Manorial History - Linslade Manor

Perhaps the earliest reference to the manor appears before 975, when Queen Aelfgyfu bequeathed her lord land at 'Hlincgeladae'. This is believed to be an early form of 'Linslade', and other property mentioned has been identified with the surrounding area.

Before the Norman Conquest the manor was held by Alwin, a man of Queen Edith. By the time of the Domesday Book (1086), it was in the possession of Hugh de Beauchamp. In the latter part of the 12th century Simon de Beauchamp, probably the great grandson of Hugh, was making grants of property in Linslade, and afterwards his son, William was in possession. William granted half of the manor to Nichole Benet, but in 1251, the whole was owned by William de Beauchamp the younger, (his father William died in 1260).

When William de Beauchamp the younger died in 1262, there was some dispute as to ownership relating to the earlier transactions with Nichole Benet, however, it was judged that William died seised of the manor. Consequently, it passed to his brother John de Beauchamp, who in 1265 died at the battle of Evesham. Their three sisters inherited John's estate, and the major part of the manor of Linslade was inherited by the eldest sister Maud, wife of Roger de Mowbray. The other two sisters Beatrice and Ela held land in Linslade for some time.

Around 1266, Roger de Mowbray died, and his son Roger was still a minor in 1278. Maud remarried Roger L'Estraunge, and he held his wife's portion of Linslade until his death in 1311. At which point, Maud also being dead, the estate passed to John de Mowbray, son of Roger and grandson of Maud.

A life grant of the manor was made by John to William de Braose in 1316, but, John was hanged in 1322 following the battle of Boroughbridge. John's son, John de Mowbray had his father's lands restored in 1327, and in 1344 made a life grant of Linslade to John de Leybourne.

In 1361, shortly before his death, John de Mowbray settled the manor on himself and his wife Elizabeth for life, with the remainder to John his son and heir. Elizabeth remarried Sir William de Cosynton, kt. and held Linslade in dower for life. The son, John de Mowbray married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of John de Seagrave and Margaret suo jure Countess of Norfolk, and died in 1368. Their son, another John de Mowbray, was a minor when he inherited the manor on his grandmothers death in 1376. John went on to become Earl of Nottingham, and on his death in 1382, Linslade manor passed to his brother Thomas, who in 1397 became Duke of Norfolk, and then subsequently in 1400, Earl of Norfolk, however he died the same year. At the earlier date of 1392, Thomas had granted Linslade to Robert, Bishop of London and others in settlement on his son marriage. His widow, Elizabeth was assigned the manor in dower and later married Sir Robert Goushill, kt. The son, Thomas, died in 1405, and after his widows death in 1437, the manor passed to his nephew, John, 5th Duke of Norfolk, and then on his detah in 1461 it was inherited by John, 6th Duke of Norfolk, who died in 1647 without any male heirs.

From the early 1400s the Mowbray's, tranferred the manorial rights, and only kept the overlordship dues. These were vested in the descendants as late as Thomas Earl of Arundel (1637).

The tenant of the manor in 1433 was Walter Lucy, kt., a member of a family which had held land in Linslade of the Mowbrays and Beauchamps as far back as the 13th century. From the 15th century to 1590 the manor descended with that of Cublington, but in 1590 it was retained by Richard Corbet, who in 1606 settled it on himself and his wife Judith for life, with the remainder to the heirs male of his grandfather Sir Roger. In 1608, on the death of Richard, possession passed to his brother, Vincent. The estate then passed in 1624 to Sir Vincent Corbet's son Sir Andrew Corbet, but he died in 1637. His son, Vincent, attained possession of the manor on the death of his great-aunt Judith, about 1642, in which year he was made a baronet. He died in 1652, but due to the services he had rendered to the late king, his widow was made a life peeress with the title Viscountess Corbet of Linslade. Their son Vincent, the second baraonet died in 1680 and on the death of his son Vincent in 1688, the baronetcy became extinct. In 1690, Beatrice, the sister and heir of the third baronet, owned land in Linslade. Beatrice was the wife of John Kynaston. At the same time Richard Corbet, male heir, and great-uncle of the third baronet held part of the manor. In 1740 Beatrice's son, Corbet Kynaston still held land in Linslade, but the estate being held in in tail-male, the majority of the manor was still in the possession of the Corbet family. By 1758 the lord was Richard's great-grandson, Andrew. His nephew and heir, Andrew was created a baronet in 1808. The entail of the property was broken in 1821 by Sir Andrew and his son Sir Andrew Vincent Corbet, and the manor was sold to William Pulsford, who held the manor until 1862. Following his death it passed to his daughter Anne, wife of Sir William Goodenough Hayter, bart. Their son, Sir Arthur Divett Hayter (created Lord Haversham in 1906) subsequently became lord of the manor.

As mentioned earlier, after the death of John de Beauchamp, the holding of Linslade was split between three sisters, and above has been described the descent of the major portion which was initially inherited by the elsest sister Maud de Mowbray. The second sister, Beatrice, married Thomas Fitz Otho and then later she married William de Monchesney. In 1284-6 the latter is recorded as being in joint possession of a vill in Linslade, and at his death he held a capital messuage and 72 acres of land. The property then passed to Beatrice's only surviving child, Maud, being a daughter by her first marriage. Maud was the wife of John de Botetourt, and they granted land in Linslade to William Rous, whose widow held it in 1346. The remainder was held by John de Botetourt, but by 1346 it had passed to John de Patishull, a descendant of the third sister, Ela.

Ela married Sir Baldwin Wake, and her three daughters were co-heirs. The eldest, Ida, married John de Steingrave, who held part of Linslade 1284-6. Their daughter and heir, Isabel, was married twice, firstly to Simon de Patishull and secondly Walter de Teye, and was in possession with the latter husband as early as 1297. At Walter's death in 1324 his stepson John de Patishull, kt. was declared his heir. In 1346 land formerly held by Walter de Teye was in the possession of Thomas de Stodleye, but this was probably not the entire holding, as in 1360 land in Linslade became the property of Thomas Wake of Blisworth and Alice his wife, a sister and co-heir of William de Pattishull, Kt., son of John. In 1425, Maud, widow of Thomas Wake (probably the son of Thomas and Alice) died siesed of the land, her heir being her son Thomas.

The second daughter of Ela and Sir Baldwin Wake, Elizabeth, married John de Hoobury. They were in possession of land in Linslade in 1284-6. In 1316 Elizabeth died without issue and her heirs were her sister's grandsons, John de Patishull and John Pigot.

The third daughter of Ela and Sir Baldwin Wake, Joan, married Michael Pigot, with whom she held land in Linslade in 1278. She married for a second time to Ralph Paynel, who is recorded as holding land in Linslade in 1284-6 and 1302. By 1346 the land had passed to Thomas de Stodeley, and there is no further record of it.

At the end of the 15th century there is mention of a second manor in Linslade, being held of the Abbot of Missenden, and in 1478, Sir Ralph Joselyn, kt. (and Mayor of London) died siesed. His heir was his nephew George. Sr Ralph Joselyn's widow Elizabeth subsequently married Sir Robert Clifford, kt. In 1507 these parties were sued by Elizabeth's father and other supposed trustees who claimed they, rather than the Cliffords were seised of the manor. By 1538 the 'manor of Linslade and Southcott known as Joselyn's manor' was owned by the Corbet family, and presumably absorbed into the main property.

Woburn Abbey also owned land in Linslade and Southcott as early as 1291, and until the Dissolution. Afterward Edward VI granted George Wright the property formerly owned by Woburn Abbey.

The hamlet of Southcott in Linslade first occurs in documents in 1241. It was held as a manor with Linslade in 1400, by Thomas Duke of Norfolk and it descended with Linslade. The last mention of it as a separate manorial holding occurs in the 17th century.