15 Apr Lordship Title of Moulsford ID14205
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There is no definite mention of Moulsford in the Domesday Survey. The subsequent history of MOULSFORD MANOR supports the theory that it was then included in the king's extensive holding at Cholsey, and a spurious charter in the Winchester chartulary records an early and perhaps trustworthy tradition that it was acquired as part of Cholsey by King Alfred in 891. By the grant of Henry I Moulsford came into the hands of Gerald son of Walter de Windsor, the husband of Henry's mistress Nesta daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, King of Deheubarth. To Gerald evidently succeeded his son William Fitz Gerald, sometimes called 'de Pembroke.' He died about 1174, when his son Raymond Fitz Gerald 'le Gros' received seisin of his lands. Raymond was a distinguished leader among the knights who invaded Ireland in 1170. He married Basile sister of Gilbert 'Strongbow,' Earl of Pembroke, but died childless. His heir was his brother Odo. He disputed the claim of Geoffrey de Cholsey to land in Moulsford, possibly the whole manor, in 1194. It seems probable that Geoffrey's predecessors had had some interest in the vill, since at some time previous to 1160 Emma de Cholsey had given two-thirds of the tithes of Moulsford to Wallingford Priory. Geoffrey de Cholsey failed to appear in 1194, and in the year following William son of Odo made fine with the king not to be impleaded concerning his land at Moulsford. Again in 1207 William, now styled William de Carew (from Carew Castle, co. Pembroke), paid 40 oz. of gold not to be impleaded by Geoffrey concerning this land, since King John 'wished him to remain in peace thereof.' In 1212 he had further confirmation of the grant to his greatgrandfather Gerald son of Walter. To him evidently succeeded Nicholas de Carew, who is said to have been his son. Nicholas died about 1228, and John Marshall had the custody of Moulsford Manor for a short time after his death. In July 1228 the manor was committed to Bertram de Crioil, constable of Dover, for his maintenance in the king's service during pleasure. In the following September the grant was extended until the heir of Nicholas should be of age. John Marshall endeavoured to recover the custody of the lands and heir of Nicholas Carew in 1230, and Crioil was disseised, but restored again in 1232. The heir of Nicholas is said to have been his son William, possibly the William Carew who had a serjeanty of county Waterford in 1277. Nicholas Carew, probably the son of William Carew and husband of Avice Tute, went to Ireland in 1284, but was in England in 1286, about which time he is said to have died. Nicholas son of Nicholas and Avice was summoned to Parliament as 'lord of Moulsford' in 1300–1 and died seised of the manor about 1311. His son John had livery of his lands in that year, but John Wogan, justiciar of Ireland, evidently had the custody of Moulsford in 1316. John Carew died about 1324. His eldest son Nicholas died about the same time. According to one return the heir was John younger son of John Carew by his second wife Joan, but the Berkshire jury stated that Thomas brother of John the elder was the next heir to Moulsford. The manor was seized first by Master William Carew, and afterwards by night on 6 May 1325 by Joan widow of John Carew and her son John, contrary to the will of the king's escheator. One-third of the manor had been assigned in dower to Joan, who was afterwards in the service of Queen Philippa, and Eleanor widow of Nicholas Carew the son also had a portion in dower. John Carew paid £100 fine for his seizure of Moulsford Manor, and it apparently passed to his uncle Thomas. In 1331 Thomas Carew had licence to enfeoff Master William Carew, probably in trust for his nephew John, who was afterwards knighted and became justiciar of Ireland. He held the manor at his death on Whit Monday, 1362, and his son Leonard received seisin of it in 1364. He died 9 October 1369, leaving an infant son Thomas, and his 'next friend' had the custody of the manor. This was evidently Nicholas Carew of Purley in Theale Hundred, who had a grant of free warren there in 1373. Thomas Carew, or another of the same name, was in possession in 1401, and made a settlement on his wife Elizabeth 8 April 1410. She survived, and in 1437 joined with Nicholas son of Thomas Carew in a settlement upon herself, with remainder to Nicholas and his wife Joan, who afterwards married Robert Vere. At her death in 1451 the heir was Thomas son of Nicholas and Joan. His son Nicholas Carew transferred Moulsford Manor to Joan Denham, widow, and others, probably in trust for his son Edmund. In 1497 Edmund Carew sold his Berkshire lands to Bartholomew Reed, citizen and goldsmith of London. Bartholomew Reed was lord mayor in 1502 and died on 26 October 1505, having bequeathed Moulsford Manor to his wife with a ten years' estate after her death to the Goldsmiths' Company, and remainder to William younger son of his brother John. A John Reed was dealing with the manor in 1578. He evidently sold it about 1581 to George Chowne and Christopher Puckering. They conveyed it in 1591 to James Morris and Francis Craddock, and in 1596 it was purchased by 'Henry Samborne of Bishops Lands (co. Oxon.)' from Thomas Mildmay, who apparently had some connexion with Craddock. The Samborne family were already settled at Moulsford. Sir Henry Samborne, knighted in March 1608–9 and Sheriff of Berkshire in 1631, set an example to the whole county in refusing the use of his pigeon-house at Moulsford, 'the best of all the county,' for the making of saltpetre. His son Henry did not live at the manor-house as his father had, but let it to a certain Robert Gregory, and in 1668 sold the manor to Anthony Libbe, youngerson of Richard Libbe of Hardwick (co. Oxon.). Anthony Libbe evidently lived at the 'Place House.' The subsequent history of the manor is somewhat obscure. Early in the 18th century it was evidently subject to the interests of a considerable number of persons. William Hatton and his wife Elizabeth, Henry Predy and his wife Dorothy, Richard Hatton and his wife Eleanor, Martha and Mary White, and Jonathan Sayer and his wife Mary conveyed a messuage and free fishery, probably a portion of the manor, to Robert Baker in 1715. Dorothy Predy acquired the interest of Martha and Mary White in a messuage and a moiety of the manor about the same time, and the Hatton interest in certain land and the ferry was acquired by James Wallis. In 1727 Richard and William Hatton and others conveyed this manor to Cornelius Norton, together with Aston Tirrold (q.v.). Towards the end of the century Robert Baker and his younger brother George, sons of Wilmot Baker, held the estate in moieties until 1778, when, upon the death of George, the whole passed to Robert Baker, who died in 1812. He was succeeded by his nephew the Rev. Deacon Morrell, son of James Morrell of Oxford, attorney-at-law, by Ann daughter of Wilmot Baker. The Rev. Deacon Morrell died in 1854, and the estate passed to his great-nephew Hopewell Baker Morrell, whose son Hopewell James Shuldham Morrell succeeded to it. He died in 1906, and in the following year the manor was sold by his widow to Mr. Arthur William Mayo-Robson, C.V.O., F.R.C.S., who sold it in 1913 to Mr. Charles Anthony Mills, the present owner.
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Listed in the Domesday Book:
No