17 Nov Lordship Title of Washingley ID14003
Posted at 09:14h
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A second manor existed here called WASHINGLEY MANOR, which no doubt is called after the family of Wassingle, whose names appear as witnesses to deeds granting land in Cranfield to Ramsey Abbey in the 13th century, and who seem to have been in the employment of the abbot, for William de Wassingle, as steward of the abbot, presided over the court of King's Repton in 1288, and he is mentioned as holding the position of steward of the fair of St. Ives in 1293. The first mention of this family as landowners in Cranfield is in 1295, when William de Craunfeld granted for 20 marks and for the yearly payment of 6 marks of silver during his life all his lands, tenements and appurtenances, with the homage and service of free tenants, to William the son of William de Wassingle of Cranfield. A little later William de Wassingle the elder obtained a licence to alienate in mortmain to the Abbot and convent of Ramsey a messuage and a moiety of 1 virgate of land at Cranfield. In 1353 John de Wassingle obtained a messuage and land from Gilbert de Warwick and Nicholas of York. The first mention of Washingley as a manor is in 1515, when Thomas Stafford sold it to Richard Langley for £140. By 1548 the manor had come into the possession of Thomas Leigh, who seems to have mortgaged it to John Dormer, a citizen and merchant of London. At his death in 1572 Thomas Leigh left a son John, who was a minor, aged nine years. In 1584 John Leigh recovered the estate, but in 1589 he transferred it to John Stampe and his wife, who was the daughter and heir of the above-mentioned John Dormer. By 1599 John Leigh had again obtained the manor, and died in 1620, being succeeded by his son Lewis, who with his wife Lucy conveyed the manor in 1624 to Nicholas Hampson. Again in 1649 the Leighs were in possession of the property, but the following year Thomas Lord Leigh and his son Charles parted with it to William Feilde, who settled it on Miles Whitworth and Thomas Ringe. From the Feildes the manor passed through female heirs to the families of Baker and Coleman, and then to Mr. Pearse of Bedford, who inherited it from the latter family, and transferred it to Robert Denis in 1802. After this date no further mention has been found of this manor.
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Listed in the Domesday Book:
No