10 Jul Lordship Title of Oakley Reynes ID1215
Posted at 20:02h
in
County:
Parish:
Title Type:
Previous Lords:
The earliest known tenant of Oakley Reynes Manor was Simon de Bosard, who held it as a third part of a knight's fee at the time of the Testa de Nevill. By 1278 he had been succeeded by Richard de Bosard, who in that year held the manor, then comprising 3⅓ hides of land, a view of frankpledge, a free fishery from Benery to his mill in Oakley and rights of common fishing from Milton Mill to Cothemannesholme. Richard de Bosard's sister and heiress Joan married Thomas Reynes, who became lord of Oakley Manor in the right of his wife. After his death his widow appears to have married into the Chamberlain family, and may be identified with the Joan Chamberlain who held this property together with land in Thurleigh as half a knight's fee in 1302. Ralph Reynes son of Joan left his son and heir Thomas in the wardship of John or Roger de Tyringham. Thomas Reynes having attained his majority, Simon de Tyringham, to whom the wardship had passed, gave him seisin of the manor in 1330–1, which he continued to hold until about 1354. He died some time before 1380, in which year Thomas his son and heir obtained seisin of the manor from his guardian Richard Reynes. John Reynes, son of the above, had succeeded to the property (then valued at £10) by 1415. He was still holding in 1428, and was succeeded by a son John, who died without male heirs about 1451. The history of the manor here becomes obscure, owing to the lack of documentary evidence. It appears soon after the death of John Reynes to have been split into moieties. Elizabeth Anstey, granddaughter of Cecilia sister of John Reynes, married William Taylard; their grandson Sir Laurence Taylard was seised of one moiety before 1548. He was succeeded by his son Geoffrey, whose daughter and heir Catherine married Robert Brudenell. This moiety remained in the hands of the Brudenell family until 1648, when Edmund Brudenell alienated it to Charles Mordaunt and others. Robert Lestraunge died seised of the other moiety in 1512, his son and heir Thomas levied fines of it in 1530 and 1533. From the latter it would appear to have passed to William Mordaunt, whose son Edmund made a conveyance of the moiety in 1610. Charles Mordaunt son and heir of Edmund leased the property to his mother in 1622. Twentysix years later he became seised of the other moiety of the manor as shown above. The manor thus reunited remained the property of the Mordaunts until 1679, when it was alienated to Henry Lilly, probably acting for Sir Creswell Levinz, who became lord of the manor in that year. It remained the property of the Levinz family until 1757, when it was purchased by the Duke of Bedford. The manor of Oakley Reynes has remained the property of the Dukes of Bedford down to the present day.
Other Information:
Listed in the Domesday Book:
No