ALDENHAM & BUSHEY MANORS
BUSHEY was, according to the St. Albans chronicles and registers, granted to that monastery by King Offa in the eighth century. In the time of Edward the Confessor it was held by Lewin, a thane of the king, but was granted by William I to Geoffrey de Mandeville, in whose heirs, the earls of Essex, the overlordship continued. The Jarpenville, or Jarkeville, family held the manor of BUSHEY from an early date. We find that Geoffrey de Jarpenville held one knight's fee, and probably the manor, of Geoffrey de Mandeville, who died in 1166. From Geoffrey de Jarpenville the manor passed to David his son, and at his death to Geoffrey de Jarpenville, who was dealing with land here in 1235, and died about 1240, leaving a son and heir David. Probably a later Sir David de Jarpenville, who died about 1300, left an only daughter Joan, then under age, but it would seem that Thomas brother of Sir David had seized the manor and granted it to Hugh le Despenser the elder. Joan married Geoffrey FitzWarren, and upon her claiming the manor Hugh le Despenser so persecuted her and her husband by indicting Geoffrey of various felonies of which he was afterwards acquitted, and then as a justice of the forest imprisoning him for a trespass, that they, as they said, were compelled in 1305 to convey the manor to him by fine. Geoffrey and Joan had two daughters, Margaret who married Henry de la Marler or atte Marlepitte, and Margery who married Henry de Harpesbourne. These ladies and their husbands unsuccessfully petitioned Parliament in 1347 to reinstate them in the possession of the manor.
Mandeville. Quarterly or and gules.
Hugh le Despenser the younger and Eleanor his wife conveyed the manor, possibly for the purpose of a settlement, to Hugh de Audley and Margaret his wife, sister of Eleanor, in 1321; and upon the attainder and execution of the two Despensers, in 1326, Edward II granted it to his brother Edmund of Woodstock earl of Kent. Edmund of Woodstock was attainted in 1329 for complicity in a plot for the restoration of Edward II, whom he supposed to be still alive, to the throne. In 1330 a lease for life was granted to Bartholomew de Burgherssh. In the same year, however, this manor was assigned to Margaret, widow of Edmund of Woodstock earl of Kent, in accordance with a petition from her.
At her death it passed to her daughter Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent, then married to Sir Thomas Holand, who with his wife in 1353 strengthened their title by taking a conveyance from Henry atte Marlepitte and Margaret his wife, and William de Harpesbourne and Margery his wife, heirs of Joan FitzWarren before referred to. In 1361 Sir Thomas de Holand earl of Kent died seised of this manor, which he held of the earl of Hereford in right of his wife. Joan, who married secondly Edward the Black Prince, died in 1385, and was succeeded by her son Thomas Holand, who died in 1397, seised of this manor, leaving Thomas his son and heir. Thomas, third earl of Kent, was beheaded and attainted, but notwithstanding the attainder, Edmund his brother succeeded to the title and some of the estates in 1400. The manor of BUSHEY, however, was assigned to Alice widow of the attainted Thomas. Alice died in 1416, when this manor fell to the share of Eleanor, wife of Thomas earl of Salisbury, as one of the sisters of the said Thomas and Edmund, earls of Kent. Thomas, who died in 1428, and Eleanor his wife, earl and countess of Salisbury, had an only daughter Alice, whose husband, Richard Nevill, became, in right of his wife, earl of Salisbury. He was beheaded in 1460, when he was succeeded by Richard earl of Warwick, the 'King Maker.' Notwithstanding the forfeiture which followed upon the death of the earl of Warwick at the battle of Barnet in 1471, this manor descended probably by settlement to his daughter Anne wife of Richard duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard III, who by Act of Parliament in 1475 exchanged it with King Edward IV for the castle of Scarborough. In the same yeare the king granted this manor to Elizabeth his queen, Richard bishop of Salisbury, and William Dudley dean of the chapel of the royal household, but shortly afterwards it was again exchanged with the king for other lands.
In 1484 it was granted to Francis Lord Lovel, but on his attainder in 1486 it again became forfeited to the crown. In 1486 the manor was granted to John de Vere earl of Oxford and the heirs male of his body, and he leased it to Thomas Thrale. In 1511, in default of such heirs, the reversion was granted to Sir Thomas Boleyn, father of the unfortunate Queen Anne Boleyn, and his heirs male. John earl of Oxford died without issue in 1513, but it is doubtful if Sir Thomas Boleyn ever obtained possession of the manor, as in this yeare Margaret countess of Salisbury was by Act of Parliament restored in blood, title, and estates, and entered upon this manor, holding her first court there in May, 1514. At her attainder and execution in 1541 this manor again came to the crown, and in 1543 the demesne lands, fisheries, mill, coney warren and other royalties then in the tenure of John Wythe were granted to William Milward alias Alexander, and became known as the BUSHEY Hall estate, while the rents of assize, perquisites of court, and other profits of the manor were in the following yeare leased to him for twenty-one years. In 1554 the manor was granted by Queen Mary to Sir Thomas Hastings and Lady Winifred his wife, and the heirs of the body of Lady Winifred, with remainder to Lady Catherine wife of Francis earl of Huntingdon, as kinswomen and heirs of Margaret, late countess of Salisbury, being daughters and heirs of Henry Lord Montagu.Winifred afterwards married Thomas Barrington, who in 1565 obtained a confirmation of the manor from the crown. In 1566 Thomas Barrington and Winifred his wife conveyed this manor to Andrew Jenoure, who in 1573 sold it to Robert Blackwell.
Edmund of Woodstock. The arms of England in a border argent.
At the death of Robert Blackwell in 1580 the manor was divided between his sons—George the elder taking one-third, while his brother Robert had two-thirds, probably, as Chauncy says, in consequence of a lawsuit. George sold his share in 1583 to Sir Charles Morrison, from whom it passed to his daughter and heir Elizabeth, who married Arthur Lord Capell, whose son Arthur was created earl of Essex in 1661, and from whom the manor descended to the present earl of Essex.
Some confusion arose at the time the Capells came into possession as to the various interests in the manor of BUSHEY; that is to say, the interest of Henry Hickman in the site of the manor called BUSHEY Hall, the Capells in one-third part of the manor, and the Blackwells in two-thirds; and in 1618 all these interests were, for confirmation of title, surrendered by fine to King James I, who on 21 May in that yeare granted that Ellis Wynn and Francis King might for the purposes of such confirmation enter upon the manor and advowson of the church, and use all such liberties therein as fully as Margaret countess of Salisbury held them. The two-thirds belonging to the Blackwells descended in the family to Richard Blackwell, who died without issue in 1677, when they passed to his cousins, Susan wife of Sir William Parkyns, and Anne the wife of Rowland Pitts, daughters of Thomas Blackwell. Rowland Pitts and Anne his wife sold their portion for £1,240 to Sir William Parkyns, one of the chief clerks in Chancery, and Susan his wife, on 20 February, 1684–5. Sir William Parkyns being convicted of complicity in Sir John Fenwick's plot was executed at Tyburn in 1696. At the time of his attainder he was seised of two third parts of the manor, but having mortgaged these to his uncle, who had entered upon the lands as mortgagee, they escaped forfeiture and came to Blackwell Parkyns, who in 1715 sold them to the Rev. William Streng-fellow, and he in 1719 conveyed them to Richard Capper, whose son Francis, with Mary his wife and Richard their son and heir, barred the entail in 1759. Robert son of the latter Richard sold this estate to General Frederick Nathaniel Walker in 1814, and it is now held by his grandson, General Sir Frederick William Edward Forestier-Walker, K.C.B., C.M.G.
Morrison. Or a chief gules and therein three wreaths or. Capell. Gules a lion between three crosslets fitchy or.
Some of the court rolls of this manor are at the Public Record Office, and we find from them that there were two reeves, two constables, and two ale-tasters elected yearly at the court of the manor. The manor was divided into three tithings, namely, GREAT BUSHEY, LITTLE BUSHEY, and Leavesden in the parish of Watford. The several fishery of the Colne was from time to time leased by the lord, and in 1428 we find the several water of the lord with the fishery in the same 'from Chalney to le Wassyngstole next Watford,' except what was reserved to the miller, was leased to John Bereford and Nicholas Segrave of Aldenham for seven years at a rent of 20s. and two pike, the lessees being bound to mow 'les wedes' growing in the water twice yearly. In 1459 Thomas Lanham was presented at the court for having taken five swans from the several water of the lord and selling them in London for 10s.
Walker. Erminois a pile azure battled with a mural crown between two caltraps or thereon.
By a charter dated 13 February, 1270, David de Jarpenville received a grant of free warren in his demesne lands, and it would seem that game has always been strictly preserved in the manor, particularly pheasants and rabbits, from about 1426, and partridges from about 1492. There was a manorial water-mill apparently on the Colne, which was from time to time leased with a stipulation that whenever the lord or lady of the manor should happen to be residing at BUSHEY the miller should grind their corn free from toll. As early as 1141 the Empress Maud granted to Geoffrey de Mandeville a market at BUSHEY on Thursdays, and a fair lasting for three days beginning on the vigil of St. James. This grant was confirmed to David de Jarpenville in 1270, and again in 1280; on the latter occasion the grant was confirmed notwithstanding it had not been fully used.
The foundation of a magnificent house known as BUSHEY HALL or BUSHEY BURY was laid by Thomas earl of Salisbury in 1428. This house followed the descent of the manor down to the time of the forfeiture by Margaret countess of Salisbury, when it was in lease with the demesne lands, mill, coney warren, and the advowson of the church to John Wythe for thirty years. These properties, together with BUSHEY Hall Park, Hounslow Grove, BUSHEY Grove, and BUSHEY Heath, were in 1543 granted to William Milward alias Alexander, and in the same yeare there were leased to him the rents of assize, perquisites of court, and other profits of the manor for twenty-one years. Upon the expiration of this lease the manorial profits appear to have passed to the owners of the manor under a grant to Sir Thomas Hastings and Lady Winifred his wife, in 1554. William Milward died in 1546, and was succeeded by his son William, who sold BUSHEY Hall to Henry Hickman in 1579, and in the same yeare he conveyed the advowson of the church, the watermill, free fishery, and coney warren to Anthony Brigham, who immediately sold them to Henry Hickman.
In 1585 Hickman conveyed the property to Richard Franklyn and Robert Millett, probably for the purpose of a settlement, as we find he died seised of them in 1594, leaving John Scott, son of his sister Margaret, his heir. John in 1604 conveyed BUSHEY Hall to Henry Hickman, who died seised of it in 1622, leaving Henry his son and heir, to whom livery of the manor was made in 1626. It would appear that BUSHEY Hall subsequently came into the possession of Sir George Walker, and passed from him to Sir Robert Marsham, bart., who in 1701 joined with Margaret his wife in selling the estate to Thomas Ewer. It afterwards came into the hands of Edward Marjoribanks, who held property in BUSHEY in 1839, and died in 1879. BUSHEY Hall was in 1882 converted into a hydropathic establishment and licensed hotel, in the grounds of which are some well-known golf links.
The manor of BOURNEHALL was held of the earl of Hereford, probably of the Mandeville Fee, and owed suit at the court at Hertford and White Appleton, in London. In 1231 John de Martham conveyed the manor under the description of a hide of land in BUSHEY to Ralph son of Bernard. This Ralph died in 1306, leaving his grandson Thomas son of John his heir. Thomas granted the manor in 1317 to John de Wengrave and Christiana his wife and John their son, and in the same yeare one John Blaket released all claim in it to the said John de Wengrave and Christiana his wife and to John their son, with remainder to Thomas brother of John the younger. In 1336 John de Wengrave and Christiana and John the son granted the manor to John Hauteyn, of London, and Isabella his wife, and in 1348 John Hauteyn conveyed it to Richard son of Richard de Eccleshale, clerk, and Clementia de Titenhangre of St. Albans, his wife. It would appear that Clementia was a daughter of John de Wengrave, for on her death Thomas FitzJohn claimed to be her heir. Clementia, by her will, left this manor to trustees to be alienated in mortmain for the support of a perpetual chantry of four chaplains, but it would seem that this was not done, but that Richard FitzJohn alienated the manor, probably to William de Gresle, who conveyed it in 1373 to James Bernes of London. Shortly after, the manor was in the hands of William de la Marche and Thomas Wershepe, who apparently sold it to the celebrated Alice Perrers, mistress of Edward III, who claimed her estate in the manor from Thomas FitzJohn.
Alice Perrers held it up to the time of her conviction, and after her forfeiture in 1377 Richard II in 1379 granted it, together with the tenements called Harpesbourne, Marlepitts, Latymers, and Halles, to Sir Thomas Peytevyn for his life, and in the following yeare he gave the fee simple to Sir William de Wyndesore, then the husband of Alice Perrers. Sir William de Wyndesore died seised of the manor in 1384, leaving his three sisters, Christiana the wife of William Morers, Margery the wife of John Duket, and Isabella, his heirs. John de Wyndesore, nephew of Sir William, inherited the lands, and probably sold them to Robert Thorley, at whose death they passed to his daughter Margaret, wife of Sir Reginald West, who was in 1426 created Baron De La Warr. In 1450 Lord De La Warr died seised of this manor held of the earl of Salisbury as of the manor of BUSHEY, and of the manor of Hartesbourne in this parish, leaving Richard his son and heir. Richard died seised of these manors in 1476, and they followed the descent of the barony of De La Warr till 1538, when Sir Thomas West, Lord De La Warr, and Sir Owen West, his half-brother, conveyed them to Michael Lyster, Francis Sawtrey, and others. In 1556 Richard Lyster granted them to James Pargyter, who with Katherine his wife in 1568 sold them to Henry Hickman. In 1594 Hickman died seised of the manor of Bournehall, leaving his nephew John Scott his heir, who, with Alice his wife, in 1596 conveyed it to George Hickman and Ralph Baldwyn. George Hickman died seised of the manor in 1635, leaving a son George, who sold this manor in 1639 to James Mayne of Bovingdon. At the death of James Mayne in 1642 the manor was partitioned by his wife Dorothy between his two daughters, namely, Mary, the wife of Thomas Engham, who sold her moiety to Joshua Lomax of Bovingdon in 1656, and Sarah, the wife of William Glascock, who in 1667 purchased her sister's moiety from Joshua Lomax. Sarah Glascock was indicted in 1679 as a Popish recusant, and was summoned before the justices of the peace to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, and to enter into recognizances to keep the peace.
In 1688 William and Sarah sold the whole manor to John Huxley and Walter Overburgh. They were probably trustees for George Hadley of East Barnet, for in 1690 they joined with him in conveying the capital messuage and some parcels of land to John Greening and Edward Clerke in trust for Nathan Southen of Hemel Hempstead. Nathan in 1696 conveyed these premises to Thomas Gratwick and Huntley Bigg, trustees for Edward Barradall. George Hadley's grandson, John Hadley, sold the manor in 1770 to Richard Capper of Lincoln's Inn, whose grandson, Rev. Daniel Capper, sold it in 1865 to Richard Harrison of the Hansteads, St. Stephen's. The manor was afterwards sold to Mr. Arthur Hope Rydon, who now owns it.
Manor of HARTESBOURNE (Harpesbourne, Hertysbyrn).
West, Lord De La Warr. Argent a fesse dancetty sable.
This manor under the description of a messuage and 200 acres of land in LITTLE BUSHEY and Harteshead appears to have been held by John Gregory, of Sarratt, who in 1330 conveyed it to Thomas Wyliot and Eleanor his wife. In 1344 Edmund Wyliot and Ellen his wife granted it to William de la Marche, from whom it followed the descent of the manor of Bournehall till the end of the sixteenth century, when in 1594 Henry Hickman died seised of the manor described as the manor of Hartesborne or Hasborne, Marcolles, and Slackdeacons, leaving John Scott, a nephew, his heir. John Scott apparently sold this manor, for we find in 1598 that George Melton and Alice his wife settled it described as above upon themselves and their issue, and in default to Susan the wife of John Andrews, of Broughton (county Bucks.) sister of Alice, for life, then to Francis Duncombe of Eastcote Hall, in the county of Warwick, her brother, and the heirs of his body. This manor seems again to have been settled in 1602, for we find George Melton then conveyed it to William Stevenson and afterwards to Richard Perrin and Edward Curtis, probably for the purposes of a trust. George Melton died in 1617 seised of the manor, lordship, or grange of Hartesborne alias Harsborne, Marvells, and Slackdeacons, and left a son and heir George. Apparently George died without issue, and the manor came to Susan wife of John Andrews under the above settlement.
In 1622 Sir Francis Duncombe died seised of the reversion of the manor after the death of Susan, leaving Thomas his son and heir, who with his wife Sarah, and Susan Andrews, widow, James Mayne and Mary his wife, and Evan Melton, sold it in the following yeare to Henry Coghill. In 1769 Sarah Hucks, widow, sister and heir of Henry Coghill, and Robert Hucks her son, conveyed the manor to William Hucks for a settlement upon Sarah for life with remainder to Robert, who sold it in 1851 to Mr. Travers. The estate afterwards came into the possession of Joseph Sladen, eldest son of Joseph Sladen of Lee, who held it in 1873 and died in 1882. His son sold it two years later to Frederick Charsley, and at some date previous to 1899 Hartsbourne manor passed to the Hon. Copleston Richard George Warwick Bampfylde, who now owns it.
Bampfylde. Or a bend gules and thereon three molets argent.