death in 1508. His heir was then declared to be Thomas Brooke, son and heir of his cousin John Lord Cobham, and he held the manor in 1528. Thomas Brooke died in 1529, and was succeeded by his son George Lord Cobham, who held the manor till 1541. His son William Lord Cobham in 1565 alienated the manor to William Tocke or Tooke, who transferred it in 1567 to Sir James Dyer, Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. By 1603 the latter's grandnephew, Sir Richard Dyer, a gentleman of the Privy Chamber to James I, had inherited the property, and upon his death two years later his son, Sir William, became seised of the manor. He made a settlement by fine in 1609 and died in 1621. His heir was his eldest son Lodowick, who was created baronet 8 June 1627 and made various settlements in 1653 and 1659. By 1667 he had left the county, having sold his estates to Richard Hillersdon, from whom Colmworth passed to Thomas Hillersdon, who in 1678 was seised of the manor, and died in the following year, when his son William, who was sheriff for Bedfordshire in 1700, succeeded him. In 1725 the manor passed by the marriage of Elizabeth Hillersdon to Dennis Farrer to the latter's family. Dennis Farrer, son of Dennis and Elizabeth Farrer, in 1741 alienated Colmworth Manor by fine to Francis Astry, D.D. The family of Astry came into Bedfordshire in the early 16th century, Dr. Francis Astry being the last male representative of his line. He was in possession in 1743, and in 1758, together with Richard Ray, senior, and Richard Ray, junior, he made a settlement of the Colmworth Manor. According to Lysons the Rays held the manor till 1797, when it was purchased by the Rev. Leonard Towne. In 1834 the trustees of Sarah Eliza Norris, widow, who was possibly a daughter of Mr. Towne, were lords of the manor under the latter's will. By 1847 Mrs. Norris was lady of the manor in her own right, and still held it in 1854. The lordship of the manor remains in her family to the present day.
Other Information:
Listed in the Domesday Book:
Yes