Catalogue description VARIOUS COUNTIES deeds

Eight bundles of deeds and cognate documents [arranged and labelled in the early 19th century] relating to the Popham estates in several counties.

The following is a brief description of the estates concerned:

Berkshire. Petwick Farm and lands in Letcombe Regis and West Challow.

Devon. The hundred and manor of Colebridge; the manors of Churchstanton, Clayhidon, Madford, Rawridge, Shapcombe, and Upottery, with various farms appurtenant; Trickey Warren and Farm in Churchstanton; and the advowsons of Churchstanton, Clayhidon, and Hemyock.

Glamorgan (The Welsh estate). The manor of Cadoxton East Barry.

Middlesex. The manor of Newington in Stoke Newington.

Somerset. The manor of Marksbury and Houndstreet, Houndstreet House, Park, and Common, and the advowson of Marksbury; the manors of Compton Dando and Sewardswick [in Compton Dando], and Week Farm in Compton Dando; the hundred and manor (or manors) of East and West Chelworth; the manor of Farmborough, and the manor of Barrow or Burrough Hill alias Fryrenborough [in Farmborough]; the manor of Timsborough [now Timsbury]; the manor (or manors) of Pensford, Publow and Woollard, with the markets and fairs of Pensford; the hundred and manor of Chew Magna, and the manors of North Elm [in Chew Magna] and Dundry; the hundreds and manors of Queen Charlton and Chewton Keynsham; Brislington rectory; the manors of Cheddar Berkeley, and Nyland alias Andersey with Badcombe (The form Badcombe occurs most frequently in the documents, and is so printed in the text, except where the modern form Batcombe is used in late 19th century documents. The civil parish of Nyland and Batcombe was amalgamated with Cheddar in 1933. See also footnote no. DD/PO/6 above on Nyland.), Nyland decoy pool, the manors of Priddy and Rodney Stoke, and lands in Draycott; the manors of Wellington Borough, Wellington Landside, and Jurston alias Jurdaston, Wellington Park and Warren, and the advowson of Wellington; the manor of Bridgwater with Durleigh, and the impropriate rectory and advowson of Durleigh; and the manors of Middle Lambrook [in Kingsbury Episcopi], Milverton, and Pykes Ash [in Martock].

Wiltshire. The manor and capital messuage of Littlecote, with lands appurtenant; the manor of Chilton Foliat with Soley, and the advowson of Chilton Foliat; the manor of Northstanden with Okehill (or Oakhill), in Hungerford and Froxfield; the manor and farm of Charnham Street, the 'Bear' inn, and Hopgrass Farm, in the tithing of Charnham Street in Hungerford; Knighton Farm in Ramsbury; the manor of Rudge; the manor of Mouncton alias Winterbourne [Winterbourne Monkton], and Mouncton Farm; the farm of Awbury alias Avebury; the manor and farm of Barwick Bassett; and the farm of Backehampton [Beckhampton].

The following is a brief description of the main documents:

Settlement on the marriage of Sir Francis Popham, K.B., a son of Alexander Popham of Littlecote, esq., with Helena, a niece of Henry Rogers of Cannington, esq., affecting the major part of the Berks., Devon, Somerset, and Wilts, estates, 1668. (Two documents).

Will of Alexander Popham of Littlecote, esq., containing bequests in general terms, and mentioning his children Sir Francis, Letitia, Anne, Alexander, and George Popham, 1669 (proved P.C.C. 1670).

Release of right by Letitia Popham in a marriage portion charged on the estates mentioned in the settlement, 1670.

Draft conveyance in trust for himself and his heirs by Sir Francis Popham, K.B., of Littlecote, affecting most of the estates mentioned in the settlement, 1673. Copy of the Will of Sir Francis Popham, affecting some of the estates in Berks., Devon, Glamorgan, Middlesex, and Somerset, and personal property, 1674. Conveyance by trustees under the Will to effect the payment of £5,000 to Letitia, wife of Edward Seymour of Maiden Bradley (co. Wilts.), esq., and daughter of Sir Francis Popham, and in order to secure a further sum under the Will (dated 1672) of her uncle, Henry Rogers of Cannington, esq., deceased, 1686.

MS. copy of an Act to enable Alexander Popham, esq., to settle a jointure on his wife, and to make provision for his younger children, affecting the major part of the Berks., Devon, Glamorgan, Somerset, and Wilts, estates, 1692.

Copies of Discharges made by Sir Edward Seymour, bart., of Maiden Bradley, and his wife Letitia, Christopher Clatford of St. Giles in the Fields (co. Midx.), gent., and Francis Gwyn of Llansannor (co. Glamorgan), esq., on the receipt of monies owed from the estate of Alexander Popham, and paid in pursuance of the Act, 1693. (Three documents).

Various deeds concerning: Alexander Popham of Chute (co. Wilts.), esq., and his son Francis, and Petwick Farm in West Challow, etc., 1706; Alexander Popham, and Hopgrass and Northstanden Farms in Hungerford and Froxfield, 1708; Alexander Popham, now described as of Littlecote, and his son Francis, and Northstanden Farm, 1708; Alexander and Francis Popham, George Popham of Chilton Foliat, clerk, and Hopgrass Farm, 1718; and Francis Popham's settlement on his younger children, Letitia, Ann, and Edward, affecting Hopgrass and Northstanden Farms, 1720. (Six documents).

Deeds, including mortgages, concerning: Francis Popham and the major part of the Devon, Somerset, and Wilts. estates, 1732-33; and Edward Popham, esq., and all or parts of the estates in Wilts., 1737-71, Somerset, 1741-70, Devon, 1741-55, Berks., 1741-70, Glamorgan, 1741, and Middlesex, 1741, including a copy of the Will of Edward Popham of Littlecote, esq., 1763 ('proved at London' 1772), whereby he bequeaths £100 to his son Edward, and an annuity to his sister-in-law Sarah Huddon, and devises his estates to his eldest son Francis; (ninety-five documents). Deeds for merging a mortgage term to facilitate sale of parts of the Somerset and Welsh estates, 1771, and for vesting the estates in trustees for sale, 1771, concerning Edward Popham; (three documents).

Settlements, with cognate documents, made by Edward Popham on the marriage of his son Francis Popham of Houndstreet, esq., and Dorothy Wallis of Duke Street, Westminster (co. Midx.), widow, affecting the Berks., Wilts., and Somerset estates, 1772 (Another settlement is noted in no. DD/PO/3 below.), (six documents). Mortgage and Assignment concerning Edward Popham and his son Francis, and Dorothy Wallis, and affecting estates in Wilts., 1772; (four documents).

Deeds, including mortgages, concerning Francis Popham of Littlecote, esq., and estates in Wilts., 1774-76. Copy of the Will of Francis Popham, 1775 ('proved at London' 1779), containing bequests in general terms to his brother Edward Popham of Lacock (co. Wilts.), clerk, his sister Anne, wife of William Leyborne of Westwell (co. Oxon.), esq., and her son Edward William, his sister-in-law Mary Hutton of Duke Street in St. Margaret's, Westminster, spinster, and his wife Dorothy. (Ten documents).

Assignment of a mortgage (1770) by Edward Popham of Littlecote, esq., of Knighton Farm in Ramsbury, through trustees, to Elizabeth Ann Bisson of Caroline Street, Bedford Square (co. Midx.), widow of Daniel Bisson the younger of West Ham (co. Essex), miller and malt distiller, reciting the settlement (1763) on the marriage of Elizabeth Ann, the daughter of John Probyn of Newland (co. Gloucs.), esq., with Daniel Bisson; dated 1779. (Two documents).

Deeds, including mortgages, concerning Dorothy Popham of Houndstreet and Littlecote, widow of Francis Popham, and parts of the estates in Somerset, 1781-93, Wilts., 1783-95, and Berks., 1784-89. Also included are an assignment to Mary Hutton, spinster, in trust for [her sister] Dorothy Popham, of the Berks., Devon, Glamorgan, Somerset, and Wilts, estates, 1794, and a deed of exchange of property in Houndstreet Park (in Chelwood) and Farmborough, belonging to John Hiley Addington of the Inner Temple, esq., for property in Chelwood belonging to Mrs Popham, 1793. The latter contains a sketch plan and valuation (giving field names) of the properties exchanged, and two original and two copies of letters, dated 1791, from William Adams to Mrs Popham, one of which mentions a 'Nyland enclosure meeting'. (For a copy of the enclosure act see no. DD/PO/15 below.) (Forty-four documents).

Reconveyances to uses mentioned in the Will of Dorothy Popham (dated 1797), affecting parts of the estates in Wilts., 1805-06, and Somerset, 1806-07. (Eleven documents).

The numeration and sub-numeration indicate that a few of the documents are missing.