‹ E-CIPM 20-623: CONSTANCE ›

Holdings

Thomas held in fee tail of the king in chief in the March of Wales:

Kenfig, the castle, lordship and manor, with the district of Tir yr Iarll , annual value £48 13s.4d.

Neath, the castle, vill and lordship, with the hamlets of Cilybebyll and Briton Ferry, and the district and forest of Neath, annual value £88 8s.7 3/4d.; and also the advowson of the abbey of Neath, temporalities £20 and of the church of Neath, extending at 10 marks.

Llantrissant, the castle, vill and lordship, with the lordship and district of Glynrhondda, with their appurtenances, advowsons and knight’s fee, annual value £52 4s.8d.

And the following knight’s fees:

Wenvoe, 2 fees, once held by William Flemenyk , extending at £10.

Coychurch, 1 fee, held by Payn Turbervill, 100s.

St. Nicholas, 3 fees, once held by William Corbet , £30.

Penmark, 4 fees, held by Henry de Humfrevill , £60.

Llanharry, 1/2 fee, held by Maud widow of John de Turbervill, 40s.

Llystalybont, 1/2 fee held by William Maillok , 40s.,

And in the county of Gloucester the manor of Chipping Sodbury with the lordship, vill and park of New Sodbury.

All the above were part of the holdings which Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester and Hertford , quitclaimed to Edward I on 27 May 1290 and which the king then granted to Gilbert and Joan his wife, the king’s daughter [CPR 1281–92, pp.359–61]. They held in fee tail and had a son, Gilbert, and 3 daughters, Eleanor, Margaret and Elizabeth. Joan and Gilbert died. Gilbert, earl of Gloucester , the son, held and died without heirs. The holdings were divided between the 3 sisters, and these premises came to Hugh le Despenser, knight, junior , and Eleanor his wife. They held in fee tail and had 2 sons, Hugh and Edward. Hugh the son held and died without heirs of his body. Edward the son of Edward his brother succeeded and so they passed to his son Thomas, who died on 13 January 1400. By the advice and consent of the parliament of January 1404 Henry IV ordered that Constance might recover her dower from the forfeited holdings of Thomas, and so she held.

Holdings

Thomas lord le Despenser, her late husband, held the manor of Perlethorpe in fee tail by the grant of William de la Lee and John de Knyghton to Edward le Despenser , Anne his wife and the heirs of their bodies by their grant of 24 June 1365. They held and it passed to their son Edward and from him to Thomas his son. He died on 5 Jan. 1400 and it descended to Richard who died under age in the king’s ward, and from him to Isabel, wife of Richard Beauchamp of Abergavenny as lineal heir. In 1404 it was granted as above [no. 621] that Constance might recover her dower. In Perlethorpe she was assigned 8 bovates and 3 quartrons of demesne in the west, 6 a. of the demesne meadow in the east, and the services of the following tenants: John Shakle , Richard Clarpham , John Thacker , William Tershale and John Pervelson , and also a 3rd part of the view of frankpledge and a 3rd part of the issues. Thus she held the 3rd part of the inheritance of Isabel, wife of Richard Beauchamp , of the king in chief of the honor of Tickhill by knight service, annual value of her part 29s.1 1/2d.

Holdings

Thomas le Despenser held the manor of Caversham and the chapel on Caversham bridge in fee tail, by letters patent of Edward I, and it descended as above [no. 621], and was allotted to Hugh le Despenser, knight, junior , and Eleanor his wife as her share of the inheritance, in the partition between her, and Hugh de Audele, junior , and Margaret his wife, and Roger Damary and Elizabeth his wife. So it came to Thomas, and Constance was dowered with it in accordance with the order in the parliament of 1404, mentioned above. It is held of the king in chief by knight service, annual values, the manor 45 marks, the advowson 6s.8d.

Holdings

Thomas le Despenser held in fee tail by the above-mentioned letters patent of 1290 [no. 621]: 2 tenements in Dowgate ward, which Sarah de Rokesle once held; 1 tenement and inn called ‘la Belle on the Hope’ in Friday Street, and 3 shops with cellars on the corner with appurtenances in Friday Street, all of which Thomas de Copham and Albreda his wife once held. Descent as above. The 3rd part was allotted to Constance in the ‘Bell on the Hope’, 3 rooms next the garden with a stable below, a 3rd part of the garden, le Warehous’ next the garden, a 3rd part of the hall, of 3 little houses in the hall, of 3 little houses at the entrance, and of 3 shops with cellars on the corner of Friday Street; 8s. from the 24s. rent in Dowgate ward, which is held by the prior of Elsing Spital . All are held in free burgage, with remainder to Isabel, sister of Thomas and wife of Richard Beauchamp , annual value of Constance’s part 60s.

Holdings

Thomas lord le Despenser held in fee simple 2 parts of the lordship and manors of Sherston, Broad Town and Winterslow, with the reversion of the 3rd part which Elizabeth widow of Edward le Despenser held in dower. She died on 26 July 1411. Thomas gave the 2 parts to Thomas Percy, knight , now deceased, Hugh Tildesley , Thomas Lawton , John Cors, clerk , and Thomas Faukener to hold to his use. He died on 5 Jan. 1400. Constance was allotted a 3rd part of the 2 parts in dower.

On 16 April 1414 Henry V by letters patent [CPR 1413–16, pp.192–3] granted all the forfeited holdings of Thomas to Edward duke of York for life, and on 17 Feb. 1415 granted the reversion of them to Richard Beauchamp of Abergavenny and Isabel his wife. Edward duke of York died on 25 Oct. 1415. Therefore Constance held the 3rd part in dower of the king in chief by knight service with reversion to Richard and Isabel, annual value £9 13s.4d.

Holdings

By the grant of Edward I, as above [no. 621] Thomas le Despenser held the view, manor and advowson of Great Marlow. Constance was dowered with the 3rd part of the manor and the 3rd presentation to the church. Her part of the manor comprised: 2 rooms in the site of the manor, built above and below at the end of the great chamber; the ‘Deyhous’ and the cowhouse at the entrance to the court of the granary there; 1 bay of the great barn in the middle to the east with free ingress and egress; the close called the ‘Westefeld’; 18 a. of the demesne meadows in the ‘Middelmedowe’ in the east; the wood called ‘Levet’ and 5 a. in the wood called ‘Byggefryth’ to the east; 4 marks yearly rent from the fee farm; £8 from the burgesses of Great Marlow at Michaelmas by the bailiffs; the tenements and rents of John Tyler , John Bolle , Thomas Asshemere , for ‘Strailleslond’ and for his own holding, Walter Asshemere , Thomas Swayn , John Plat and Thomas Deven ; 20s rent from the farm of the mill at the usual terms; a 3rd part of the view of frankpledge, the court, tolls of markets and fairs and of all other profits of Great Marlow and a 3rd part of the view of Little Marlow; all assigned to her as reasonable dower.

Holdings

By the grant of Edward I, as above [no. 621] Thomas le Despenser held in fee tail: the manor of Chittlehampton with its members of Widdecombe in the Moor and Langtree, 2 parts of the external court of Winkleigh, Addiscott, Holcombe, Portmore, Riddlecombe, Withycombe, Holcombe Burnell, Dowland and Loman; and the following knight’s fees extending as shown:

Head, Birch, Southcote and Collacot, 1 fee once held by Henry de Campo Arnulphi, 100s.

Ashreigny, 1/2 fee, once held by John de Solly, 100s.

Calverleigh and ‘Bleworth’, 1/2 fee, once held by John de Kalewodelegh, 40s.

Holcombe and Warmore, 1/2 fee, once held by Henry Barry and others, 100s.

Northlew, 2 parts of a fee, once held by Richard Merton , £4.

Halwill, Northlew and elsewhere, 1 fee, once held by Nicholas de Bonevill, 25 marks.

Clovelly, 1 fee, once held by the heirs of Walter Giffard , £30.

Sandecombe, 1/3 fee, once held by the abbot of Dunkeswell , 100s.

Womberford, 1 fee, once held by John de Bello Campo , £10.

Dunsbear, Woolfardisworthy and Allisland, 1 fee, once held by Richard de Amysford, 60s.

Sowton and Canonteign, 1 fee, once held by Henry Pomeray, 50s.

Langtree, the advowson.

They all descended as above, and were divided between the 3 sisters, the division being enrolled in the Chancery of Richard II , the above being allotted to Eleanor wife of Hugh le Despenser , and so descending.

Holdings

Constance held in dower of the inheritance of Isabel Beauchamp by the grant and descent as above [no. 621] 1 knight’s fee in Binnerton in the hundred of Drannack. It is held of the king in chief by knight service, and extends at 100s.

Holdings

Thomas le Despenser held in fee tail the site of the manor of Essendine, and adjacent watermill, and the vill of Essendine, parcels of the manor, by the grant of Hugh de Calke and William de Castelford by their charter dated 10 Aug. 1338 to Edward le Despenser, knight , Anne his wife and the heirs of their bodies. The premises descended to Edward their son and so to Thomas. Constance was assigned in dower:

In the houses of the manor, the room next the chapel, above and below, with the chapel and all the houses annexed; the gatehouse with houses above the stable and room below the gatehouse, with door, free ingress and egress to the heirs of the manor always reserved; the bakehouse; outside the site, ‘le Kelnehoud’ with stable adjacent, half the grange outside, a 3rd part of the moat or ditch round the manor to the east, a 3rd part of the orchard with a pond … to the north; of the demesne lands in the vill: the ferling of ‘Greteley’ and ‘Litulhey’ and 6 a. in ‘Frewode’ to the east in Rutland; of demesne meadows, half the meadow of ‘Holmet’ to the east, the meadow called ‘Roweseke’; rents and services of tenants, Simon Pillard , Agnes Wolwyn , William Keleway , John Chusin , Thomas Laxton , John Priour , Thomas Anques , William Sponer , William Wright and Thomas Laxton in Essendine.

She was also assigned a 3rd part of the watermill, and of the view of frankpledge and the court of Essendine, and a 3rd part of all other profits, all to hold for life of the inheritance of Isabel.

The manor of Essendine is held of William Boussher knight, of the castle of Oakham, service unknown. The tenements that Constance held in dower are worth 59s. 4d. yearly.

Holdings

Thomas le Despenser held in fee tail, by the same grant as above, and descending accordingly [no. 629] the park of Essendine comprising 200 a. wood, 60 a. arable, 20 a. meadow and 51s. rent in Essendine and Carlby, parcel of the manor of Essendine. Constance was allotted as above a 3rd part in dower, namely: ‘Stokkyng’ ferling, the ferlings abbuting on Essendine park, and ‘le Ruylond’, ‘Toftwonge’ and ‘Ruddewinge’ ferlings; the close called ‘le Parlond’; 60 and 12 a. wood in the adjacent park ‘le Dene’ meadow, comprising 6 1/2 a., 1 rood; the ‘Halleendes’ pasture; and the services of William Cook of Carlby, all held for life of the inheritance of Isabel Beauchamp .

The manor is held of William Bouffler, knight , of the castle of Oakham, service unknown, annual value of Constance’s part 39s.8d.

Holdings

Thomas le Despenser held 2 parts of the manors of Kimberworth and Bawtry in fee tail, Kimberworth by the grant of Hugh de Calk and William de Castelford to Edward le Despenser, knight , and Anne his wife, as above [no. 629], and Bawtry by the grant of William de la Lee and John Knyghton as above [no. 622], and they descended as above. Constance was dowered with a 3rd part:

In Kimberworth:

In the site of the manor, the chamber at the end of the main chamber on the west, with the houses below; the granary and stable next the gatehouse; the oxhouse in the courtyard, a house at the end of the stable thatched with straw; a 3rd part of the courtyard and of the close round the manor on the west side, with the stone wall as far as the postern gate. In the demesne lands, a 3rd part of 2 parts of a pasture called ‘le Holmes’ and the one called ‘les Walkeworthfeldes’. The rents and services of tenants: Thomas de Reseby, knight , John de Hare , Simon de Merssheborugh , John Robertsone , John Brewester , John Neelson , Robert Kinge , Nicholas atte Lee , Richard Birley , Robert de Brekesherth . A 3rd part of 2 parts of mills, 1 grain, 1 fulling, and of the profits of the court of the lordship, of Kimberworth park, of the herbage on the west side, and of the outwoods on the west side, and of the boon works.

In Bawtry:

The tenements, services, lordship and tenure of the following: Robert de Morton , Thomas atte Tothull , Richard Trulle , William Cotes , Edmund Fitzwilliam , Hugh Draper , Robert Ikhils , John Loftsome , John Golle , and William Anton .

Also a 3rd part of 2 parts of Bawtry wood on the south side, of the profits of the court, of Bawtry ferry, and of the tolls of markets and fairs.

The manors are held of the king , of the honor of Tickhill by knight service, annual value of Constance’s part 106s.8d.