10 Jul Lordship Title of Westoning or Weston or Weston Tregoz ID1316
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The manor of WESTON, later known as WESTON TREGOZ and WESTONING, was held by King Harold as part of his manor of Hitchin, and so continued under the Conqueror in 1086. It is not mentioned in the Bedfordshire Survey, though its assessment was in and always had belonged to the hundred of Manshead. So far as is known the manor of Westoning remained royal demesne until 1173, at which period it was worth £15 yearly. Shortly after that date it was granted to Roger de Sanford, who owed 5 marks for default in Westoning in 1176, and who held the manor until his death in 1189. In the latter year it was released to William de Buckland, who paid £100 for seisin of the vill, and who was still in possession in 1210. In 1216 the sheriff was ordered to deliver the manor to Robert de Ferrar, whose wife was Joan daughter and co-heir of William de Buckland. By a settlement of the estates of William de Buckland made in 1223 Westoning Manor was allotted to his daughter Matilda. She married William d'Avrenches, who died before 1230, leaving a son William, who died without issue before 1235, and a daughter Matilda, who inherited the manor of Westoning through her mother, and married Hamon de Crevecœur. The latter is returned as tenant in chief of the king in Westoning in the Testa de Nevill, and was succeeded by a son William, whose widow Mabel held Westoning Manor in dower for life, and married as her second husband John Tregoz. She died in 1297, and the next heirs to the estate were found to be Juliana de Weylondon daughter of John son of Agnes, a sister of Mabel's first husband, John de Lenham son of Isolda, another sister, and Eleanor wife of Bertram de Kiriel, a third sister. John de Lenham sold his purparty of Weston Manor in the same year to William Inge, who also acquired the portion of Eleanor de Kiriel in 1299. William Inge obtained a grant of a weekly market and annual fair in his portion of the manor in 1303, and five years later obtained the remaining third part from Juliana de Weylondon. He was chief justice of the King's Bench in the reign of Edward II, and in 1310 he received a grant of 100 marks as recompense for wages and horses lost by him in the Scotch war. By his first wife Margaret William Inge had a son Fremund, on whom the property was settled in 1310, and a daughter Joan. The former quitclaimed his right in the estate during the lifetime of his father, who by his second wife Isolda left no issue. By a settlement of 1313, however, Isolda retained a life interest in Westoning Manor. After the death of William Inge, and at her own death in 1371, the estate passed to William la Zouche son of Joan daughter and heir of William Inge. The history of Westoning Manor during the next hundred years is the same as that of the manor which the Zouches held in Eaton Bray (q.v.) until 1485, when on the attainder of John la Zouche his lands were confiscated. He regained possession of this manor on the reversal of his attainder in 1495, and died in 1525–6. George son and heir of John la Zouche was summoned to show by what service his ancestors had held Westoning in 1533. He proved that the manor was and always had been held of the king by great serjeanty, but paid £4 for relief from the next services due therefrom. Nine years later Westoning Manor passed from George la Zouche to the Crown in exchange for a manor in Derbyshire, and in the same year it was annexed to the royal honour of Ampthill. In 1555 Westoning was granted to Thomas Curzon, one of the clerks of the Controller of the Household, and Agnes his wife in tail. He died the same year, leaving an infant daughter Mary as sole heir, the manor of Westoning being held by his widow during her life. In 1615 Mary Curzon, then wife of Sir George Farmer, received a confirmation of her right to the estate, which descended at her death in 1630 to her eldest son Sir Halton Farmer, kt. He married firstly Elizabeth daughter of Sir Edmund Anderson, and secondly Anne daughter of Sir William Cockayne of Rushton, by whom he had a son and heir William. William Farmer succeeded to Westoning on his father's death in 1640, and in the following year was created a baronet. He took the Royalist side in the Civil War, and was colonel of horse for the king. At the Restoration he was made K.B., but dying in the same year he was succeeded by a son William, the second baronet. He made a settlement of Westoning Manor upon his heirs male in 1669, was member of Parliament for Northampton from 1670 to 1679, and in 1692 was created Lord Leominster. By his third wife Sophia daughter of the Duke of Leeds he had a son Thomas, who succeeded to the title and estates in 1711, and in 1722 was created Earl of Pomfret or Pontefract. He suffered a recovery of the manor in 1720, and his son and heir George remained in possession of Westoning until 1767, when it was purchased from him by John Everitt. John Everitt, a son of the latter, was sheriff of the county, and was knighted in 1800. He held Westoning Manor at the beginning of the 19th century, and was succeeded by another John, who settled the manor upon himself in 1829, but died before 1836. The estate was sold by his executors within the next six years to the Rev. J. W. C. Campion, in whose family it remained for nearly seventy years. After the death of Major Coventry Campion in 1903 his widow, afterwards Mrs. Blyth King, sold the house and lands in 1904 to Mrs. Howard Spensley, by whom they were given to her son Mr. Howard Spensley, the present owner and occupier. The manorial rights and advowson were, however, retained by Mrs. Blyth-King, in whom they are now vested.
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Listed in the Domesday Book:
Yes