Lordship Title of Midgham or Erleys ID1559

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The division of part of the manor of Midgham amongst three sub-tenants in the Domesday Survey has already been mentioned, but it seems impossible to connect their holdings with the three manors of Midgham, which were held of the honour of Pinkney. One of them may have become Hall Court (see below). The manor of MIDGHAM or ERLEY'S MANOR was held as one-fourth of a knight's fee by a branch of the Erley family. Giles Erley was the lord of the manor in the first half of the 13th century. He was probably succeeded by Roland Erley, who had rents in Midgham in 1271. Bartholomew Erley was the next tenant of the manor, which, however, passed to Thomas Erley before 1316. Thomas was living in 1334, but his successors are unknown throughout the 14th century. In 1402 and after, John Erley held the family estate. He died in 1432, his son and heir John being a minor. Another John Erley, perhaps his grandson, had died before 1546, when his son, a fourth John Erley, and his wife Thomasina made a settlement of the manor. This John and his son Richard were the defendants in a lawsuit begun by the lords of one of the other manors in Midgham about 1552. In 1613 the manor belonged to Joan Erley, who may perhaps be identified with Joan Bird, widow, who in 1630 made a settlement of the manor jointly with Henry Erley. Henry died in 1635, leaving two daughters and heirs. The elder daughter Joan married Richard Garrard, while the younger daughter was probably Mary the wife of Richard Caryll. The Carylls held a moiety of the manor, but in 1659 a settlement was made by which apparently it was settled on the Garrards on the death of Richard and Joan. Joan Garrard died in 1654, and her moiety was held by her husband, who was living in 1673. Her son and heir Richard appears to have owned the whole manor, but he sold it to Thomas Brumpsted before 1689–90. Brumpsted died very shortly after this date, and in his will directed that it should be sold for the benefit of two of his children, Charles and Lucy. It afterwards passed to the family of Hillersdon. John Hillersdon, who rebuilt Midgham Chapel in 1714, was lord of the manor. He is said to have sold it about 1735 to Stephen Poyntz, a diplomatist, and afterwards governor and steward of the household of the Duke of Cumberland, the second son of George II. The sale appears to have been completed in 1738, with Michael Hillersdon, but Poyntz was already living at Midgham, where he was 'laying out in further improvements a good deal of money.' The Duke of Cumberland spent some years as a boy at Midgham, where two rooms were added to the house for his accommodation, and are still known as the Duke's Rooms. Stephen Poyntz died in 1750 and the manor passed to his son William. The latter died in 1809 and was succeeded by his son William Stephen, on whose death in 1840 Midgham passed to his three daughters and co-heirs. It was sold in 1842 to Mr. Thomas Thorpe Fowke, R.N., who sold it in 1856 to Mr. William Massey. From him it was bought by Mr. Benjamin Buck Greene, who was lord of the manor until his death in 1902, when the manor was sold to Mr. A. F. Clarke, who is now lord of the manor of Midgham.
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Listed in the Domesday Book:
Yes

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