10 Jul Lordship Title of Kempston Brucebury or Draytons or St Johns ID1155
Posted at 20:01h
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Isabel, the second sister of John le Scot, married Robert Bruce, from whom her share of the manor acquired the name of BRUCEBURY MANOR, afterwards DRAYTONS. Robert Bruce was succeeded in 1245 by his son Robert, one of the claimants to the Scottish throne, who enfeoffed his son Richard of the manor of Kempston. The latter, who subinfeudated William de Goyz of land in Kempston in 1276, died without issue in 1287, and the manor reverted to his father Robert, who died in 1295, leaving a widow Christiana, to whom Kempston was assigned in dower, and a son and heir Robert, who lived till 1304. He was succeeded by his son, that Robert who was crowned King of Scotland in 1306 in defiance of Edward I, for which act his lands were confiscated by that monarch, and Kempston was bestowed on Roger de Wellesworth in 1307 to hold for life. After the latter's death the manor was obtained by James de Audele in 1316, on which occasion Eleanor wife of Richard le Waleys and widow of that Robert Bruce who died in 1304 brought forward a claim for dower. James de Audele died some time about 1334, when Edward III gave a life-grant of Kempston to William Trussel, but in 1338 the latter was empowered to hold the manor to himself and his heirs, and at his death some time before 1383 it passed to his daughter and heir Margaret wife of Sir Fulk Pembridge, who obtained royal licence in that year to grant it in fee simple to Sir Hugh de Segrave. The latter, who had served the offices of Treasurer and Chancellor of England, enfeoffed trustees of the manor during his lifetime, and on his death in 1387 it was conveyed by them to Nicholas Drayton, whose son John died seised of it in 1417, leaving two daughters and co-heirs Joan and Elizabeth, whom their mother Isabel retained in her custody 'to the damage of the king.' A division of the manor here occurs, and that moiety obtained by Joan was carried in marriage to Drew Barantyn, by whom it was settled in 1430 on himself, his wife and her heirs. Drew died in 1453, when it passed to their son John, then a minor, who brought an action against one of the trustees for refusing to deliver up the estate. By his will dated 28 June 1474 he left his manors in Bedfordshire and other counties to his wife Elizabeth, and dying in the same year was succeeded by his son John. Kempston seems to have been alienated shortly afterwards to John Vavasour, a justice of the King's Bench, who in 1500 conveyed the reversion of the manor to John Fisher, justice of Common Pleas, lord of Clifton Manor (q.v.), with which it passed through his great-granddaughter to the St. John family, from whom it acquired the additional name of ST. JOHNS. It was purchased of the St. Johns before 1593 by Thomas Snagge, Speaker of the House of Commons and lord of Kempston Daubeney Manor, with which it has been held ever since, the two manors becoming amalgamated during the 19th century. Mrs. Charles Williamson is the present lady of the manor.
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Listed in the Domesday Book:
No