The Lisle Family

The extracts are of the date 1629-1631
Freeholders fines for Respite of Suite to the Courts.
Sir William Lisle payeth yearly for Suite fine .. 0 3 0
Sir William Eire payeth yearly for the like ....... 0 1 0
John Hall, Esq. for the like............................ 0 0 8
William Powlett, Esq. for the like...................... 0 1 o
Thomas Westley, Gent.for the like ............... 0 1 0
Thomas Barnfield, Gent. for the like ................. 0 0 8
Samuel Yerbury ...................................... 0 0 4
Land probably owned by the Lisle family, lords of the manor of Holt as in 1732 Edward Lisle of Crooks Easton to James Miles of Bradford. Oaky Coppice [near Belcombe Court] totalling 4 acres,
also a tenement, backside and garden 'situated near the South West end of the bridge in Bradford'. All for £100, the tenement probably for around £60. This property is title 460 on Tithe Map and today includes 3 Gables and the Millenium Garden" Lot 461 is Bridge Tea Room which has R.H. 1675 above it referring to Richard Halliday who in 1675 probably built his house on land purchased from the Lisle`s in 1675 .

The manor of HOLT was held of the manor of Bradford. It must have been included in the grant of Bradford to Shaftesbury Abbey in 1001 ad. In 1242-3 Holt was named along with Bradford as part of the manor held by the abbey. The overlordship descended with the capital manor of Bradford In or before the 13th century the manor was subinfeudated to a family which took its name from it. In 1252 Robert de Holt was granted free warren in the demesne lands of his manor of Holt, and permission to hold an annual fair in the manor. John de Holt had a park at Holt in I316 and in 1334 he or a namesake obtained licence to hear divine service in his manor of Holt. In 1344 John de Holt conveyed the manor to William of Edington, who became Bishop of Winchester in I346. The grant was confirmed in 1361 by Michael de Holt, evidently the heir of John. William of Edington granted the manor to trustees, apparently to the use of Amauri de St. Amand, 3rd Baron St. Amand (d. 1402), and his wife Eleanor (d. I426).66 Eleanor granted Holt to John de Lisle, by modern doctrine 5th Baron Lisle of the Isle of Wight (d. 1408), and his wife Elizabeth (d. 1435). In 1429 John Lisle, 6th Baron Lisle, died holding the manor in common with Elizabeth, his father's relict, of the Abbess of Shaftesbury. John Lisle, by modern doctrine 7th Baron Lisle, succeeded his father and died in 1471, leaving as his son and heir Nicholas (d. 1506), 8th Baron Lisle. Holt was held after the death of the 7th baron by his relict Isabel, who later married Thomas Beauchamp; she died in I484. Nicholas was succeeded by his son John, 8th Baron Lisle . The heir-at-law of the 8th baron was his niece Mary (d. 1539), daughter of his sister Eleanor, wife of John Kingston. The 9th baron had effected the marriage of his niece to his cousin Sir Thomas Lisle, but there was no issue of the marriage and when Lord Lisle died in 1523 he bequeathed some of his estates to Lancelot Lisle, brother of Sir Thomas, in order that they should continue in the family. Holt was apparently one of these estates, but Lancelot only obtained possession of it after litigation with Mary Lisle and her husband.1 At the time of the death of the 9th Baron Lisle the manor consisted of I fee held of the Abbess of Shaftesbury.72 In or about 1532-3 Lancelot Lisle leased the site of the manor of Holt, called Wilsheires Farm in Holt, to William Bayley for fifty years. More than thirty years later there was litigation over the tenancy of this farm between John Michell and Edmund Bayley. Lancelot Lisle retained the manorial rights and after his death in 1543 they passed to his relict Anne, who afterwards married Anthony Rogers (d. I583). Anthony and Anne held courts at Holt between 1544 and 1556 and Anthony is mentioned in connection with land at Holt until I568. Anne was still living in 1562-3. She was succeeded by Anthony Lisle, son of her son Thomas Lisle (d. I562). Anthony died in 1604, having settled Holt on his son William, who had married Bridget (ft. 1665), daughter of Sir John Hungerford of Down Ampney (Glos.). William, who was knighted in 1606, was the father of John Lisle the regicide (d. 1664). He was still living in 1622. His son and successor Sir William Lisle (d. 1665) was an ardent Royalist, and accompanied Charles II into exile. A conveyance of the manor made in 1659 by John Lisle suggests that the regicide had obtained possession of his brother's estate. John fled to Switzerland at the Restoration and Sir William recovered the manor, which passed at his death to his son Edward (d. 1722), who settled it in 1689 upon himself and his wife Mary (d. 1749), daughter of Sir Ambrose Phillipps of Gattenden (Leics.). Edward Lisle's son, another Edward (d. 1752), made a conveyance of the manor of Holt in 1723. He subsequently sold the manor to James Burton, who held it in I767. From Burton Holt passed to the Revd. John Burton Watkin (a nephew?) and on the death of the latter about 1822 to his nephew T. Watkin Forster.81 The manor subsequently descended in the Forster family. The present owner, son and heir of Lt.-Col. T. H. B. Forster (d. 1927), assumed the additional names of Smith Barry in I930.82
Extract from Survey of lands at Holt and Bradford owned by Edward Lisle c.1700

At Bradford One Estate of the yearly value of Eighty five pounds for
three lives reserving the yearly rent of four ponds. The Inheritance sold to
Mr. Cooper about eight years time. Several Esates more at Bradford
leased out for Lives or Years determinable on Lives, The Inheritance sold
to several persons at Bradford the particulars I cannot yet learn.
The Estates Sold at Bradford consist chiefly in houses and I have been
informed Sold for about £1,000 about eight years since.. Two or
Three Small Estates at Bradford not exceeding in the whole £10
a year still unsold and in hand.
DEEDS TO THE QUEEN'S HEAD INN BRADFORD-ON-AVON
Yerbury papers WRO 687/8
18.5.1732 Sale Edward Lisle of Crooks Easton to James Miles of Bradford. Oaky Coppice [near Belcombe Court] totalling 4 acres,
also a tenement, backside and garden 'situated near the South West end of the bridge in Bradford'. All for £100, the tenement
probably for around £60. (Oaky Coppice was sold on to John Wilshire of Winsley 10.10.1732 for £40)
Miles family documents in possession of Dr Dido Davis ofCambridge ~ 11.5.1737 Grant of £20 annuity to Joan Cornick by James Miles,
baker. (See deeds to Pippett Street properties) Properties concerned are; (a) messuage ~n possession of James Miles
(b) messuage in possession of James Phillips victualler as tenant to James Miles, all of which premises near the Bridge in
Bradford purchased from Edward Lisle Esq.
(c) messuage, garden and malthouse in occupation of William Lea, known as Pippetts Well (d) cottage near Pippetts Well now
in occupation of William Watson, joiner which was amongst other things lately purchased by James Miles from Joan Cornick. James
Miles marks with cross in circle. Witnesses John Bailward, James Phillips, Richard Hiller and John Bailward junior.
5.4.1821 Lease for 14 years from 21.12.1820 of Queenshead Inn and premises adjoining Mr John Miles of Cheshunt, Herts
gentleman to Mr James Crisp of Bradford, victualler. Described as messuage or dwelling house or inn called the Queen's Head
Inn with the cellars, brewhouses, offices and stables belonging now in the occupation of James Crisp as tenant. Also the
tenement or dwelling house adjoining formerly in the occupation of Henry Viney but now of Hannah Sheppard as undertenant to
James Crisp. All the premises are on the S side and near to the bridge. And all the outbuildings, courtyards, backsides etc.
Yearly rent of £57. Building not to be used for any other purpose than an inn. John Miles to insure. James Crisp to take
out the annual licence. James Crisp signs. Witnessed by John Bush, solicitor.
26.10.1830 Lease for 14 years Colonel William Miles of Cheshunt, Herts (in Hon. East India Co.'s Service)(l) to James
Crisp (2). Inn and other premises. Rent £42.10s.0, commencing Ladyday 1835. House adjoining now in occupation of Mary
Deadman. Witnessed by Bush as before.
28.7.1914 (G13/990/45 at WRO) Sale of Spencers Brewery,
Whiteheads Lane~ Bradford.

WILTSHIRE: Maiden Bradley, Fonthill, East Knoyle, Winkfield, Holt, Bradford Inquisitions as to the possessions of Edmund Ludlow, John Bradshaw, and John Lisle, attainted. 13 Chas. II. 1673 (P.R.O.)

Denchworth, Fifield (Fyfield), Frilsham, East Ildesley, West Ildesley, Katmere, Kingston Bagpuize, Kingston Lisle and Locking, Berks; Bradbury hundred, Froome, Whitfield, Maiden Newton and Wimborne, Dors; Garsington, Lillingston and Sandon, Oxon; Badkare, Kingston Seymour, Lamyat, Munckton Farleigh, Som; Porthead manor and Pury-court, Earlston, Hants; duchy of Lancaster liberty and bailiwick in Dors, Hants, Oxon, and Berks, Som and Wilts; Berwick St James, Bradford and Wishford, Wilts: Thomas Staples 1649-1660 (P.R.O.)

It would seem that there were occasions in which the Crown asserted its rights as Chief Lord. On the appointment for instance of a newly elected Abbess, the King not only gave his formal sanction to it, but directed the Sheriffs of the various counties, in which lands belonging to the Abbey were situate, to deliver seisin of the same to the Abbess BO appointed. This was the case on the election of ' Amicia Busaell ' in the year 1225. ( The document ia printed iu Hardy's ' Calendar of Ctoaa Rolls,' I. 553. The following is a translation of it. - " The King to the Sheriff of Dorset ', Health, - Know ye that we have given our royal consent and approval to the election of Amicia Russell, a nun of Shaftosbury, aa Abbess of Shaftsbury. Wherefore we direct you without delay to deliver full seisin to her of all lands, rents, chattels, and other possessions belonging to the said Abbey. Witness, Henry, the King, at Eveaham, July 3, 12J3. The Bishop ot Saturn IB commanded to do hi a part in this matter ; " - viz-, of iiulUvtirtg the Abbes* to the eooleuHtieal right* pertaining to her offioe).
the Abbess she was bound to assist in some public works, and more especially to provide a certain number of fighting men to attend the King, her chief Lord, in his wars undertaken for the protection of his dominions. Agnes de Ferrar who was Abbess from 1252 to 1267, and Juliana Bauceyn, her successor, were both called upon for such help by Edward I. in his expeditions against Llewellyn, King of Wales. To enable her to provide such help, the Abbess, like all other tenants in chief, exacted from those who held a certain amount of land within the Manor the same free service which the king exacted from her. The portions of land held under such conditions were called Knights' Fees. The annual value of a knights' fee in England was fixed at £20, and every estate supposed to be of this value, or assessed at that amount, was bound to contribute the service of a soldier, or to pay, in the stead of this, a proportionate amercement called Escuage. The length of seryice demanded, or the amount of payment required, diminished with the quantity of land. For half a knight's fee 20 days' service was due, for an eighth part but 5 ; and when this was commuted for the pecuniary assessment above alluded to, a similar proportion
observed. We have many instances of tenures by Snight-within the Manor of Bradford. In the record for 1629 __John Hall, at Bradford, - John Blanchard, at Great Ashley, _Sir William Lisle, at Holte, - Daniel Yerbury, at Wrasall, _and others are said to have held lands by this tenure. [Queen Elizabeth's grant of the manor to Walsingham was for £13 : 16 : fij and A knight's fee.]
Every tenant within the Manor by Knight- Service was bonnd to render fealty, if not homage, to the Abbess. From both these obligations, she, as the head of a religions house, was exempted, and as the latter could only be received by the Lord in person, and the affairs of the Abbess were managed through her Steward or Seneschall, (as he was termed), it is conceived that an oath of fealty was all that was demanded from the superior tenants within this Manor. What was implied in this service is best explained in the words of Littleton- " Fealty is the same that fidelitas Is in Latin - And when a freeholder doth fealty to his Lord, he shall holde his right hand upon a booke, and shall say thus : - ' Know ye this, my Lord, that I shall be faithfull and true unto you, and faith to you shall beare for the lands which I claime to hold of you, and that I shall lawfully doe to you the cue tomes and service which I ought to doe, at the terms assigned, so help me God ud his saints ; ' and he shall kisse the booke."1
But in addition to this obligation which was thns binding on the higher order of Tenants within the Manor, all the vassals, of whatever degree, were bound to attend the Lord's courts, and 'do suit and service,' as it was termed. Of the courts themselves we shall speak presently : all that we will now say IB that in course of years this practice fell into desuetude, and was commuted into a money payment instead of personal attendance. Here we find such entries as the following, shewing to what a late period these payments to the Lord of the Manor were continued. The extracts are of the date1629-1631
" Freeholders fines for Respite of Suite to the Courts. Sir William Lisle payeth yearly for Suite fine ............ 0 3 Q
Sir William Sire payeth yearly for the like .............. 0 1 Q
John Hall, Esqrefor the like............................ 0 0 8
William Powlett, Esqre for the like...................... 0 1 o
Thomas Westley, Gentn for the like .................... 0 1 0
Thomas Barnfield, Gentn for the like .................... 0 0 8
SamuelYerbury ...................................... 0 0 4
Intoto............O 6 8"
In the following extract from the same record we have similar charges made on the several Tythings and Parishes within the Hundred. In the case of one Tything, Leigb. *nii Woolley, it seems that through their ' Tythingman' they were wont, even as recently aa two centuries ago, to render personal service and suit of Court.
" Yearly psymentB paid at the Law-days by the Tythingraan.
11 The Tything of Attford payeth by the Ty thing-man at the Lady-day Leot, in the came of Law-day silver, 2s. Gd., and at Michas Law-day 3s. 6d., and for respite of suite to the Three-WeeJcen Court yearly at Michas Low-day 13d. in toto per aan. .060
" The Tyihing of Holte payeth by the Tythingman the like sum, and in manner as before ..................................0 6 0
" Tie Tything of Ligho and Wooley yearly payeth by the T^thing-tnan at Lady-day Leet, in tbe name of certain money as Law-day silver, 3s. 4d. and Michas Law-da;, 2s. 4d., but nothing for respite of suite to this Court, because lie conimonly appeareth in
person
" The Tything of Trowlo by the Tythingman payeth yearly at either Law-day, 31d., and at Micbas for suite of Court, 12d. in toto ....................................................
" The Tything of Winnsaley and Stoke by tho TytWngnwn payeth yearly at either Law-day, 4s,, and at Michas 2s. for suite fine,
I.* Lnl_
046
046
toto
.............................................. 0 JO 0
" More tho said Tything payeth yearly at Michas a payment called
Vel-noble'................................................ 0 6 8
" The Tything of Wraiall payeth yearly by the Tythingman at
either Law-day, 2s. 43., and at Michae for suite fine, 16d..... 060 11 The Tything of Winkfield and Eowlaigh payeth no Law-day
silver, but at Michas for suite fine, 12d. ....................0 1 0
" Tho Tything of Chalfield payeth nothing ....................0 0 0
" Tlie Tithing of Comurwdl payeth no Law-day silver, but at
Michas for suite fine ...................................... 0 0 8
* Fel-jio&fc. Elsewhere this la called VaH-Mm\ey- Formerly the tenants of the Minor at Wlnslsj hod to pay this aaseHnicnt In kind: afterwords it was commuted for 6e. Sd., tbe value ot o, ' noble,' hence tho name Vel-itobfe. In the margin o' 'he U.S., quoted above, we have the following entry, " Tbe Homage of the copyhold*" gathereth within themaelvei jetflj. to be paid at one payment, vis. villd."
By the Bm>. W. H, Jones. 79
The Tythlng of Broughton also pa,yeth at Michw only 16d. 1^1- for [MS. illegible] (suite fines J) ....................0 1 4
*^ Som paid, 16a. lOd."
The whole spirit of the Feudal Tenures was based on the
oabjection of the vassal to the Tenant in capite, and hence we "pmnionly find inserted in old deeds some special service due to the chief lord of the fee. These services were often merely nominal; still they preserved the memorial of the relation in wDioh the various under-tenants, however numerous, stood to the Lady of the Manor. A very frequent condition is the gift of " a rose at the festival of the nativity of St. John Baptist;"
-sometimes it is " one halfpenny paid at the same time, or at the festival of S. Michael" (unum obolum domino capitaK feodi):-in other deeds we find mentioned, " two capons at Michaelmas,"-" a pair of gloves and one farthing,"-half a pound of cummin,-one pound of pepper,-one pound of wax. In other cases, moreover, it is some service in husbandry to be performed for the lord, the original condition of the tenure of villenage of which we have already spoken, the last, however, being ultimately commuted for a money payment. The following extracts from the record of 1629 will illustrate our
remarks.
" WALTER GRAUBT holdeth by fealty, suite of Court, and IB. Id. rent, ud 1 Ib. of wax;-one burgago in St. Olaves Street pr rent ISd.,-one messuage with a Dovecote in the same street pr rent 124.,-and one other house, sometimes a backhouse, pr rent 2s.; in all 4s. Id."
" DANIEL YERBUBY holdeth freely [certain lands therein described at Wrajall by Knight -service, and 13s. rent, and one mounctuary* viz,, one horso with his harness, suite of Court to the Hundred and Court of the Manor, and 2s. yearly for certain works to be done yearly in earinge\ of too acres of the Lord's land at seed time, and carriage of thru load of hay J°f the Lard from Micliel Mead to Barton JTarme, which work were time out of mind turned to \deest~] rent pr ann. in lieu thereof."
" ELIZABETH BLANCH A an, SUBAB BLAHCBABD, and JOANE BLANCHAED, i and coheirs of JOHH BLANCHAHD .... hold freely, one messuage
l.c. Murtunry. This was a payment mode on the decease of a tenant, ^he difference between a Mortiiary and a Iferiot, was, that the latter waa paid oa a l BQbieotion to tbo lendal Lord, the former na n supposed compensation for omitted to ba patd to the Sector. As onr Abbess occnpiod both o( theae B In Bradford, she, ol course, enjoyed bothprlvllegeB. Hart's' Eccleaiaaticiil s,1 p. 305.
* ^ortiiss i.e. jilougJiinjr,- as in Eiod. mlr. SI, "In earing time and in hatvesti ™" ahslt rest," Yto-land or EarO-land la an eipresuion olten used In Anglo-Saion ""^tars lor ploughed land.
mesne (i.e. middle or intermediate) lords. In course of time, nearly every one of the tythings into which Bradford was divided had its Lord of the Manor, each of whom held his court, at which the various tenants were required to do suit and service. We often meet in old deeds with references to " the court of Anthony Eogers, Esq., at Holte." In one of the documents found at the Hall, an account of which was given in [the Wiltshire Magazine] (vol. i. 290), of the date 1545, by which one ' Eichard Drewis of Holte' has certain lands ' in the Parke, Lowsly and Holes in Holte, and also a tenement in Little Holte' granted to him by lease, it is expressly added,-" to sue (i.e. to do suit) at Eogers's Court at Holte." To this day, moreover, there is a payment due annually from the proprietor of the Manor House at Winsley, with which is held the Lordship of that Tything, of twenty-five shillings and eight-pence, to the Lord of the Manor of Bradford, a traditional acknowledgement of' the suit and service ' owned by him, as well as by all mesne lords, to the chief lord.
But besides these mesne Lords of Manors in the Hundred of Bradford, there were others who, though not exercising any jurisdiction within the Hundred demanded fealty, and perhaps rather more substantial acknowledgements, from some of the tenants within the domain of our Abbess. The Manor of Cumberwell, for example, was held under the Barony of Castle Combe, and Humphrey de Lisle (Hunfredus de Insula) the Lord of that Manor claimed from the tenant at Cumber-well-(in early times one named Pageri)-suit and service for the same.f The Prior of Monkton Farleigh, moreover, who held the Lordship of that Manor, claimed payment for lands in this parish r1 -there is in existence a deed (of the time of Edward I.) by which Walter Fayrchild of Wroxale grants to
f [The Gumbrewell of Domesday, as has been already stated, was mare probably Compton Cumberwell, near Calne, Brictric (Brictric Algarsonl) held ffarleigh in the Conqueror's time, and the addition of Cumberwell to that manor probably took place at a later date.}
1 As early as 1397, we find Sir Thomas Hungerford giving to Monkton Farleigh Priory 'a house and two ploughlands at Bradeford.'
By the Bev. W. H. Jones.
73
Alice la Loche, amongst other lands and tenements, some called " Clifcroft and Bradcroft, and a croft above Hanecleye paying 13d. per annum to the Lord Prior and Court of Farlege, viz., at Hockeday 12d. and at Michaelmas Id."1 To this day certain property in the town of Bradford is held under the Manor of Monkton Farleigh. A field called ' the Conigre," (one of several pieces of ground bearing that name in the parish) just behind the house occupied by Mr. Adye, in Woolley street, and some houses in St. Margaret street, nearly opposite the present Railway Station, are still held under leases granted by the lessee of "the Manor of Monkton Farleigh and Cumberwell," as it is termed.
Since the date of the grant of the Manor and Hundred to the Abbess of Shaftesbury, certain changes have taken place. In a previous page we have explained at some length its original boundaries (pp. 18-22). Westwood, which at the first clearly formed part of it, has been removed; and the parishes of Broughton, Chalfield, and Monkton Farleigh have been added to it; for they do not seem to be included within the limits described in Ethelred's charter. The removal of Westwood, though so intermixed with the other lands, and not on the confines of the domain, into a distinct Hundred, that of Elstub and Everley, is not easily accounted for. In the time of Domesday, Westwood belonged to the Priory of St. Swithin, Winchester, to which it had been given by Emma, mother of Edward the Confessor, and its revenue was allotted for the sustenance of the monks of that society, (pro victu monachorum).2 The Lordship of the Manor of West-wood now belongs to the Dean and Chapter of Winchester.
The Abbess of Shaftesbury held not only what is now called the Lay Manor of Bradford, but that also which is termed the Prebendal Manor. She held, in fact, the impropriate Rectory of Bradford. Amongst the valuations of the ecclesiastical revenue of Bradford (of which there are several) the portion of