10 Jul Lordship Title of Letcombe Bassett ID1542
Posted at 20:05h
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This manor, like many others belonging to Robert Doyley, seems to have passed to the Bassets, Richard Basset being in possession about 1158. It probably formed part of the six fees held of the honour of Wallingford in 1201 by Richard's son Thurstan, who died about 1222, leaving as his heirs six daughters. Of these Isabel married Robert Mauduit, and left a son William, who held the manor in 1231 under a grant from his grandfather. The other five daughters were Joan the wife of Robert de Burnebu, Alice the wife of John le Brun, Egeline the wife of Richard Burdun, Lawrencia the wife of Ralph de Wedon, and Maud the wife of Bartholomew de Rakinton. The first four of these sisters claimed certain shares of the land here, stating that at the time of the alleged grant to their nephew their father Thurstan was suffering from a stroke of paralysis and was unfit to dispose of his property. Maud's name does not occur in this suit, though she seems to be identical with Maud de Hesserugh who was living in 1236; probably, therefore, she had already released her right to William Mauduit, who obtained a quitclaim from Joan and Robert de Burnebu in 1233, and presumably another from Lawrencia de Wedon, as she was not one of the coparceners in 1258, and the holding of the Peverels, who eventually succeeded to Mauduit's share, was afterwards described as one and a third knight's fee, four-sixths of the two fees which formed the original Basset estate. William Mauduit granted his share to his only daughter Isabel on her marriage with William Beauchamp of Elmley in Worcestershire, and William and Isabel gave it with the exception of the advowson of the church in 1249 for a term of years to Isabel de Mortimer. In 1252 they granted two parts of the manor to Alice de Scothot for life. As Isabel's death the manor passed to her son William Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, who granted it for life to William Comyn. The earl died in 1298, leaving as his heir his son Guy. Guy gave this manor for life to Gilbert Popham, and granted it early in 1307 to Walter de Langton, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, who obtained a grant of free warren over his demesne lands here on the same day. The bishop had been treasurer before his consecration, and was the principal adviser of King Edward I during the latter part of that monarch's reign. As soon as Edward II came to the throne Langton was thrown into prison and his lands confiscated. It was not until January 1312 that he was released and John de Beche, who had had custody of this manor, was ordered to restore it. Langton, who was in that year reappointed treasurer, was holding it in 1316, but seems to have granted it shortly afterwards to Giles de Wattisham for life; he died in November 1321, when his heir was his nephew Edmund, son of Robert Peverel, then fifteen years of age. Edmund Peverel lived at Castle Ashby in Northamptonshire, and died in 1331, leaving as his heir his son John, who died in 1349. John's widow Isabel, with her second husband Robert de Bradeston, claimed a third of this manor as her dower in 1350 from Margaret the sister and heir of John, who had married Sir William dela Pole. William de la Pole died in 1366 and the manor passed to his son Sir John de la Pole, who had married in 1362 Joan daughter and heiress of John Lord Cobham. Joan died about 1388, and her daughter Joan inherited this manor as well as the barony of Cobham. Joan's first husband, Sir Robert Hemenhall, died in 1391, and she married Sir Reynold Braybrook, who joined her in a settlement of the manor in 1403. By him she had an only child Joan, who afterwards married Sir Thomas Brooke. In 1428 Sir Thomas and Joan gave their consent to a settlement of the manor on Sir John Harpeden, the last husband of the elder Joan, for life. Sir Thomas Brooke died in 1439, when he was succeeded by his son Edward Lord Cobham, who died in 1464, leaving as his heir his son John. John Lord Cobham died 9 March 1512 and his son and heir Thomas mortgaged this manor 22 May 1520 to Robert Dormer, who sold it 30 April 1524 to William Fettiplace. William Fettiplace died about 1529, leaving this manor and other lands by his will to John Pantre, the Provost, and the scholars of Queen's Hall, Oxford, on condition that they paid certain rents from it to the chantry and almshouses which he had founded at Childrey. Thomas Brooke Lord Cobham, who had sold the manor, died 19 July 1529, and his son George Lord Cobham unsuccessfully laid claim to it in 1530, but in 1532 he released all his interest to the college for £20. The Provost and Fellows of Queen's College, Oxford, are the present holders of the manor.
Other Information:
Listed in the Domesday Book:
No