Lordship Title of Podington ID1227

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Previous Lords:
In 1086 three tenants, holding in all 4½ hides, are mentioned in Podington, whilst Hinwick, later attached to Podington as a hamlet, had six tenants assessed at the much higher rate of 8 hides. Of the estates in Podington in 1086 Hugh the Fleming, whose family assumed the name la Leye, held 2 hides 1 virgate in Podington in chief, and 1 hide 3 virgates, called a manor, in the same parish of his brother Walter. These 4 hides became later known as PODINGTON MANOR, attached to the honour of Wahull (q.v.). As in Thurleigh (q.v.), the la Leyes were early holders. The Testa states that the Lady Emma de Podington held the whole vill from John de Grey, which in 1278 had passed to Reginald de Grey, who held 1½ fees here of John de Wahull, rendering 11s. towards the ward of Rockingham Castle. The manor then included 3 carucates in demesne, a windmill and 11¼ virgates (fn. 9) held in villeinage, the villeins being unable to marry without the consent of the lord. Like Wrest Manor (q.v.) Podington continued to be held by the Grey family until 1524–5, in which year it was conveyed by Sir Henry Grey, kt., to Richard Wingfield and others, apparently acting for the Crown, in whose possession this and many other manors alienated at the same time are subsequently found. It remained Crown property for some years, and was leased to William Annesley for twenty-one years in 1539. When the honour of Ampthill was formed in 1541, Podington Manor was annexed, and was granted in 1557 to George Bredyman, one of the grooms of the Privy Chamber. George Bredyman died in 1581 seised of the site of Podington Manor, leaving a son Edmund Bredyman, who in 1585 transferred it to Thomas Southwell, apparently as trustee, for in the same year he conveyed the manor to Thomas and William Payne, to whom Edmund Bredyman eventually quitclaimed it in 1594. William Payne held it till his death in 1624, when his heir was his niece Sybil daughter of his brother Francis and wife of Sir Christopher Yelverton. She died the same year, leaving a son Henry, aged ten days, who only survived until 1628, when his second cousin Richard Child succeeded to the Podington estate. Richard Child died in 1647, and Margaret, his daughter and sole heir, who had married George Orlebar, brought the Podington and Hinwick estates to that family. George Orlebar died in 1666, and was succeeded by his son George, who married Ursula daughter of William Boteler of Biddenham. Richard Orlebar, their grandson, who held this property in 1694, in which year he suffered a recovery, built Hinwick House, which was thenceforward the residence of the family, the old manorhouse of Podington becoming a farm-house. He was high sheriff for the county in 1720, and died without issue in 1733, when the Podington and Hinwick property passed to his cousin John Orlebar. He held the manor till his death in 1765, when his son Richard Orlebar succeeded, and from that time the property has descended in an unbroken line from father to son, the present owner being Mr. Richard Rouse Boughton Orlebar.
Other Information:
Listed in the Domesday Book:
Yes

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