10 Jul Lordship Title of Herefords ID1133
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Elias Taillebois, who presented the advowson of Wrestlingworth to Newnham Priory in the beginning of the thirteenth century, appears as the earliest holder of the manor. On his death before 1231 it passed to his daughter Cicely, wife of Imbert de Hereford, from whom the manor derived its distinctive name. The Herefords continued to hold in Wrestlingworth for upwards of a hundred years, for in 1316 Robert de Hereford was rendering feudal service in Wrestlingworth. His son John acquired further property in Wrestlingworth through his uncle Alexander de Crokedayke (whose sister Juliana had married Robert de Hereford), who in 1310 died seised of land here which went first to his nephew John de Crokedayke, and at his death in 1322 to John 'son of Robert, son of Roger de Hereford' called also John de Toweslonde. He died in 1341, and the inquisition taken at his death gives, in addition to the land hitherto held as of Cockayne Hatley, a messuage and 60 acres of land held of William Latimer. He left a son Reginald—who died without issue—and a daughter Eleanor. She married twice, first John de Raghton, by whom she had a son Oliver, and secondly John Brown, and died in 1407, her heir being her grandson John de Raghton. He, on his death in 1417, was succeeded by his aunt Katherine Asplion, granddaughter of Eleanor Brown. She died in 1437 and the manor passed to her daughter Katherine, wife of Sir Thomas Manningham. Sir John Manningham their son was attainted in 1474, and his estates were temporarily granted to Anthony Gray, kinsman of Edward IV, but the attainder was reversed in the following year, and John Manningham allowed free entry into all his possessions, and he accordingly is found in possession of this manor at his death in 1499. He left a son William then aged forty to succeed him, and a gap here occurs in the descent of this manor which next appears in 1583 as the property of Lord St. John of Bletsoe, who in 1593 alienated Wrestlingworth manor to Thomas Hewett, who in 1600 transferred it to John Harris and Mary his wife, and they and their descendants continued to hold until towards the end of the century. John Harris, who died before 1670, had three daughters, each of whom took one third of the manor as her portion. Of these daughters Rebecca became the wife of Richard Gilman, Elizabeth of John Catlin, and Sarah of John Hill. The thirds of the manor thus divided were re-united and became the possession of Sir George Downing who acquired two parts by fine from Richard Gilman and John Hill and their wives in 1678, and the remaining third in 1717 from William Wightman, who had become possessed of John Catlin's share in 1707. From Sir George Downing, who died in 1749, this property passed to his cousin and heir at law Sir Jacob Downing, who on his death in 1764 left part of his estate in Wrestlingworth towards the endowment of Downing College, Cambridge. Two thirds of this manor appear to have been devoted to this purpose. The other third followed the same descent as Kendals (q.v.) and passed to Jacob John Whittington. In 1838 Thomas Ryder conveyed it to Mr. Washington and Mr. Humphreys, and in 1885 it was transferred to Mr. H. F. Cust of Cockayne Hatley, and was sold with that estate to Mr. Lomax in 1903.
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Listed in the Domesday Book:
No