Catalogue description Moreton Court Estate

Keysall family of Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire

Evans family of Dilwyn, Herefordshire

These records relate chiefly to the prebendal estates of Moreton Magna and Moreton Parva, for centuries held by lessees under the Dean and Chapter. In the seventeenth century the estates were held by the Daunsey family, and then by the Powells. In 1791, John keysall, a London banker, acquired property in Moreton and followed the established custom of holding both the prebendal estates. He died in 1813, his son the Rev. John Keysall inherited them and also purchased other properties, including allotments in Marden, the adjoining parish, under the enclosure award, from William Chute Gwinnett, then called William Chute Hayton. Keysall died in 1837.

Certain difficulties arose in the time of John Keysall the elder, Picart, prebendary of Moreton Parva, disputed the bounds of his prebend, which were found to be inextricably consuded with those of Moreton Magna, and the copyhold and freehold lands of each prebend were mixed. The dispute involved the prebendaries of both estates (Picart of Moreton Parva and Taylor of Moreton Magna and their successors, the lessees of the estates and Hayton (Gwinnett) who was, from 1816, in the occupation of Moreton Court). The problem of establishing the boundaries and the extent of the copyhold and freehold land was made the more difficult because, although there were two prebendal estates there was only one manor, copyhold of which was reckoned part of either.

The cases in chancery arising out of suits and cross suits dragged on from the eighteen-twenties, but finally in 1851, a composition was arrived at. Under this a large part of the estate, including Moreton Court, was taken by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and the purchase money paid out on settlement.

The Commissioners sold the property in 1863 to Thomas Evans who rebuilt Moreton Court. Thomas bought the lordship of the manor of Marden, and in right of this purchase some of the manorial records which descended with the records of the Moreton estates are listed with them here. Other records in the collection reflect other interests and connections of the Evans family, notably in Dilwyn, where their inheritance from the Tylers probably led to Carpenter material surviving in copies among their muniments. A few years later papers refer to Moreton Court under the ownership of the Hill family.

• Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire

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