Land of Wherwell church

In Welford Hundred

The Abbey holds Middleton. It always held it. Before
1066 it answered for 20 hides; now for 10 hides. Land for 
9 ploughs. In lordship 2 ploughs;
14 villagers and 10 small holders with 7 ploughs.
5 slaves; 2 mills at 40s; a fishery for the hall;
meadow, 9 acres.
The value is and was £12

The hall mentioned in the survey of 1086 was valued at £39  6s in 1291.

Eufemia the Abbess of Wherwell in the first half of the 13^th century rebuilt the manor house at Middleton, which at that time was in a state of decay. It is believed that the Abbess moved the site of the house to one by the river bank and away from the public highway. The site was further enhanced by more permanent buildings.

The Abbess in 1228 claimed novel disseisin (unlawful possession) against Henry Marshall, this was apparently over some common pasture in Andover, which concerned her property in Middleton.

The Abbess Isabel in 1328 granted Maud the wife of John le Fox and his son Richard the portion of a fulling mill, on the south of the water and half the eels taken in Mill Close, all the houses on that side. The north part of this mill was granted on the same day to Richard of Freefolk.

The convent was granted free warren in 1331, which was confirmed in 1378; which included the manorial rights of free fishery, free warren

Robert of Bruddecombe, chaplain in 1362 was granted a watermill and other premisses by John atte Park. John had apparently been granted this mill by William atte Mill. Some time late this John and his wife Christine quit claimed to Richard Denbey of Lambourn, clerk, and also William of Malmsbury, clerk and to the heirs of Richard a mill and three messuages of land.

Thomas Blackway and Francis Barker, of London in 1566 where granted a tucking mill with a watercourse, to be held in socage (free tenure without obligation)

Wherwell Abbey held the manor of Longparish until the reign of Henry VIII. During  the Reformation and Dissolution of the Monasteries, Thomas West Lord De La Warr was granted Longparish, where it remained in the family hands until 1695

Edward Nicholas, Secretary to the Admiralty in 1640 purchased Longparish Farm. In 1650 however the estate was reclaimed for nonpayment, and Lady Jane Nicholas was begging for an allowance for her self and her children.

In 1651 in the time of the Commonwealth, Leonard Green who had been a soldier for the Parliamentarians and a former tenant was given a grant for the premisses.

Boulter who had previously purchased the manor in 1695 sold the manor to Richard Widmore of North Oakley, reserving an annual rent of £42 on Longparish Farm. In 1911 the estate was in the hands of the Trustees for   James Widmore.

Gavelacre

All that remains of the manor called Gavelacre is a farm called Gavelacre. In 1258 Eustace of Gavelacre mortgaged his tenement for the sum of 25 marks to the people of Wherwell. This payment was due within three years from the Feast of the Assumption.

John Ingpen in 1351 died holding twelve acres of Waste land ( which is land used by tenants), this was held by the king in chief. Thomas Ingpen of “Galaker”probably a relative of John Ingpen, married Isabel Colshill, they had a son Robert; in 1411 Robert was showing that he held the manor at the time of his death. The manor had being part of the dower lands of his mother Isabel wife of Hugh Craan. The abbey of Wherwell was the overlord of this manor.

It appears that in an inquest in 1406 Robert Ingpen had died in 1389, and Margery,  his widow had married John Bennet. Isabel, Robert’s  mother had died in 1409 holding the manor of Gavelacre. The manor was  reverted to Robert’s son Richard.

John Ingpen in 1509 died holding the manor which was he held of the abbey.

For some reason Gavelacre manor was not named in the property of Wherwell granted to Lord De La Warr at the time of the Reformation. However in 1623 Richard Blake died holding the manor of Gavelacre which he held of Cecily Lady de La Warr of her manor of Wherwell.

Forton

In 1228 Forton is named as a vill in the possessions of Wherwell Abbey in papers of Pope Gregory IX. The vill ( part of the parish) is also mentioned in early charters of Wherewell but unfortunately they are not dated.

An agreed rent in 1234  of 1 lb of cummin at Michaelmas to Eustace Gavelacre from the convent of Wherwell, for a mill with appurtenances in Forton in exchanged for his tenement in Comton.

Nicholas le Wayte his wife Amice and Roger Hussey for a payment known as a fine, a mill with appendages to hold for them selves and their heirs with a reversion to Roger and his heirs in default. It appears that this Nicholas and his wife also had a life grant from Maud the Abbess two messuages and 2 virgates of land in Forton.

Roger died in 1361 holding the lands and mill, his brother John in 1370 held the same premisses with his wife Isabel.

In about 1391 William Ringbourne, who was a tenant at the time of his death of a messuage and a water mill at Forton.

John Gibard in 1468 released all his rights to the manor to Robert Ingpen, a water mill, pasture for two cows, with the cows of the Abbess of Wherwell.

John Ingpen  died in 1509 holding Gavelacre, was also holding a mill and land in Forton

At the time of the Dissolution it is most probable that all these properties were included in the grant to Lord De La Warr.

East Aston and West Aston

East Aston lies half a mile east of Longparish, village and West Aston lies half a mile west of Longparish village.

In 1228 some paper’s of Pope Gregory IX mentions “Eston” ( East Aston) as in the possession of Wherwell Abbey.

Robert Falconer in 1258 granted to the convent of Wherwell all the land he had purchased from Henry le Frye in Eston, with the exception of 3 acres in la ffrie breche west of Asebrugges, with common pasture for cattle and other farm animals, saving for himself and his heirs pasture for sheep and pigs.

A licence was granted to Henry le Wayte in 1325 to separate in mortmain (dead hand free of dues) 6 acres of land, 4 acres of meadow and 5 acres of marsh in Wherewell, Goodworth and Eston, to the Abbess and convent.

In 1329 Robert  Knightsbridge granted, to the Abbess Isabel all his rights to the moor in Eseston. The king Henry VIII, granted in 1544 to John Hyde of London and William Bishop of Bredy, Dorset in fee, a fulling mill and also a garden called Knyght Bridge, which had belonged to the monastery at Wherewell.