Descent of the Manor Manor of Siston

1 descent of manor

1.1 berkeley of dursley
1.2 walerand of whaddon, wiltshire
1.3 plokenet of herefordshire
1.4 corbet of caus, shropshire
1.5 denys of waterton, glamorgan
1.6 kemeys of began, monmouth
1.7 denys of alveston , dyrham
1.8 billingsley, trotman, rawlins

descent of manor
berkeley of dursley

the domesday book of 1086 records siston @ annual value of 8 marks, assessed @ 5 hides, amongst lands of norman magnate roger de berkeley (d. 1093), held in-chief king. roger s possessions , influence, centered on royal demesne of berkeley castle, dursley, ranged gloucester in north bristol in south, cotswolds east , bristol channel west.

dr neil stacy has reconstructed history of siston follows:

in 1127 siston occupied matron racendis, possibly widow of roger ii (d. 1127) de berkeley.
she attempted bequeath glastonbury abbey, held neighbouring pucklechurch, seemingly deprive nephew william of control of it, administering son s inheritance during lifetime. stated held manor freely no other claim upon it. abbot sent knights , monks siston visit racendis on death bed remind of promise, find monks in attendance abbey, claiming body , property. following public hearing , payment of 40 marks henry of blois, abbot of glastonbury, racendis, go other claimant house compensation, manor subsequently recognised being held glastonbury, still tenanted berkeleys.
this position perhaps formalised charter (now lost) king henry (1100–1135), uncle abbot henry.
a further charter of confirmation granted king stephen (1135–1154) in january 1138 describing siston rightfully held glastonbury, ancient possession. stephen brother of abbot henry, both being sons of count of blois, adela, fourth daughter of william i. proof offered of ancient holding may have been charter forged in scriptorium of glastonbury, dr. stacy suggests.
however, in 1153 roger iii de berkeley, possibly son of racendis, claiming property inheritance, attempted dispose of siston in marriage settlement on daughter of robert fitzharding, betrothed son , heir. robert fitzharding wealthy merchant of bristol , financier of duke henry of aquitaine (future king henry ii, 1154–1189, rival of stephen). double marriage contract, binding son , heir of each man marry daughter of other, signed @ house of robert fitzharding in bristol in presence of duke henry , 16 witnesses. attempt restore relations between roger de berkeley , robert fitzharding. fitzharding, earlier in 1153, had been given berkeley castle duke henry , became 1st. baron berkeley, leaving roger de berkeley truncated lordship centred on dursley.
glastonbury appealed duke henry, abruptly ordered earl of gloucester restore siston glastonbury. earl of gloucester effected compromise whereby dursley berkeleys continue hold siston, paying knight s service abbey overlords. professor crouch, writing in 2000, stated: in past 10 years manor of siston has become significant place in understanding of happening in king stephen s reign, largely due documentation contest possession generated
in 1218 siston handed on glastonbury other temporalities bishop of bath & wells, , continued held in chief see until dissolution. knight s service seems have lapsed middle of 13th century.

walerand of whaddon, wiltshire

armourials of robert walerand: argent, bend engrailled gules

siston passed marriage robert walerand (d. 1272), justiciar henry iii, 1 of 4 chief ministers of crown, eldest son of william walerand of whaddon, wiltshire, , isabel, daughter of roger de berkeley of dursley, second marriage. 1242/3 walerand had succeeded patrimony of whaddon, part of domesday barony of walerand huntsman, descendants had held new forest , forest of clarendon in fee. in 1245, on death of last marshal earl of pembroke, made custodian of lands in west wales, including pembroke castle. 1246 1250 high sheriff of gloucestershire , keeper of gloucester castle. in 1253 held stewardship of new forest , in 1255 made keeper of forest of dean , constable of st briavel s castle. in 1259 became keeper of bristol castle. walerand gained huge land holdings throughout kingdom largely acquired forfeited lands of hugh de nevill after evesham in 1265 , recorded holding on death, among many other manors:

siston, manor advowson of church including pasture in kingeswod held of sir henry de berkele, lord of dersleye, service of 1 knight s fee.

clearly escheator of gloucestershire in error siston still being held berkeleys, mistake successors make on @ least 2 further occasions, when stated held in chief king, royal orders being procured halt intermeddling . walerand, seemingly had such vast choice of residences, apparently in residence @ siston, before , after these grants made. in 1256 given 8 breeding bream fish king establish vivarium or larder pond @ siston. amusing detail, surely trinkets given arising promise in after dinner discussion between king , walerand, steward, latest trends in fish breeding. ( ll send , can see yourself! perhaps how conversation ended). @ time these fish received @ siston walerand employed on important business, raising money henry s second son, edmund take crown of sicily, offered pope in 1254. forceful exactions 1 of causes of rebellion of simon de montfort , barons war, ended @ battle of evesham in 1265. in 1265, possibly personal reward assistance @ evesham, king gave order forester in melkesham, wilts (15 m. sw.) let walerand have 5 live buck , 5 live doe fallow deer establishment of park @ siston. possibly nucleus of 1,000 strong herd there in 1607 referred in cecil papers.

the park had been augmented permission of walter, bishop of bath & wells former abbey lands @ pucklechurch, @ yearly rent of 1d. walerand married in 1257 maud russell daughter of sir ralph russell of kingston russell, dorset, had inherited newmarch estates, including dyrham (3 m. e. of siston), wife isabel, wardship , marriage father sir john russell(d. c. 1224) had purchased on death without male heir of father james, baron newmarch. marriage, daughter of neighbour @ dyrham, surely further evidence walerand s actual residence @ siston. maud brought dyrham walerand marriage settlement, unifying 2 manors briefly (in anticipation of denys s), walerand died sine prole dyrham reverted russells , siston passed heir, nephew sir alan plokenet.

plokenet of herefordshire

sir alan plokenet (d. 1298), son of walerand s sister alice (walerand s intended heir, nephew robert walerand, (born 1256) (son of elder brother william , isabel de kilpeck) deemed idiot legally incapable of inheritance). plokenet family plouquenet, brittany. sir alan s main lands in herefordshire, , buried @ dore abbey, 10 miles (16 km) south west of hereford, had endowed.

alan s son alan ii inherited siston evidenced law suit of novel disseisin brought against him in 1320 sir nicholas de kingston retainer, claimed had been unjustly deprived of free tenement of siston plokenet himself not in residence @ siston, unlike walerand. alan ii d.s.p. 1325 , property seems have passed alan s sister joan (d. 1327) had married sir henry (edward?) de bohun. union sine prole. eleanor de bohun, daughter of earl of hereford , wife of james butler 1st. earl of ormond (created 1328) inherited manor of kilpeck, hereford, alan plokenet, apparently @ request of queen isabella, may have received siston also.

corbet of caus, shropshire

arms of corbet of siston & hope: argent, raven proper within bordure sable bezantee

how siston manor came corbets not clear, sir peter corbet, grandfather of margaret, seized of when died in 1362. known tenancies-in-chief of alveston (9 miles (14 km) north west of siston) , earthcott, gloucestershire holdings determine devolution of siston, had arisen on marriage of sir peter corbet (d. 1362) elizabeth fitzwarin, daughter of walter fitzwarin (d. 1363) of alveston. marriage have arisen due 2 families anciently being neighbouring marcher lords in shropshire , marches. siston seems have been residence of peter corbet in gloucestershire alveston , earthcott occupied de gloucester family, holding fitzwarin, when granted peter corbet. unlike alveston , earthcott, siston not held in-chief king, abbey of bath , wells.

the corbets descended norman marcher lords of caus castle, shropshire, name taken pays de caux, normandy. liberty in marches estimated have covered between 50 square miles (130 km) , 150 square miles (390 km), , exempt royal writs, corbets assuming rights of high justice, imprisoning , executing men impunity. corbet branch @ siston, whilst had lost of ancient lands collateral corbet branches, nevertheless senior line of barons of caus

when peter corbet died, left 10-year-old fatherless triplet grandchildren, descendants: john, deemed eldest, william , margaret. father william, had married elizabeth oddingseles, had predeceased own father, having had short life. not known whom wardship of john heir granted, second son william granted john gamage king s order . gamages norman family descended godfrey de gamage married joan de clare, 1 of co-heiresses of strongbow , 1st. earl of pembroke (d. 1176) , based @ rogiet, directly across severn estuary bristol.

john died aged under 21 in 1374. lack of records suggests had not attained majority. younger brother william, out of wardship @ 21, thereupon inherited corbet estates. sister margaret, pivotal future descent of siston, married william wyriott orielton in pembrokeshire, 6 m. south west of corbet manor of lawrenny. appears had been granted manor, possibly brother out of new inheritance, marriage settlement. margaret , wyriott set home in pembroke, intending spend rest of lives there. however, 3 years after death of john, william corbet died too, without progeny, age 24, , margaret sole heiress of corbet estates, husband wyriott holding in right. these estates comprised alveston , earthcott (green), both in gloucestershire, both held in-chief, siston, lawrenny, , hope-juxta-caus in shropshire.

the future devolution of siston depends entirely on possession margaret of 2 tenancies-in-chief of alveston , earthcott. these held directly crown, unlike others, held mesne lords. tenancy-in-chief without male tenant escheat, revert crown. king relied on tenants-in-chief agents in shires, raise troops him , perform knight service. not afford leave ladies, educated gentler things in life, in such positions manor not fulfill feudal role. 2 years after had inherited corbet estates brother, william wyriott husband died, without issue, in 1379. margaret found herself such widow tenant-in-chief.

effectively margaret became pawn of king. female tenant-in-chief not marry unless royal licence; naturally king wanted select own tenants based on own pragmatic criteria - loyal , effective soldiers , local diplomats crown? choice of husband might make refused, because king had long waiting list of useful men whom wished find vacant royal manors, revenues expected use in crown service. here essence of mediaeval feudalism. margaret had simple choice: either relinquish family estates, possibly retiring nunnery, or life of social obscurity married man beneath station, have no land bring marriage, or accept man selected king new tenant-in-chief husband, , remain. new husband on such marriage automatically become life tenant (in right) of lands , revenues therefrom, including siston, not royal manors of alveston , earthcott. future devolution of siston became tied of alveston, disposable @ king s choosing.

edward iii had died 3 years before in 1377, leaving 10-year-old grandson richard ii, son of black prince had predeceased father, nominal king. in year of 1380 king richard ii, 3 years reign, age 13, young appoint own tenants-in-chief. question arises wielding significant power of patronage on king s behalf. although kingdom during richard s minority in hands of series of continual councils seems not implausible john of gaunt (1340–1399), richard s uncle age 37, duke of lancaster , son of edward iii, have had influence in matter, although never having been formal member of these councils. not until richard 15 2 years later in 1382 wrested kingdom councillors. had been proposed gaunt speculation, powerful hand rather mere force of romance caused margaret corbet accept young esquire glamorgan, gilbert denys new husband.

margaret , denys married in 1380, , long connection of denys family siston , gloucestershire whole had begun, sir robert atkyns, 18th century historian of gloucestershire, stated denys family there have been more high sheriffs them other family in county .

denys of waterton, glamorgan

arms of sir gilbert denys: gules, 3 leopard s faces or jessant-de-lys azure on bend engrailed of last

denys s career had begun in service of john of gaunt. on duke s behalf in may 1375 had taken formal custody of manors of aberavon , sully in glamorgan, part of holdings of late lord despenser. in 1359 gaunt had married blanche of lancaster, heiress of great estates including ogmore castle in glamorgan, 3 m. southwest of waterton, [1] denys s home. 1 must assume denys had come service of gaunt in connection duties @ ogmore castle, possibly stewardship. denys make mark soldier rather administrator, , military service started in march 1378 when took out royal letters of protection go overseas member of gaunt s expedition. recorded again in 1383 engaged. in 1395 when in parliament knight of shire gloucestershire, denys 1 of 40 mp s believed have supported twelve conclusions proposed lollards, religious reforming group. john of gaunt had @ 1 time been lollard supporter although 1395 enthusiasm had waned, movement having been recognised 1 associated popular unrest. denys well-established glamorgan family, bearing coat-armour, seems not have had manor of own. inquisition post mortem of sir lawrence de berkerolles of 1415 refers denys merely paying rent in waterton, glamorgan, others . john denys stated in golden grove book of welsh pedigrees have been father, , must surely john denys of watirton granted lease @ bonvilston margam abbey in 1376, yet john apparently youngest of 5 brothers, unlikely inherit paternal lands, waterton modest home, acquired through john s own exertions. although corbet marriage produced no male issue(sir gilbert denys married secondly (c. 1404) margaret russell, eventual co-heiress of sir morys russell (d. 1416) of dyrham) corbet manors, including siston, lawrenny in pembroke , hope-juxta-caus, salop., nevertheless passed denys s due settlement margaret corbet similar referred in inquisition quod damnum of 1382:

gilbert deneys , margaret wife settle manors of alveston , earthcott , hundred [i.e. court] of langley on , heirs male of bodies, remainder heirs of body of margaret, remainder right heirs of gilbert

siston not mentioned, manor devolved similarly, not reverting distant corbet relatives. marriage, assumed above have been arranged one, personal success couple sir gilbert requested in buried next apparently beloved first corbet wife in siston church, although younger second russell wife, mother of children, survived him 38 years. following death of sir gilbert, dowry life interest in siston passed young russell widow , thence younger second husband, john kemeys of began. margaret russell in turn had apparently had replacement husband thrust upon higher powers, possibly in form of gaunt s son henry beaufort, bishop of winchester, shortly member of regency govt. of henry vi, , soon-to-be son-in-law sir edward stradling. curiously denys had had honour nominate beaufort overseer of will.

kemeys of began, monmouth

at time of denys s death in 1422 seems bishop beaufort had been planning marry off illegitimate daughter joan, result of youthful affair alice fitzalan, daughter of earl of arundel. man seemed have chosen 33-year-old sir edward stradling of st. donat s, glamorgan [2], (6 m. s.e. of ogmore) known denys. stradling awarded lucrative wardship of morys denys, gilbert s 12-year-old son , heir , @ same time stradling obtained marriage of gilbert s widow margaret russell younger nephew john kemeys. seems clear powerful moving hand behind grants of morys s wardship , margaret s marriage bishop beaufort. in 1422, year of denys s death, henry v had died succeeded 10-year-old son henry vi, great-nephew of beaufort. beaufort immediateley appointed member of regency government. in position dispose of wardships of infant tenants-in-chief morys denys (again due holding of alveston , earthcott) , of marriages of widows of tenants-in-chief, such morys s mother. seems wardship of morys marriage settlement offered stradling hand joan beaufort, married next year in 1423.

john kemeys (pron: kemmis ) (d. 1476) became on marriage margaret russell, denys s widow, lord of siston lifetime, manor seems have been dowry, traditionally 1 third of estate. son of john kemeys of began (6 m. n.e. of cardiff castle, caput of lordship of glamorgan) agnes daughter of sir william stradling of st. donats, glamorgan , nephew sir edward stradling. sir edward married off ward morys daughter katherine, became matriarch of denys family. although had long shared interests in coity, glamorgan, stradling connection denys s across severn in gloucestershire had begun in 1416 when sir john stradling, elderly first cousin of sir edward s father, had married joan dauntsey, young widow , second wife of sir morys russell, father-in-law of denys, thereby capturing life interest in large dowry. event however, occurring whilst sir gilbert still alive (he outlived father-in-law 6 years) may have happened deny s blessing, encouragement. had been neighbour, friend , ally of russell, himself powerful person, , must have had concern , influence on disposition of russell s widow. unlikely have been love match due age difference, or dictated crown fine referred above shows. possibly john stradling old glamorgan friend of denys, deemed him suitable match on personal grounds. yet marriage of denys s widow margaret russell kemeys have been engineered sir edward stradling, denys in had urged widow margaret russell take vow of chastity. within 7 months had remarried kemeys. maybe stradling legitimately reaping reward, ensuring benefit corbet manors procured denys grandfather-in-law john of gaunt passed permanently family of own daughter, , temporarily life interest nephew. kemeys lived remainder of life lord of siston, representing gloucestershire in parliament term. son roger died insane in 1484, after having played role in public life. son founded bedminster, somerset line of kemeys.

denys of alveston , dyrham

it @ death of john kemeys in 1476 (predeceased margaret in 1460 , morys denys in 1466) denys family regained possession of siston. denys residence had meantime been @ olveston (next alveston) remains of fortified manor house, olveston court, possibly built fitzwarin, can seen. apparently preferred reside thereafter @ dyrham, nearby manor inherited russells (together kingston russell in dorset), became definitive seat of sir william denys, son , heir of sir walter. siston pre-tudor manor house have been re-enfeoffed (i.e. let on life tenancy) or perhaps lived in 1 of sir william s sons. denys family held siston death of kemeys in 1376 until 1568 evidenced cecil papers.

billingsley, trotman, rawlins

it conveyed queen elizabeth in unclear circumstances involving deliberate mortgage fraud, settle crown debt of denys s. sold speculator, robert wicks, sold in 1608 sir henry billingsley jr., thence through temporary hands sale in 1651 samuel trotman esq. remained in trotman family 252 years including tenures of fiennes boughton newton dickenson, married harriette elizabeth trotman, heiress of trotman line, , eldest son sold in 1903 mr j. ernest rawlins, bucaneering pioneer of english colony in hanford [3], california, having left england young man in 1877, farmed, played polo, set bank, coal mine, brick factory, , built opera house. rawlins sold manor in 1935, seemingly having suffered in wall street crash, , historic contents of siston court dispersed @ auction. in 1940 empty house served evacuated children london s east-end. court divided apartments in separate occupation.

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