Asthall Manor, Oxfordshire, England

Asthall Manor

In 1086 an 11-hide estate at Asthall belonged to Roger d'Ivri, who held it in chief (with 2 hides and a yardland at an unspecified location, probably Asthall Leigh) as 3 manors. (fn. 1) Roger died probably in the mid 1090s, (fn. 2) and his widow Adeline in 1110. They left a daughter, Adelize, who died c. 1133, (fn. 3) apparently childless, and the d'Ivri estates probably escheated to the Crown.

In 1163 Asthall manor was held as part of the honor of St Valery by Reynold of St Valery, who may have received the d'Ivri estates soon after Adelize d'Ivri's death. (fn. 4) He was succeeded later that year by his son Bernard (d. 1191). (fn. 5) The honor descended to the latter's son Thomas (d. 1219), whose lands were seized several times by King John for disloyalty. (fn. 6) By the early 13th century c. 11 yardlands (fn. 7) had been granted as a separate estate to Bernard's brother Guy or to the latter's son Reynold, who regranted them in parcels. (fn. 8) Meanwhile the honor and presumably Asthall manor passed in 1219 to Robert of Dreux, eldest son of Count Robert II of Dreux, who had married Thomas d'Ivri's daughter Annora. Robert's lands were forfeited in 1226 after he supported the king of France. (fn. 9)

In 1227 Henry III granted Asthall, as part of the honor of St Valery, to his brother Richard, earl of Cornwall and later king of the Romans. (fn. 10) At his death in 1272 Richard held the 'hamlet' of Asthall as ½ knight's fee, (fn. 11) but had probably subinfeudated most of the manor (including land in Asthall Leigh) to his illegitimate son Sir Richard of Cornwall. (fn. 12) In 1279 Edmund, earl of Cornwall, apparently held the overlordship, (fn. 13) which thereafter descended with the honors of St Valery and later of Wallingford. (fn. 14) From 1300 the mesne manor of Asthall was usually reckoned as 1/5 knight's fee. (fn. 15)

Sir Richard of Cornwall (d. 1299 X 1300) and his wife Joan acquired additional tenements and ½ ploughland from Sir John de Sapey (fn. 16) and a tenement from William son of William Galard. (fn. 17) Sir Richard's son Sir Edmund (d. 1354) held the manor by 1300, (fn. 18) when it was apparently seized briefly by the king after Earl Edmund's widow Margaret claimed dower. (fn. 19) Sir Edmund Cornwall's widow Elizabeth held the manor until 1355 or later; (fn. 20) it then passed probably by 1361 (fn. 21) to their son and heir Sir Edmund, (fn. 22) between 1370 and 1375 (fn. 23) to that Edmund's brother Sir Brian (d. 1391), (fn. 24) and to Brian's son Sir John (d. 1414), (fn. 25) whose heir was his daughter Elizabeth. (fn. 26)

Apparently in 1453 the manor passed to Sir Humphrey Blount of Kinlet (Salop.) (d. 1477), whose right derived from his grandmother Isabel Cornwall, Sir Brian's daughter. (fn. 27) Sir Humphrey's son Sir Thomas appears to have sold the manor after 1494 to Sir Richard Haddon (d. 1516 X 1517), (fn. 28) mercer and sometime mayor of London. (fn. 29) He was succeeded by his widow Dame Katherine (d. 1524 X 1525) (fn. 30) and grandson Thomas, who in 1562 sold Asthall manor to John Andrews (d. 1589). (fn. 31) He was succeeded by his son William, (fn. 32) who with his brother Simon and son and heir John sold the manor in 1609 to John Lenthall. (fn. 33)

In 1612 Lenthall sold the manor to Rice Jones (d. 1615) (fn. 34) and his son Rice, a minor. (fn. 35) The younger Rice presumably came into possession in 1627 on achieving his majority and died probably by 1644. (fn. 36) His son Henry was lord in 1654, when he made a conveyance probably in trust. (fn. 37) He died in 1673 leaving a daughter, Frances, a minor, (fn. 38) who in 1685 married Richard Lumley, Lord Lumley and from 1690 earl of Scarbrough. (fn. 39) In 1687 they granted the manor apparently in trust, (fn. 40) and in 1687–8 sold several parcels including Stonelands (fn. 41) and probably the manor house and some land. (fn. 42) In 1688 they sold the manor, including land and quitrents, to Sir Edmund Fettiplace of Swinbrook, followed by more land in 1689. (fn. 43)

Sir Edmund died in 1707 and was succeeded in turn by his brothers Sir Charles (d. s.p. 1707), Lorenzo (d. 1725), and Sir George (d. s.p. 1743). A nephew, Thomas Bushell (d. 1767), succeeded and took the name Fettiplace, and was succeeded by his son Robert (d. 1799), his younger son Charles (d. 1805), and by Charles's nephew Richard Gorges. (fn. 44) He took the name Fettiplace and died in 1806, leaving his estates to his five sisters as tenants in common. The estates were divided in 1810 (fn. 45) with land in Asthall being allotted to Thynne Howe Gwynne (widower of Mary Gorges), Arabella Gorges, and Diana Gorges. (fn. 46) Before 1812 John Freeman-Mitford (d. 1830), Lord Redesdale, bought c. 262 a. and probably the lordship from Gwynne, (fn. 47) and in 1813 c. 76 a. from Arabella. (fn. 48) After inclosure in 1814 his estate, then known as Kitesbridge farm, (fn. 49) totalled some 282 a. (fn. 50)

During the inclosure of Swinbrook (in 1813) and Asthall Lord Redesdale conveyed most of his Asthall land to the chancellor of Salisbury Cathedral in exchange for land belonging to the Swinbrook rectory estate, of which Redesdale was lessee. (fn. 51) Redesdale became lessee of the Asthall land, (fn. 52) the lease continuing until 1857 when his son John Freeman-Mitford (d. 1886), earl Redesdale from 1877, acquired the freehold from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners (as the chancellor's successor). (fn. 53) Redesdale's lands, including Asthall, passed to his cousin Algernon Bertram Mitford, who took the name Freeman-Mitford and in 1902 was created Baron Redesdale. He died in 1916 and was succeeded by his son David Freeman-Mitford, 2nd Lord Redesdale, (fn. 54) who in 1919 purchased Asthall Manor (the former manor house) (fn. 55) and apparently Manor and Tocques farms and other properties. (fn. 56) He sold Asthall Manor, Kitesbridge, and presumably the lordship in 1926 to Thomas Augustus Hardcastle (d. 1941), and the other farms in 1927–8 to Samuel Walker. (fn. 57) In 1927 Hardcastle conveyed most of his land to his wife Katherine (d. 1967) but retained the lordship and house. Both house and land were later placed in trust and some 90 a. around Holywell barn was sold in 1948. In 1967 Hardcastle's son Anthony Bruce Hardcastle (d. 1997) became principal beneficiary but never claimed the lordship. (fn. 58) In 1997 and 1998 David Davies purchased the estate in two parcels and sold the house separately in 1997. (fn. 59) He died in 2000.

Asthall Manor House Freehold

The main estate sold in 1687 or 1688, probably the manor house and 5 yardlands, was acquired by Henry Peacock (d. 1711) of Cumnor (formerly Berks.), (fn. 60) who was succeeded by his widow Judith (d. 1725) and by their son Henry Heylyn Peacock. (fn. 61) In 1734 the estate, then heavily mortgaged, was bought by Samuel Walter apparently on behalf of John FitzGerald (or Villiers) (d. 1766), earl Grandison. (fn. 62) Villiers was succeeded probably by his daughter Elizabeth Villiers (d. 1782), (fn. 63) created viscountess Villiers and countess Grandison in 1767; (fn. 64) by Elizabeth's son George Villiers (d. 1800), earl Grandison; (fn. 65) and by George's daughter Amelia Gertrude Villiers, who in 1802 married Lord Henry Stuart. (fn. 66) They sold the estate probably in 1805 to their tenant William Bateman (d. 1810). (fn. 67) Bateman devised it to his brother Robert (d. 1826), who had recently acquired freeholds in Asthall totalling c. 200 a. (fn. 68) and who soon afterwards added another 85 a., (fn. 69) creating an estate which comprised over 350 a. after inclosure in 1814. (fn. 70) Robert devised most to his sons Charles (d. 1873) and Henry Bateman (d. 1881), (fn. 71) who were succeeded probably by Henry's son Arthur (d. 1889), (fn. 72) and by Arthur's son Arthur Charles Bateman"'. In 1912–15 A.C. Bateman owned 541 a., (fn. 73) including half of the Asthall Leigh manor acquired by Henry Bateman in 1862, and Tocques farm (92 a.) which had probably been acquired recently. (fn. 74) The house and probably most of the estate were bought in 1919 by Lord Redesdale, thus reuniting the house with Asthall manor. (fn. 75)

Asthall Manor House

Asthall Manor house dates from the early 17th century, but probably occupies a medieval site: in 1272 Richard, earl of Cornwall, possessed a house and garden worth 12d., (fn. 76) and in 1304 a curia, garden and fishpond worth 10s. were recorded, (fn. 77) perhaps implying some rebuilding. Lady Joan Cornwall and her son Sir Edmund Cornwall were possibly both resident in 1306 and 1316–17. (fn. 78) A house remained in the late 16th century, as lords from 1589 onwards were said in 1633 to have resided in the 'mansion house' of the manor; (fn. 79) the 'site' of the manor and buildings belonging to it were noted in 1591. (fn. 80) The new house was built probably for Rice Jones the elder, (fn. 81) who apparently died in an upper chamber in 1615. (fn. 82) Rice Jones the younger included the manor house in a marriage settlement of 1630. (fn. 83) It seems to have been improved in the mid 17th century for Rice Jones the younger or his son Henry, and in 1662 was taxed on 14 hearths, which suggests that the house had by then attained its later size. (fn. 84) It was occupied by the Jones family until the 1670s or 1680s, later by Henry and Judith Peacock, (fn. 85) and afterwards perhaps by Henry Heylyn Peacock, though in 1733 he had recently been in prison. (fn. 86) Members of the Bateman family occupied the house for much of the 19th century, (fn. 87) and had perhaps done so since the late 1740s, when Thomas Bateman (d. 1772) was a prominent inhabitant. (fn. 88) The Manor was occupied around 1915 by Alfred Herbert of the Ministry of Munitions (knighted 1917), (fn. 89) and was a military convalescent home in 1916. (fn. 90) Subsequent owners were resident. (fn. 91)

The regular appearance, in 2003, of the gabled stone house (Figs 17 and 20) is mainly due to alterations made for Arthur or A.C. Bateman in the later 19th century, by C.E. Bateman of Birmingham for Lord Redesdale c. 1920, (fn. 92) and by Robert Franklin Architects of Oxford for Mrs R. Taylor in 1998–9. Modernisation in 1898–9 included the introduction of an electricity supply, generated by a water-turbine and dynamo installed alongside a small channel fed by the Windrush. (fn. 93)

The house has an H-plan with a gabled hall range of two bays and gabled north and south cross-wings projecting further west than east. A stair tower lies in the south-west re-entrant angle and an apparently contemporary gabled block of one by two bays projects north of the north wing. The hall range had a south crosspassage, represented by a blocked east doorway and by a west doorway into the stair tower. In the mid 17th century the north, parlour wing seems to have been improved by the addition of an east bay window with ovolo-moulded mullions and transoms, and of a well-staircase with turned balusters which originally continued to the attic floor. By 1870 the hall had been divided into two sitting rooms, and there was a central east entrance and a room with a pillar in the centre described as lying south of the hall. (fn. 94) The upper floors, and probably the north staircase, had also been altered. By 1881 the south wing, which was apparently smaller than the north one and had a chimneystack with three shafts, had been replaced with a building belonging to the farmyard. (fn. 95) Between 1889 and 1899 that farmyard range was reconstructed as a south wing matching the north one, and battlemented service extensions were attached north-west and south-west of it; a battlemented east porch was also built. (fn. 96) After 1919 the entrance was moved to the west front, where a north porch was attached to the stair tower, from which the staircase had been removed to form a lobby. The hall was restored to its 17th-century size, and fitted with a miscellany of 17th-century panelling and a 17th-century-style chimneypiece. (fn. 97) Between 1926 and 1941 the interior was redecorated, and until 1998–9 retained its mid-20th century character. In 1998–9 the west front was cleared of the single-storeyed extension to the south wing, and a bay window added to light a newly-created kitchen. The east porch, which had been replaced by a smaller one in 1935, (fn. 98) was reinstated and fitted with the stair tower's 17th-century door.

The farm buildings lay south of the house in 1814 and comprised a barn, a large building to its east, (fn. 99) and a smaller one north of that. (fn. 100) By 1881 farm buildings seem to have replaced the south wing of the house and to have extended along the west side and most of the east side of the farmyard. Most of the west range had been demolished by 1898, and by 1919 all except the barn had gone. In 1898 the only drive was to the west side of the house, but by 1919 an additional entrance had been made in the south-east corner of the grounds, an avenue of trees had been planted along the road leading south-east from it, and a drive had been laid along the east side of the house. (fn. 101) The south-east entrance became disused after 1919, when an arched gateway was made to the main west drive, but was reinstated in 1998–9, with rebuilt gate piers to which abstract sculptures were added in 2000. (fn. 102) A south service court was added to the house after 1919, and the barn was converted into a ballroom-cum-library, with a plaster barrel-vault in Jacobean style and a south-east bay window, and a flat above it. Barn and house were linked by a covered walkway, slightly modified in 1998–9. (fn. 103)

Asthall Leigh Manor

An estate at Asthall Leigh, a reputed manor from the 14th century, (fn. 104) originated in grants to Biddlesden abbey (Bucks.) of lands held by Reynold of St Valery in the early 13th century. (fn. 105) Reynold granted parcels totalling over six yardlands probably before 1219; (fn. 106) a yardland given by Reynold to Ralph Hareng was given to the abbey by the latter's son Ralph before 1236, (fn. 107) and two yardlands granted to' Philip Clerk and later to Richard, earl of Cornwall, were given before 1272. (fn. 108) Thomas of St Valery gave Worsham mill and extensive pasture rights, (fn. 109) and in 1272 the abbey held the 'hamlet' of Asthall Leigh. (fn. 110) The overlordship passed before 1279 to Sir Richard of Cornwall with the main Asthall manor, with which it subsequently descended. (fn. 111)

In 1272 the abbey sold its Asthall lands to Robert of Asthall, his nephew Master Robert of Westwell, and to John and Thomas, sons of Walter of Asthall. (fn. 112) Some of the holding was presumably the c. 6 yardlands of freehold at Asthall Leigh owned by John, Thomas, and Walter of Asthall in 1279, held of Sir Richard of Cornwall and some of them sublet. (fn. 113) Before 1316 John and Thomas of Asthall were succeeded by their brother Robert, (fn. 114) and in 1331 Master Robert of Stratfordupon-Avon, apparently Robert's son, conveyed lands in Asthall parish to Thomas of Asthall, clerk, with remainder to Thomas de la More. (fn. 115) More held the lands by 1343, when they were first called a 'manor'. (fn. 116) The manor descended with Northmoor and Lower Haddon (in Bampton) until the early 17th century. (fn. 117)

In 1609 John More sold Asthall Leigh manor to John Hawkins and Bartholomew Peisley of Bampton; (fn. 118) they evidently conveyed it to William and Anne Stratford, who in 1626 sold it to John Stratford and Giles Newland. (fn. 119) In 1628 William and Anne sold the manor back to John More, who sold it in 1636 to Charles Fettiplace (d. 1674) of Swinbrook and Lambourn (Berks.). (fn. 120) He held it until 1674, when it was conveyed probably in trust to John Hippisley, John Collins, and another party. (fn. 121) The manor passed possibly to Fettiplace's grandson Charles Fettiplace (d. 1720), and to the latter's sister Elizabeth, wife of Lawrence Horne: (fn. 122) in 1775 Samuel Horne and John Gilmour were said to be lords of the manor, (fn. 123) and Horne alone was lord in 1785. (fn. 124) In 1790 Edward Horne, presumably Samuel's successor, sold the manor in trust for John Leake and Charles Saunders, both of Witney. The estate was partitioned in 1801, (fn. 125) and in 1814, after inclosure, Leake's half comprised 75 acres. (fn. 126) In 1862 it was held by Edward Timms, (fn. 127) who may have acquired it by 1841. (fn. 128) He was succeeded probably by George Timms (d. 1907), (fn. 129) whose executors apparently owned the estate in 1913. (fn. 130) The other half was devised by Saunders in trust for Edward and Frances Towerzey before 1808, (fn. 131) and was bought from Frances Towerzey in 1861 or 1862 (fn. 132) by Henry Bateman, with whose Asthall estate it thereafter descended. (fn. 133)

Manorial Site

In the early 17th century the manor included a chief house called 'More's Farm', (fn. 134) containing a hall, at least five rooms, and farm buildings. (fn. 135) Possibly it occupied the site of Leake's farmhouse or of the Towerzeys' farmhouse, recorded in 1814. John Leake's estate then included buildings west of Salter's Lane, (fn. 136) which in 2003 were known as 'The Olde Farm' and included a twostoreyed, two-bayed house of the later 18th century. The farm belonging to the Towerzeys' estate in 1814 lay south-west of the crossroads, (fn. 137) and probably included the 18th-century converted farm buildings which survived in 1999. A new farmhouse built c. 1870 in Tudor style, probably commissioned by Henry Bateman, (fn. 138) was called Pinnocks farm in 1999, presumably after the tenant Joseph Pinnock who farmed at Asthall Leigh in the 1850s and 1860s. (fn. 139)

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