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Chapter V.

THE MANOR OF SOULDERNE.

About 1066, Jordan de Sai (whose name appears on the roll of Battle Abbey) appears to have obtained a grant of the manor of “Sulethorn.”

39 Hen. III., 1254–5.—“Sulthorn. Dominus Radulphus de Erderne tenet man. de Sulthorn de honore Castelli Ricardi, quod Will. de Stotewile tenet per servicium dimidii militis: libertatem habet, set nescimus quo waranto, nisi quod vicecomes recipit quatuor solidos de visu. De aliis capitulis nil sciunt, nisi defalt. dom. Radulphi.—Rotuli Hundredorum 1818, vol. II., p. 44.

In 1261, or earlier, Philip Basset sold the said manor to Ralph de Bray for 40 marks of silver.—(White Kennett's Parochial Antiquities, Vol. I., p. 387).

Edw. I.—Thomas de Lewknore* holds the manor of Sulthurne of Thomas de Arderne by the service of one pound of cummin yearly, and the said Thomas holds from the heirs of Say, and it is a manor free in itself, and has a view of frank pledge from the first Conquest of England, and the bailiffs of our lord the King have no entrance unless by writs of our lord the King. And it has an ancient warren from the first conquest of England. And the sheriff of Oxford has 4s. yearly from the time of John de Tywe formerly sheriff of Oxford, who levied those four shillings un­justly. And it has a right to waifs (wayvium) from the Conquest aforesaid. And he holds in his lordship three carucates of land and the meadow and pasture adjoining, and he has there a free fishery, from the head of the meadow of Goldenham, as far as the meadow of Fretewelle. And the said lord of Sulthurne at his will, or his attorney, shall come to the two Great Hundred Courts yearly to demand the liberty of his men belonging to the manor, and by this they shall be free and at liberty to withdraw with­out any amercement or fine, and this freedom has been in use from the aforesaid Conquest.—(Rotuli Hundredorum, temp. Edw. 1., 1818, Vol. II., p. 823.)

* Thomas de Lewknore married Lucy, heiress of Thomas de Arderne, who inherited from the de Says. She is said (see “Testa de Nevill,” temp. Hen. III. and Ed. I) to hold the whole township of “Solphorne” in frank marriage.

John de Luvetot (senior).—Solthorne manor, Oxon (with many more in other counties).—Calendar of Inquis. Post Mortem, 22nd Ed. I.

Thomas de Abbresbury.—“Sulthorne maner' extent. Oxon.”—Ibid. temp. Ed. I.

“Will'us de Tyngewick.—Sulthorne maner, extent. ut de Castro Ricardi.”—Ibid., 1Oth Ed. II.

John de Abberbury , chivaler.—“Sulthorne maner, extent.” Ibid., 20th Ed. III.

In 1357, in a Patent Roll of the 31 Ed. III., there occurs the entry of a writ, “about the Hamlet of Foresmore, belonging to Roger de Cottesford, and (about) the enclosed road between Cot­tesford and Sulthorne, and a license to enclose the said hamlet.”—White Kennett, Vol. II., p. 115 (note).

“Ric'us de Abberbury, Sulderne maner' Oxon.”—Cal. Rot. Chartarum, temp. Rich. II.

In the Inquisitions of Henry VI., William Duke of Suffolk, held, in the County of Oxford, land in Thorp, Cudlynton, Sul­thorne, etc. And in Napier's History of Swyncombe and Ewelme it appears that after the murder of the said Duke, Alice his widow was seized of the said lands. (p. 104, note B).

In 36 Hen. VI., “Joh'es Dynham, miles,” holds the manor with twelve others in the county (Cal. Inquis. post mortem). This John Dynham apparently became possessed of Souldern through a marriage with one of the de la Poles.

In the reign of Elizabeth a son of the aforesaid John Dynham, married, first, Elizabeth, d. of Sir John Dormer, and secondly Penelope, d. of Sir Rich. Wenman. During the same reign, the manor of Souldern was purchased by the Weedons from the Right Hon. H. Compton, Sir John Arundel, John Dormer, and Paul Tracy, who were seized of the estate in right of their wives. It continued in the Weedon family until the year 1710 when John Weedon died and left his manor and estate to Samuel Cox and Alicia née Kilby, his wife; and their direct descendant Col. Sneyd Cox, of Broxwood Court and Eaton Bishop, in the county of Hereford, is the present lord.