Agnes Hayton

• Daughter of Thomas Hayton and Beatrice Hayton

British Oneline

The first mention of the PARK of Banstead occurs in 1299, (fn. 73) when it was included with the manor in the grant made to Margaret of France by the Crown. It was probably imparked after Banstead had been granted to the king by John de Burgh in 1274. An action for trespass in the queen's park was brought in 1305. (fn. 74) In 1348 and 1349, when Queen Philippa held the manor, a writ of aid for one year was granted to the clerk of the great wardrobe to enable him to have timber brought to her wardrobe in La Rioll, London, from her park at Banstead. (fn. 75) In 1439 John Merston and Rose, then holding Banstead, received licence to inclose the park, stated to be in great need of repair, with paling and hedge, and to cause trees and oaks required for the purpose to be felled both within and without the park, under the survey of the Prior of Merton. (fn. 76) The park was included in the grant in fee made to Carew in 1532. (fn. 77) In 1623 John Lambert received a lease of the part of the park called Banstead Old Park. (fn. 78) The manor-house, which succeeded the older manor-house near the church stood in the park; it is now the bailiff's house. The new house called Banstead Wood was built by the Hon. Francis Baring in 1884–90, and is now owned together with the park by Mr. Charles Garton. (fn. 79)

At the time of the Domesday Survey the manor of BURGH or GREAT BURGH (Berge, xi cent.; Bergh, Burgh, Barewe, Berewe, xiii cent.; West Bergh, Great Bergh, xiv. cent.; Borowe, Westborowe, Westburgh, xvii cent.; Burrowe, Westburgh, xviii cent.) was held of Odo of Bayeux by his vassal Hugh de Port for 2½ hides. (fn. 80) Before the Conquest three freemen had held it and could seek what lord they pleased, the assessment then being for 5 hides. (fn. 81) The three manors were held as one in 1086. (fn. 82) The holders of Burgh during the 12th century do not appear. Possibly the Mowbrays had it with Banstead, and enfeoffed one of the family of de Bures, as, between the years 1216 and 1243, John de Bures held a knight's fee in Burgh or Barewe of Hubert de Burgh as of the honour of Mowbray. (fn. 83) In 1276 John de Bures died seised of the whole land of Burgh which he held for the service of one knight's fee and for which he paid 12s. castle ward to Rochester. (fn. 84) His son John succeeded him. In 1325 an extent of the manor of Banstead included a messuage and a carucate of land at Burgh held by de Bures for the service and rent above mentioned and, in addition, for an annual rent of 2s. and suit at the court of Banstead. (fn. 85) His son inherited in 1332, (fn. 86) dying in 1345, when the extent of the tenement at Burgh included a capital messuage and a garden newly planted. (fn. 87) The next John de Bures seems to have become involved in debt to Robert Boteler. In 1346–7 the king pardoned the latter for acquiring for life without licence land of John de Bures at Burgh consisting of a messuage, 240 acres of land, 32 acres of wood, and 12s. rent, (fn. 88) and, by an extent for debt taken on de Bures' lands in 1357, Boteler was found to hold a part of those in Burgh. (fn. 89) The reversion, after the death of Boteler, was granted by de Bures, called John de Bures of Surrey, kt., to John de Bures of London, citizen and fishmonger. (fn. 90) The grant was made before 1362, in which year, Boteler being dead, de Bures of London entered the premises without licence, but was permitted to retain them, (fn. 91) the licence being extended to his heirs in 1368–9. (fn. 92) In 1384 his son (fn. 93) conveyed the manor by means of trustees to Thomas Hayton, (fn. 94) who in 1428 was said to hold the 'half-fee in Berewe which Robert Boteler formerly held of the king in the said vill,' (fn. 95) and in 1432 he died seised of 'the manor of Westbergh.' Agnes, then wife of John Exham or Hexham, was his daughter and heir. (fn. 96) She seems to have afterwards married Thomas Sayer, as in 1450 they conveyed lands in Westbergh, held in the right of Agnes, and identical in extent with those mentioned in 1346, to Richard Ford and Mercy his wife, William Sander and Joan his wife, and John Collard. (fn. 97) Mercy and Joan were daughters of Agnes by her first husband, Thomas Carew. (fn. 98) These parties released the property in 1466 to Henry Merland and others. (fn. 99)

Richard son and heir of Henry Merland died in 1506, having left the lands to his wife Elizabeth for life with remainder to his brother Nicholas. (fn. 100) Nicholas survived and died seised of the manor in 1524, Edward being his son and heir. (fn. 101) Edward married Frances Leigh, and in 1543 settled the manor on her with remainder to their sons. (fn. 102) After his death his widow married Robert Moys; her son William Merland inherited at her death in 1596, her elder sons Arthur and Matthew having predeceased her. (fn. 103) In 1614 Merland, with other members of his family, conveyed to Christopher Buckle, (fn. 104) whose family continued to hold this manor with others in Burgh until the middle of the 19th century. (fn. 105) Christopher Buckle, 1684–1759, built Nork House, where his son, Admiral Matthew Buckle, died. The property descended in the direct line until the death without issue, in 1816, of Christopher Buckle, the fifth of that name to hold Burgh, (fn. 106) when it passed to his sister, wife of Captain Crowe. (fn. 107) A year later it went to the Rev. William Buckle, a cousin, representing the younger branch of the family, and he held until his death in 1832. (fn. 108) His son, the Rev. William Lewis Buckle, held this manor, with others in Banstead and with the church, until 1847, when it became the property of the Earl of Egmont. (fn. 109) From his successor, the fourth earl, it passed (about 1900) to Mr. F. E. Colman, and Mrs. Colman now holds it. Dr. Burton, author of the Iter Surriense, in Greek, in 1752 stayed at Nork House, and describes at length the ingenious waterworks by which water was raised from a very deep well and distributed over the slopes of a dry down.