Catalogue description SOMERSET MANORS leases for lives

Leases for ninety-nine years and two or three lives For a note on tenure under the common West Country custom for lives, see C. E. H. Chadwyck Healey, The History of part of West Somerset, pp. 11, 12. for the manors described as:

Queen Charlton, 1663(1), being a copy of court roll, 1627-87(8), 1701(1); Cheddar Berkeley, 1692-98(2), 1714(1), being copies of court roll, and 1629-97(9), 1711(1), Cheddar, 1698-1700(3), 1706-58(31), 'Cheddar Berkeley Nyland Badcombe', 1681(1), Cheddar Berkeley with Nyland, 1704(1), Cheddar and Nyland with Badcombe, 1722-53(5), Nyland with Badcombe, 1793(1); Chelworth, 1632-72(6), 1705-48(31), West Chelworth, 1658-99(17), 1709-93(14), East Chelworth, 1681-98(2), 1725-93(9), and East and West Chelworth, 1683(1); Chew Magna, 1622-99(70), 1701-59(75), Dundry, 1650-92(3), 1714-52(9), Chew with Dundry, 1665-89(4), 1703-59(51), North Elm, 1604-1700(32), 1703-35(28), Chew Magna and North Elm, 1670(1), 1710(1), Chew Magna and North Elm with Dundry, 1703(1), and North Elm with Dundry, 1724(1); Chewton Keynsham, 1639-83(14); Compton Dando, 1619-1700(43), 1703-96(78), Sewards Weeke [Sewardswick], 1641(1), and Compton Dando and Shewards Week, 1723(1); Farmborough, 1662-99(36), 1701-93(112); Marksbury with Houndstreet, 1611-1700(31), 1706-24(8), Marksbury, 1686-89(2), 1705-90(36), and Houndstreet, 1686(1), 1706-62(16); Pensford with Publow, 1650-1700(80), 1702-28(39), Publow, 1651-91(7), 1710-93(81), Pensford, 1660-94(10), 1703-92(134), Woollard, 1713-94(17), Publow with Pensford and Woollard, 1697-1700(3), 1722-34(8); Timsbury, 1661-1700(18), 1701-59(54); Wellington and Wellington Landside, 1649-96(34), Wellington Borough, 1665-98(25), and Jurs(t)on alias Jurdas(t)on [in Wellington], 1691-93(4); Bridgwater, 1679-98(18), 1705-13(2); Middle Lambrook [in Kingsbury Episcopi], 1681-99(6); Pikes Ash [in Martock], 1681-90(2); and Badialton [Bathealton], 1696(1), Bankland Sororum [in North Petherton], 1698(1), Burnham, 1698(1), Milverton, 1693(1), Witcombe and Coat [in Martock], 1697(1), and Withiel [in Cannington], 1697(1).

A lease for Chewton Keynsham, 1683, refers to a grist mill and a paper mill, and has a brief inventory of contents attached.

Lessors for certain of the manors:

Queen Charlton. Sir Francis Popham of Littlecote, knight, 1627; Alexander Popham of Littlecote, esq., and his brother Edward Popham, esq., 1646; Edward Popham of Houndstreet, esq., 1646; Philip, Lord Wharton, and his wife Anne, during the minority of Alexander Popham, gent., son and heir of Edward Popham, esq., deceased, 1663; Alexander Popham of Queen Charlton, esq., 1669-72, and as of Bourton on the Hill (co.Gloucs.), 1687, 1701, with his wife Brilliana, 1687.

Cheddar Berkeley. Sir Thomas Freke of Shrowton (co.Dorset), knight, Stephen Warde of Westknighton (co.Dorset), gent., Robart Grove of Donnett (co.Wilts.), esq., Nicholas Huttoft of Notcombe (co.Dorset), gent., and James Jeffery of Axbridge, gent. (trustees under a deed executed by Sir William Webb of Notcombe, knight, deceased), 1629; John Croke of Chilton (co.Bucks.), esq., 1653. [References from 1670 as below].

Nyland with Badcombe. Mary Hutton of Duke Street, Westminster (co.Midx.), spinster, 1793.

Chelworth. John Cocks of Chelworth, and his son William, 1632-45; John Cockes of Chelworth alias Chelworthy, and his sons Samuel and James, all gentlemen, 1652; Alexander Popham of 'Houndstert', esq. 1669. [References from 1672 as below].

West Chelworth. John Hodges of Clifton (co.Gloucs.), gent., and Laurence Hodges of Chelworth Park, gent., 1658. [References from 1668 as below].

Chew Magna. Sir Francis Popham, knight, 1622. [References from 1648 as below].

North Elm. Sir John Popham, knight, Chief Justice, P.C., Sir Francis Popham, knight (son and heir apparent of Sir John) and his wife Lady Anne, 1604; Sir Francis and Lady Anne Popham, 1623. [References from 1648 as below].

Chewton Keynsham. Sir Francis Popham of Houndstreet, knight, 1629-41; Edward Popham of Houndstreet, esq., 1646-48; and Alexander Popham of Queen Charlton, esq., 1669-79, and 'now of Burton' [Bourton, co.Gloucs.], 1683, described as of Littlecote, 1670, the son and heir of Edward Popham of Littlecote, deceased.

Compton Dando. Sir Hugh Smyth of Long Ashton, knight, 1619-24; Sir Francis Popham of Littlecote, knight, 1629; Thomas Smyth of Long Ashton, esq., 1641; Francis Poulett of Hinton St. George, esq., Thomas Pigott of Long Ashton, esq., and Humphrey Hooke the younger of Bristol, merchant, 1653; Francis Poulett, 1653, 1655; Francis Poulett and Hugh Smyth of Long Ashton, esq., 1656, 1658; Alexander Popham of Littlecote, esq., 1656, 1663; Sir Hugh Smyth of Long Ashton, K.B. and bart., 1663; and Sir Francis Popham of Littlecote, K.B., 1670-72, described as of 'Hounstert' in 1671. [References from 1682 as below].

Sewardswick. Sir Francis Popham of 'Hunstert', 1641.

Marksbury with Houndstreet. Virgill Vaughan of 'Houndstert' in Marksbury, esq., and his wife Anne, 1611. [References from 1651 as below].

Lessors for the manors generally [except where stated above to the contrary]: Alexander Popham of Littlecote, esq., 1648-68; Sir Francis Popham of Littlecote, K.B., 1669-74; John, Lord Poulett, Baron of Hinton St. George, Letitia Popham of Littlecote, gentlewoman, William Carr of the Middle Temple, esq., and Henry Rumsey of Sudbrook (co.Monmouth) esq., executors and trustees under the Will of Sir Francis Popham, 1674; John, Lord Poulett, 1674-78, Edward Seymour of Maiden Bradley (co.Wilts.), esq., 1674-92 (described at various times as Speaker of the House of Commons, Treasurer of the Navy, P.C., and (from 1689) as Sir Edward Seymour, bart., in 1692 one of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury), and his wife Letitia, 1674-92, William Carr, 1674-89, and Henry Rumsey, 1674-76; Alexander Popham of Littlecote, esq., 1693-1704; Alexander Popham of Chute (co.Wilts.), esq., 1705, and as of Littlecote, 1705-19; Francis Popham of Littlecote, esq., 1720-34; Edward Popham of Littlecote, esq., 1735-72; Francis Popham of Houndstreet, esq., 1778; and Dorothy Popham of Houndstreet, widow of Francis, 1779-93.