Manors and Estates around Lyneham

The Manors and Estates
In the time of King Edward Stremi held 'Stoche', an estate which probably included the later manors of Bradenstoke and Lyneham. Edward of Salisbury held the estate in 1086 at the time of the Domesday Study. Edward was succeeded by his son Walter, and the estate at 'Stoche' subsequently formed one of the chief endowments of the house of Augustinian canons which Walter founded at Bradenstoke in c.1139. In 1207 King John confirmed the manor of Bradenstoke to the convent. Thenceforth the estate remained with the priory until the house was dissolved in 1539.

In 1546 the king granted Richard Pexsall the site of the priory, the prior's lodging, and certain specified lands in Bradenstoke, Clack, and Lyneham, most of which had previously formed part of the priory demesne lands. After the Dissolution until at least the later 17th century the manor was frequently known as that of Bradenstoke with Clack.

Lyneham Manor
Lyneham apparently remained with the Crown until 1557 when Thomas Matson received a royal grant of the manor including land at Littlecott (in Hilmarton), Preston, and Thickthorn, to be held by service of knight's fee. It is likely that this grant was revoked, since in 1559 the queen granted the manor of Lyneham to William Button, who died 1st Feb 1590, seized of it in 1591. He had previously settled the manor on his second son, William (II) Button, who entered and died seized in 1599. His heir was his son, William (III) Button 1st Baronet of Alton (d. 28th January 1655), who in turn was succeeded by his son Sir William (IV) Button 2nd baronet of Alton (d. 8th March 1659). Sir William (IV) Button's heir was his brother Sir Robert Button 3rd Baronet of Alton (d. c.1679). Sir Robert Button's heir was his brother Sir John Button 4th Baronet of Alton, who was certainly seized by 1679.

Sir John Button, 4th Baronet, died without issue in 1712 and his heir was his great-nephew Heneage Walker, grandson of his sister Mary, who had married Clement Walker. During the lifetime of Sir John Button, the land at Littlecott, until then part of the manor of Lyneham, was sold as a separate farm. Heneage Walker died in 1731 and was succeeded by his brother John (d. 1758). John Walker's heir was his son, another John, who in 1777 adopted the name Walker-Heneage.

In 1793 his estate at Lyneham comprised 9 substantial farms, including East Preston, West Preston, and Thickthorn. John Walker-Heneage died without issue in 1806 and was succeeded by his great-nephew George Wyld, son of his niece Mary. George Wyld subsequently adopted the name of Walker-Heneage, and on his death in 1875 was succeeded by his son Clement Walker-Heneage (d. 1901)

Clement Walker Heneage was succeeded by his son Godfrey Walker Heneage (d. 1939). In 1905 the Lyneham estate, reckoned at 2,016 acres, was offered for sale. At this date it comprised most of Lyneham village as well as various farms which included the Preston and Thickthorn Farms. Godfrey Walker-Heneage remained lord in 1931, but by this date the estate had been sold in lots. In 1951 Church Farm, previously part of the Lyneham estate of the Walker-Heneage family, and then estimated at 120 acres was bought by the Air Ministry from the trustees of William Miflin for the enlargement of the airfield at Lyneham

Bradenstoke Estate
In 1540-1 the lands had been leased to Henry Long (d. 1556) for 21 years. Shortly before his death in 1571 Sir Richard Pexsall devised his estates, including Bradenstoke, to his second wife Eleanor (nee Cotgrave) for 13 years until his grandson Pexsall Brocas, son of his daughter Anne, came of age. The will was invalid as to a third of the estate, and this part descended to 4 coheirs, daughters of Sir Richard Pexsall. These were Anne, wife of Bernard Brocas; Margery, who married, first Oliver Beckett, and secondly Francis Cotton; Elizabeth, who married John Jobson, and Barbara, the wife of Anthony Bridges.

It seems that Eleanor Pexsall still retained the two thirds due to Pexsall Brocas in 1590. By this date, besides the twelfth she had inherited, Anne Brocas had also acquired her sister Barbara's twelfth and thus held a sixth of the estate. In c. 1572-3 Elizabeth Jobson and her husband granted their twelfth to Eleanor Pexsall, who, by this date, had married John Savage. Eleanor and John Savage settled this twelfth on Edward Savage, second son of John Savage, in 1573 and he retained it in 1590. In 1609 Pexsall Brocas was apparently entitled to a life estate in the manor of Bradenstoke, but it seems likely that his stepmother, Eleanor Savage, continued to hold two thirds until her death in 1617-18. Pexsall Brocas, who by this date had also inherited his mother's sixth, died seized of ten twelfths of his estate in 1630. He was succeeded by his son Thomas in 1630 and Thomas Brocas conveyed some form of interest in the manor of Bradenstoke to his son Robert in 1635. It was presumably Robert Brocas who sold ten twelfths of the manor to Henry, Earl of Danby, in c. 1640.

By the time of his death in 1594 Sir John Danvers had acquired, either from Edward Savage or Francis Cotton, a twelfth of the manor of Bradenstoke. His heir was his son Charles (d. 1601), who was succeeded by his brother Henry (cr. Earl of Danby 1626), who probably acquired the Brocas ten twelfths in c. 1640. Henry (d. 1644) was succeeded by his brother John (d. 1655).

The estate held by the Danverses at this date was still reckoned to consist of a twelfth of the manor of Bradenstoke, but there is no doubt that they had acquired the manor itself by 1655. John Delivers' heirs were his daughters, Elizabeth (d. 1709), wife of Robert Wright alias Villiers alias Danvers, and Anne, wife of Sir Henry Lee. In 1677 Elizabeth Danvers and her husband were seized of half of the manor. Presumably Anne Lee and her husband held the other moiety. Eleanor (d. 1690), daughter of Henry and Anne Lee, married James, Lord Norreys, later Earl of Abingdon (d. 1699), and had inherited her mother's moiety of the Bradenstoke estate by 1678, when James, Lord Norreys, leased out land there. In 1683 Elizabeth Danvers, now the wife of John Duvall, conveyed her moiety to James, Lord Norreys, and he thus acquired the whole manor.

The estate presumably passed to his son Montagu, 2nd Earl of Abingdon (d. 1743), and during his ownership the Bradenstoke estate was sold to Germanicus Sheppard, who was in possession by 1738. At an unknown date Sheppard sold the manor to Paul Methuen (d. 1795), who was succeeded there by his son Paul Cobb Methuen (d. 1816).

He in turn was succeeded by his son Paul, Lord Methuen (d. 1849), whose estate was made up of lands which included Bradenstoke Farm and Cranley Farm in 1846 Paul, Lord Methuen, was succeeded by his son Frederick, Lord Methuen (d. 1891), who sold the estate to Gabriel Goldney (d. 1900) in 1863. From Gabriel Goldney the estate passed to his son Gabriel Prior Goldney (d. 1925), who sold it to Francis, Baron de Tuyll in 1917 Baron de Tuyll sold the manor to J. A. A. Williams in 1920 and he in turn sold it in 1921 to H. Lushington Storey.

In 1923 the estate was offered for sale and it was presumably bought at this date by H. Fry, who was owner in 1926. Shortly afterwards it was apparently broken up. Donald and Hannah Bridges owned Cranley Farm, estimated at 133 acres, in 1942, at which date the farm was bought by the Air Ministry. By 1946 Bradenstoke Abbey Farm was owned by Maria Cole, who that year sold 235 acres of it to the same purchaser.

The 19th-century farm-house attached to Bradenstoke Abbey Farm, built on the site of the former priory, may contain some of the masonry of the conventual buildings, most of which, together with the tithe barn, were demolished in c. 1930. The buildings of the former priory have been outlined elsewhere. In 1968 little remained on the priory site except the vaulted undercroft of the cloister's western range and a square turret which had stood at its north-west angle; both date from the 14th century.

During the 13th, 14th, and early 15th centuries the priors of Bradenstoke consolidated their holding in West Tockenham by the acquisition of a number of small estates there. These, together with estates granted by the families of Bohun and Mortimer, and the manor known as Little Tockenham or Tockenham Doygnel, formed the later manor of West Tockenham.

In 755-7 Aethelbald granted Abbot Eanberht of Malmesbury 10 cassati at 'Toccansceaga', an area later known as West Tockenham. King Ethelwulf may have granted 5 mansiones there to Malmesbury in 854, although this grant is suspect. By the time of King Edward an estate at 'Tockenham' was certainly held by Malmesbury Abbey, but by the time of the Domesday Survey the abbot and convent had apparently relinquished their rights in it.

By 1086 the estate had passed to Durand of Gloucester. At his death his lands passed to his son Roger (d.s.p. 1106) Roger's heir was his cousin Walter, who was in turn succeeded by his son Miles (d. 1143), who was created Earl of Hereford in 1141. Miles's coheirs were his two daughters, one of whom, Margaret, wife of Humphrey de Bohun, secured most of Durand's Wiltshire fief. Margaret de Bohun's grandson Henry was created Earl of Hereford and thenceforth the overlordship descended with the earldom.

The last recorded mention of the Bohun overlordship occurs in 1384 when, after the death of Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford (d. 1373), his daughter Mary and her husband Henry, Earl of Derby, were confirmed in the overlordship of an estate in West Tockenham.

In 1066 Doun held the 'Tockenham' estate of Malmesbury Abbey. By 1086 Roger held it of Durand. No more is known until the 13th century, when part at least of the estate was apparently held under the Bohuns by the Baynton family. In 1242-3 Walter Baynton held one fifth knight's fee in 'Tockenham' of Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford (d. 1275), as of his honour of Trowbridge. It was presumably this small estate which Henry Baynton and his wife Joan granted to Bradenstoke Priory in 1262.14 At a date before 1373 Humphrey, Earl of Hereford (d. 1373), granted an estate in West Tockenham to the priory.

In 1066 Alwin held an estate, reckoned at 2½ hides, in 'Tockenham'. In 1086 the overlord of the estate, which may have included land previously held by Malmesbury Abbey, was Ralph Mortimer of Wigmore. The overlordship of this small estate remained in the family of Mortimer of Wigmore until the 14th century. It is last mentioned in 1425 when Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March (d. 1425), was overlord.

In 1086 Oideland held the estate at 'Tockenham' of Ralph Mortimer. No other mesne tenants are known until 1242-3 when Thomas of Tockenham held 1/2 knight's fee in 'Tockenham' of Brian of Branton, who held it of the overlord Ralph Mortimer (d. 1246). Some time before 1265 Thomas of Tockenham granted the estate to Bradenstoke Priory, who thenceforth apparently held it of the Mortimers. The holding was estimated at 1 knight's fee in 1360.

In 1198 William Spelman held an unspecified amount of land in West Tockenham, which cannot be identified with any Domesday estate. At an unknown date between 1198 and 1293 this estate had passed to Nicholas Spelman. By 1293 it had passed to Christine Spelman, although her relationship to Nicholas Spelman is unknown. The estate is perhaps the same as that held in chief in 1344 by Gilbert Testwood, the grandson of Catherine Spelman.

By 1198 William Spelman had subinfeudated carucate in West Tockenham to Richard Spelman. Their relationship is unknown. Before 1293 Nicholas Spelman, as overlord, granted Guy Doygnel one hide in West Tockenham, a holding which included 1/2 hide held by Nicholas Spelman in demesne, one virgate held by Henry Forde, and one virgate held by Humphrey Fitzpayne. In 1293 Silvester Doygnel, presumably the son of Guy Doyanel, died seised of 3 virgates in West Tockenham, which he had held since c. 1269. The estate, reckoned in 1313 to contain one messuage and four virgates, passed to his son Peter, who in 1332-3 conveyed a life estate in the manor of Little Tockenham to John of Cricklade, bailiff of Lyneham. The manor was known alternatively as Tockenham Doygnel in the later 14th century.

In 1334 Peter Doygnel conveyed the manor to Bradenstoke Priory. With this grant, together with that made in the 13th century by Thomas of Tockenham and that made by Humphrey, Earl of Hereford (d. 1373), the manor of West Tockenham finally emerged. It was further augmented in 1412 when John Elcombe and his wife loan gave the priory land in Lyneham, Littlecott, and West Tockenham, amounting to about 100 acres. The manor remained with Bradenstoke until the house was dissolved in 1539.

The manor remained in hand until 1560 when William Button (d. 1591) and Thomas Estecourte were granted the reversion. In the same year Estecourte relinquished his rights. The manor, known from the 17th century as Tockenham Court Farm, descended in the same way as the manor of Lyneham and passed from the Buttons in 1712 to their successors, the Walker-Heneages, who remained lords in 1900.

Tockenham Court Farm
Tockenham Court Farm is a stone house apparently of 18th-century date, but incorporating an L-shaped building of the late 16th or early 17th century. The only visible features of the older house are its heavy chamfered ceiling beams which retain carved stops of several different designs. The house, then owned by Sir William Button (d. 1654-5), was looted by Parliamentary troops in 1643 and 1644.

The house known in 1773 as Tockenham House and in 1968 as Meadow Court, which stands about 500 yards north-cast of Tockenham Court Farm, is a building of two distinct periods. The southern part represents the two-storied hall range and service cross-wing of a stone house of c.1630, partly remodelled in the 18th century. Alterations to the service wing in the 20th century included the removal of a massive chimney at its east end. Externally on the west wall are inscribed the words 'Levavi Oculos'. It has been suggested that the house was occupied by the Walker family after the death of the last Button in 1712. If so Heneage Walker (d. 1731) must have been responsible for the building or rebuilding of the northern part of the house on a grand scale between 1720 and 1730. The brick addition, which is probably on the site of a former solar wing, is only one room deep but is of considerable height and has an impressive entrance facing north. This elevation is of seven bays, the three central bays being surmounted by a pediment; stone dressings include moulded window-heads with carved keystones and a central doorway with an open segmental pediment on brackets. Internally there are paneled rooms and a contemporary staircase. A brick orangery or coach-house to the southeast of the house also dates from the earlier 18th century. Tockenham Manor Farm lies further east and has a stone farm-house probably of 18th century origin.

Lyneham Estate
In 1341 the glebe attached to the church of Lyneham amounted to one carucate of land, worth £2 yearly. It is probable that this small rectorial estate had increased considerably by 1541-2, when Henry Long (d. 1556) received a royal grant of an estate of c.315 acres in Lyneham, and Littlecott, previously held by Bradenstoke Priory.

This estate represents he glebe-lands of the impropriate rectory of Lyneham. On Henry Long's death the estate apparently passed to his fifth son, Richard, who died in 1558 seised of a capital messuage belonging to the rectory of Lyneham, he was succeeded there by his son Edmund.

Freegrove
In 1571 the estate contained a holding known as 'Fresh Grove' (Freegrove), and in 1617 -19 included the parsonage house and a small park stocked with deer. Edmund Long died seised in 1635, and by virtue of a settlement made in 1619 the rectorial estate was divided between his sons Richard and Walter.

The bulk of the estate, reckoned at c. 289 acres, passed to his elder son Richard, but some 80 acres were settled on his younger son Walter, who predeceased his father in 1630. The smaller estate passed to Walter's widow, Mary, as her jointure, and she was still seised in 1636.

No more is known of this small estate. On Richard (II) Long's death in 1639 his estate at Lyneham passed to his eldest son Edmund (II) Long (d. 1664), who was thus entitled to most of the glebe-lands. Edmund Long sold off the estate in lots at an unknown date. Before his death in 1664 Edmund (II) Long sold part of the estate of the impropriate rectory of Lyneham to either Adam or Robert, Tuck.

The estate remained in the Tuck family and by 1719 Robert Tuck was seised of Freegrove Farm. In 1744 he devised Freegrove to his son Adam. No more is known of the estate until 1846 when it was owned by Jacob Large. By 1880 Freegrove, at this date leased to Arthur Pocock, had been acquired by William Henry Poynder (d. 1880), and by 1885 had passed to William. Dickson-Poynder.

Lyneham Court
By 1667 Oliver Pleydell (d. 1680) was seised of the largest portion of the former rectorial lands, known by this date as the Lyneham Court estate. He was apparently succeeded by his grandson Thomas Pleydell, who in turn was succeeded by his son Thomas (II) Pleydell (d. 1727), who held the estate in 1704.

Thomas (II) Pleydell was succeeded by his son Sir Mark Stuart Pleydell (d. 1768), whose daughter and heir Harriet married William Bouverie, 1st Earl of Radnor (d. 1765). Their son Jacob, Earl of Radnor (d. 1828), was seised of Lyneham Court in 1800. William de Bouverie, 1st Earl of Radnor was born on 26 February 1725 and died on 28 January 1776. He was the son of Sir Jacob des Bouverie, 1st Viscount Folkestone and Mary Clarke. He married, firstly, Harriet Pleydell, daughter of Sir Mark Stuart Pleydell, Bt., on 14 January 1747/48. They had a child Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie, 2nd Earl of Radnor (b. 4 March 1750, d. 27 January 1828)

The Lyneham estate then descended with the Radnor title until the early 20th century. It was sold to the tenant, Frank Fry, in 1920. The 1901 Census records show Frank Fry as head of the household at Lyneham Court employed as a farmer aged 38. Frank was born about 1863 in Stanley, Wiltshire. He was married to Edith Fry aged 23 years and they had three children Mildred aged 10 years, William aged 2 years and Mabel aged 12 months, all born in Lyneham. A decade earlier, census records show Frank Fry was living at Stanley Common Farm with his sister-in-law Elizabeth Fry aged 35 years. Elizabeth was a widow, a farmer of 193 acres with three young children.

The 1891 Census shows Frank Fry (29 years old born in Calne Wiltshire) living at Lyneham Court with Mary his wife aged 28 years born in Chippenham Wiltshire. Their daughter Mildred was born in Lyneham within the last 12 months of the census. Also residing in the house was Emma Godwin acting as a general servant.

An earlier Census record of 1881 shows Thomas Fry as head of the house, aged 25 years old and he was living with his cousin Emma H Thomas his cousin aged 20 years born in Allington Wiltshire.

The 1901 England Census Record show Frank Fry as head of Lyneham Court, living with his wife Edith, aged 23 years, and three children Mildred, William and Mabel aged 10, 2 and 1 year old respectively.

In 1940 Lyneham Court Farm, estimated at 292 acres, and owned by Frank Fry, was bought by the Air Ministry.