Lordship Title of Flitwick (Crown) ID1106

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The earliest tenant of Flitwick appears to have been Philip de Sanvill, who before the reign of Richard I made large grants of land in Flitwick to Dunstable Priory. His son Gilbert confirmed these gifts and was succeeded by his daughter Osmunda, who married William son of Fulcher. Their daughter Amabel and her husband David Rufus de Flitwick bestowed lands here on Warden Abbey. David died in 1247 and was succeeded by David de Flitwick, living in 1256. The estate then descended to Adam de Flitwick, who held it in 1284, and was succeeded by David de Flitwick, who in 1305 received a grant of free warren. The manor was settled on his son David, who died in 1353, leaving a widow Joan, who obtained seisin in 1355, but it reverted to David, the father, who died before 1370, leaving a daughter and heir Eleanor, the wife of John Goderiche. By them Flitwick Manor was conveyed to Sir John de Clynton and his wife for their lives with reversion to themselves, but in 1381 John and Eleanor sold their reversion to Ralph Crophill and his heirs. John had no issue by Eleanor, but by his first wife he had three sons, John, William and Robert, of whom the eldest had a daughter and heir Eleanor wife of John Durrant. Their son John Durrant claimed the manor in 1423 by right of his mother, but was not able to enforce his claim against John Howard, John Hare and John Markham, the trustees for Robert, youngest son of John Goderiche the elder, who claimed Flitwick by the gift of his father in spite of the sale to Ralph Crophill. The manor was held by the trustees till 1429, when they alienated it to John Cornwall Lord Fanhope, who afterwards obtained Ampthill Manor and died seised of both in 1443. From this date until its annexation to the honour of Ampthill in 1542 Flitwick follows the same descent as the manor of Ampthill (q.v.). In 1617 Sir Francis Bacon, kt., and others obtained a lease of the manor for ninety-nine years, the interest in which they transferred in 1628 to William Williams and others. The reversion of Flitwick was bestowed in 1628 on Edward Ditchfield and John Highlord, trustees for the city of London, by whom the estate was doubtless sold in small portions and the manorial rights thus dispersed, for nothing further is heard of this property.
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