Lordship Title of Priors or Aston ID1588

County:
Title Type:
Previous Lords:
Five hides in Aston belonged before the Conquest to a certain Anschil. About 1080 William I gave this land, sometimes styled PRIORS in Aston, to the abbey of St. Peter, Préaux (diocese of Lisieux), in exchange for St. Clair in Normandy, which the king bestowed upon his brother Count Robert of Mortain. The abbey held Aston of the count in 1086, but in the 13th century the abbot said that he held in frankalmoign. Henry II confirmed the grant of William I, and the abbey remained in possession of this manor until it was seized into the king's hands together with the abbey's cell of Toft, co. Norfolk, during the French wars. In 1390 the abbey granted to Lewis de Cliffort and Lewis his son life interests in all their English lands, including Aston. For a time a rent was reserved to the Crown during the French wars. Cliffort conveyed his interest to Sir Thomas Erpingham, K.G., a trusted supporter of Henry IV, who received the resignation of Richard II and became warden of the Cinque Ports. Erpingham afterwards acquired the same estates for his own life and transferred them to the Carthusian priory of Witham Friary (co. Somerset), which obtained a grant in perpetuity from the Crown in 1413. The Priors of Witham remained in possession of Aston Manor until the surrender of their house in March 1538–9. Their manor of Aston was purchased from the Crown by Thomas Everard and Richard Yate, together with Aston Danvers, and was sold with the latter to Thomas Stampe, and thus became a part of the estate consolidated by himself and his son.
Other Information:
Listed in the Domesday Book:
Yes

of pages