A history of Wing from an account dated 1925 - Page 2

Manors

Edward [Cilt], one of Earl Harold's men, held and could sell WING MANOR in the time of Edward the Confessor.

In 1086 it was assessed at 5 hides and held by the Count of Mortain. On the forfeiture of the Mortain lands in 1104 it was not attached to the honour of Berkhampstead, but, as was the case with Bledlow, held directly from the Crown by knights' service.

A subinfeudation mentioned in 1400 points to the retention of overlordship rights by Richard Earl of Arundel on the marriage about 1385 of his daughter Elizabeth with Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk but these rights evidently lapsed on the extinction of the direct male line in 1415.

Hugh Talbot was holding Wing in the 12th century, and before 1198 it was held by his descendant Quintin, who was living in 1209. Henry Fitz Gerald was holding in 1218 and the Lady Ermentrude in 1234 and 1235. William Talbot had succeeded before 1239 and was holding in 1247. Before 1255 Wing Manor had been transferred to John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey. He died in 1304, and was succeeded by his grandson John de Warenne, then a minor. His relative, Edmund Earl of Arundel, was pardoned in 1314 for the acquisition of Wing Manor without licence. He was artainted in 1328 and his estates were forfeited. Wing Manor was granted to John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey, in 1328, but his nephew Richard Earl of Arundel, Edmund's son, regained possession, probably on his restoration in blood and honours in 1331. He was succeeded in 1376 by his son Richard Earl of Arundel, who settled Wing on his daughter Elizabeth, second wife of Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, who secured a grant of the reversion in tail-male on the attainder of his father-in-law in 1397. He died in 1400 and his widow married Sir Robert Goushill, who died in 1402. On her death in 1425 Wing Manor reverted to her son and heir John Duke of Norfolk, who held it at his death in 1432. In 1433 it was assigned in dower to his widow Katherine, who was holding in 1481. Wing Manor was in the king's hands in 1484 but Katherine is mentioned as lately deceased in 1488, when the manor was confirmed by Act of Parliament to William Berkeley, Earl Marshal and Earl of Nottingham, one of the co-heirs to the Mowbray estates in 1483. He obtained a licence of alienation in 1488, and in accordance with his will this manor passed in 1492 to Thomas Earl of Derby. In 1503 Maurice Lord Berkeley, brother to the Earl of Nottingham, petitioned Parliament for his estates in heritage. Thomas Earl of Derby was succeeded by his grandson Thomas in 1504, and he in 1505 quitclaimed Wing Manor to Lord Berkeley. The latter died in 1506, and his son and successor, usually called Sir Maurice Berkeley, kt., in 1515 sold this manor to Robert afterwards Sir Robert Dormer, kt.; Maurice's brother and heir Sir Thomas Berkeley also releasing his rights in it in 1516. Sir Robert Dormer died in 1552 , and Wing passed on the death of his widow Jane to his son William who was also knighted. He died in 1575, and his son and successor Robert was made a baronet, and created a baron as Lord Dormer of Wing in 1615 His eldest son, Sir William Dormer, predeceased him by a month, leaving a son Robert, who succeeded his grandfather in 1616 as a minor. In 1628 he was created Viscount Ascott and Earl of Carnarvon. He died fighting for King Charles at the first battle of Newbury in 1643 when his son Charles succeeded. He retained Wing Manor, which passed at his death in 1709 to Philip Stanhope,his grandson by his elder daughter Elizabeth.

Philip succeeded his father as third Earl of Chesterfield in 1714. His son and successor in 1726 was the well-known Lord Chesterfield, author of the 'Letters.' He gave Wing Manor to his second son, Sir William Stanhope, who died in 1772 when it descended with the title of Chesterfield until it was sold in the second quarter of the 19th century by George, the sixth earl, to Mr. J. B. Harcourt, who was owner in 1847. It was purchased before 1862 by Samuel Jones Loyd, Lord Overstone, who died in 1883. His heir was his daughter Harriet, wife of Sir Robert Loyd-Lindsay, K.C.B., who in 1885 was summoned to Parliament as a baron, Lord Wantage of Lockinge, a title which became extinct at his death in 1901.His widow, Lady Wantage, is lady of the manor of Wing.

Among the manorial rights appertaining in the 13th century were the return of writs, pleas and the assize of bread and ale. A Friday market at Wing was granted in 1218 to Henry Fitz Gerald. This was changed to Thursday in the grant of 1255 to John de Warenne, which also allowed him a yearly fair on the vigil, day and morrow of St. Michael (28, 29, 30 September). Lipscomb says that the fair was still continued in the middle 19th century,as a statute fair for hiring servants. A dove-house, a water-mill, a windmill " and a horse-mill are named in the 15th century. A tenure of 140 acres of land by a pair of white gloves or id. yearly is mentioned in 1275.

There were two manors in Crafton in Wing in 1086. One was afterwards usually called WING, but sometimes WING with CRAFTON MANOR. Before 1086, when it was assessed at 2½ hides, the Count of Mortain had subinfeudated it to the monks of St. Nicholas of Angers, who obtained the land by grant of Bodin de Ver. In the 12th century Hugh Talbot granted them this land in free alms, and his charter enabled their abbot in 1209 to obtain a quitclaim from feudal services from Hugh's descendant Quintin Talbot, who in 1198 and 1200 had sued the Prior of Kirkby in Leicestershire, the abbot's representative in England in this respect.

The abbey retained this manor, which was, however, frequently in the king's hands during the French wars of 14th century. On the confiscation of the lands of alien monasteries in 1414 the reversion after the death of Queen Joan was granted in 1416 to the priory of St. Mary de Pré near St. Albans. This grant was inspected and confirmed in 1429, and on account of it quittance from tenths and fifteenths was allowed in 1440. A further grant in free alms was made in 1461. On the suppression of the priory in 1528 and its annexation to Sr. Albans Abbey, Wing Manor was at first granted to Cardinal Wolsey for his college at Oxford, but afterwarda, in 1530, to John Penn, and confirmed to him in tail-male in 1531. This grant was surrendered in 1544, and in 1545 the manor was granted in fee to John and Lucy Penn, who conveyed it in 1547 to Sir Robert Dormer, when it followed the descent of the principal manor of Wing. After 1643 it is not mentioned by name.

A reference to courts held in the abbot's hall occurs in 1247. In the later 15th century the Prioress of St. Mary de Pré went twice a year to hold a court at Wing, probably the view of frank-pledge. The Prioress of Sopwell held courts on this manor in 1517 and 1524 but by what right is unknown.

The second manor in Crafton, known as CRAFTON MANOR, was held before the Conquest by Blacheman, a man of Earl Tostig, who could not sell it without the earl's licence. In 1086, when it was assessed at 2½ hides, it was held by the Bishop of Lisieux, and in the early 13th century was appurtenant to the barony of William de Say. The over-lordship of Crafton descended through his second son Geoffrey to the latter's grandson William de Say and his heirs. His son Geoffrey was summoned to Parliament as a baron, Lord Say, in 1313. By the death in his minority of Geoffrey's great-grandson, John Lord Say, in 1382, this overlordship passed to his sister Elizabeth wife of Sir William Heron.

He died seised in 1404 his wife having predeceased him without issue in 1399. The overlordship rights reverted to the Crown, and Crafton was afterwards held of the king in chief.

Robert de Nowers held Crafton Manor under the Bishop of Lisieux in 1086. The manor probably continued for some time in his family, the descent of which is given under Gayhurst (q.v.), but before 1286 had passed to Robert Aguillon, who died seised in that year. It was assigned in dower to his widow Margaret de Redvers, formerly Countess of Devon, who died about 1292, when it passed to Robert's daughter and heir Isabel wife of Sir Hugh Bardolf. He died about 1304, and his wife surviving him conveyed her land in Crafton in 1307 to John son of Thomas de Bassingbourn. Later in the century Crafton was held by John Chamberlain and Katherine his wife, who in 1367 gave it for life to John Kimble of Salden. The latter released his right in this manor in 1379 to Sir Thomas Sackville, who had evidently purchased from the Chamberlains. His son Sir Thomas Sackville, on the marriage of his daughter Maud to Nicholas Kentwood, gave it to them in tail-male. They also held Burston Manor in Aston Abbots (q.v.), with which Crafton descended in moieties. One moiety had passed to Robert Pigott, second son of Thomas Pigott of Doddershall in Quainton, before 1575, when a settlement was made on the marriage of his son Francis. The latter succeeded his father in 1587, and he and his wife Margaret conveyed their moiety of Crafton to Nicholas Theed. Though the second moiety is not traceable after 1+92, it probably came to the Dormers, as Crafton Manor was held by Robert Earl of Carnarvon in 1632. It has since remained under the same ownership as Wing Manor, being separately named in 1645 and 1717, but in common with the other hamlets in Wing was included under the principal manor in 1797.

The first reference which has been found to ASCOTT MANOR in Wing occurs in 1317, when it was held by Thomas Sackville, lord of Fawley (q.v.). It remained in his family. In 1435 Thomas Sackville and his wife Anne settled it on Thomas and Margery Rokes and their heirs. In 1457 Thomas Rokes, on the occasion of the marriage of his son Thomas with Joan Palmer, settled Ascott Manor on them and their issue. Thomas Rokes, the son, had given it to his son Thomas before 1508. He and his wife Elizabeth conveyed it in 1516 to John Newdigate. It passed to his son-in-law Robert Dormer, who on his death in 1552 left it for life to his widow Jane. It has since followed the same descent as Wing Manor, which in 1617 is called alternatively Ascott.

The hamlet of Burcott, mentioned in 1220 in a dispute about 2 virgates there, and called BURCOTT MANOR in the 17th century, was appurtenant to the principal manor in Wing and followed the same descent.

The so-called 16th-century manor of NETHERWELD in Wing corresponds to the land in Netherweld included in the sale of Wing Manor to Sir Robert Dormer. Tenants called 'Of the Weld,' later 'Aweld,' lived there for over two and a half centuries. Richard son of Paul quitclaimed two messuages and 1½ virgates and 9 acres of land in Netherweld in 1304 to his son Richard, and a messuage and half a virgate of land to his son Thomas. There are several references to the Awelds of Wing later in the century. Netherweld Manor was held by William Aweld in 1530, and in 1542 William and Humphrey Aweld conveyed it, including two messuages and 320 acres of land in Wing, Over or Upper Weld and Netherweld, to William Shepherd and his son William. No later reference to the ownership of this property has been found. Upperweld Farm was sold to the king in 1604 by William second son of John More, in order to alienate it from his brother John. He, however, obtained a grant of it two years later and died in 1634. His daughter and heir Mrs. Bridget Neale died in 1677.