Great Ashfield

In the Parishes of Great Ashfield Higham and Hunston

"At the time of Edward the Confessor, one of the Manors in Ashfield was held by Achy with three carucates of land. There were 9 bordars, 4 plough teams in demesne, 12 acres of meadow, wood for 60 hogs, 2 rouncies, 2 beasts, 25 sheep and 10 hives of bees value 60/-. By the time of the Norman survey the ploughteams in demesne had come down to 3, 60 hogs had been reduced to 15 and the 25 sheep to 10 but the value had remained unaffected."

According to Copinger, "From Robert le Blund, the Domesday tenant, both Manors mentioned in Ashfield descended as one in his family in the same Court as the Manor of Ixworth in this Hundred to the time of Sir William le Blund, who was slain at the Battle of Lewes in 1264. On Sir William's death, without issue, this Manor passed to Agnes, his sister, and one of his co=-heirs who had married William de Crickelot. The King took homage of him for this Manor as one of the heirs of Sir William le Blund. William died about 1299, when he was found to have held this Manor and those of Ixworth and Ousden, leaving a second William de Crickelot his son and heir. This William died about 1307 and the Manor passed to his son, a third William, who died in 1310."

The 4th William de Crickelot died in 1343 and was succeeded by his son, another William, who died in 1354. The latter having no children, he and his wife, Joan, granted the Manor to Richard de Pakenham, who had married Joan, an heir of the Crickelots. Richard de Pakenham died 1383. In 1387 Roger de Wolferston, John Rokele and John Filyoll were join tenants of the Manor. John Filyoll died seized of it in 1390, and the Manor passed to his two youngest daughters, Joan, wife of Thomas House, and Anne Filyoll. It remained in the Filyoll and House families until the death of George House in 1460 leaving Robert Mortymer his heir. During the first half of the next century it was vested in the Guilford family until it was sold by Sir John Guilford in 1549 to Sir Thomas Darcy (Lord Darcy). He sold it in 1553 to Sir Robert Rochester, whose son and grandson sold it to Sir Thomas Bacon, Knt. in 1561; in 1587 he sold it to Jeffrey Lytell, whose son John was lord in 1627. The Manor came later to the Smith or Hovel family and remained in their hands until Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Smith, married the Rector of Ashfield, the Rev. Thomas Thurlow. Edward Thurlow, their eldest son, became Lord High Chancellor in 1778 and was elevated to the peerage in as Baron Thurlow of Ashfield. He was Solicitor-General and Attorney-General in 1771.

The Manor remained in the Thurlow family until it was sold in 1896 by the 5th Baron to Henry Edwards Paine of Chertsey; his steward was George Frederick Beaumont of Coggeshall and his first court was held on 3rd February, 1896, at the "Hovel Arms," Gt. Ashfield, named as was so often the case after the family so closely connected with the Manor. Richard Almack, of Long Melford, was Steward for Lord Thurlow, and his Deputy in 1871 was Joshua George Steed, a well-known family in the district.

This is one of the Manors in which the custom of Borough-English existed, i.e., descent to the youngest instead of the eldest son. This custom did not extend to collaterals for there is evidence int he records that failing a son, the property passed to the eldest brother. (vol. F, page 63 and vol. G, page 145).

The Court Records include many interesting items, from which the following are a few extracts:

Court held 29th May, 1735:

"Whereas Henry Theobald son of Isaac Theobald Copyhold Tenant of this manor lately incroached upon the Waste of the lords of this manor by making a new hedge and ditch next to the road leading from Ashfield Church to Botonhaugh Green further into the said road than he ought to have done thereby taking into his own land a small parcel of ground parcel to the Waste of this manor. The said Henry Theobald now in open court acknowledges the said trespass and offence and submits to pay to the Lords of this manor as a fine of the same two shillings and sixpence. In consideration of which sum the said Lords do acquit him of the said offence and of all further prosecution on account thereof."

Court held 7th June, 1750:

"At this Court the Lords upon the petition of John Rust Gentleman Bond Tenants of this Manor do grant Licence to him to take down one Bakehouse and Stable and Moat-house parcel of the bond Messuages late of John Fike, he the said John Fiske removing the materials and erecting the like buildings on the other Copyhold lands contiguous to the bond messuage late of John Amyas and which are all now holden by the said John Rust by copy of the Court Roll of this Manor and for this Licence he give to the Lords a fine of two shillings and sixpence."

Court held 14th June, 1764:

"At this Court William Brooke, Bayliff of this Manor informs this Court that about twelve months since he took two weather sheep on driving the Common belonging to this Manor called Butnall Green which were not claimed by any person having a right of Common on the said Waste and the Lords of this Manor of their special favour granted the said two weather sheep to the said William Brook for his own use."

Court held 23rd May, 1771:

"Also at this Court the lords of this Manor at the request of Coppinger Moyle Esquire Copyhold Tenant by Alexander Cooke his attorney Licence is granted to the said Coppinger Moyle to drain the water from a certain pit on the Lord's Waste called Buttonhough Green near the Messuage of the said Coppinger Moyle called the Schoolhouse being injurious to his said Messuage and to cut Anthills and Molehills on the said Waste to fill up the said pitt and he pays to the Lords for this License the fine of One Penny."

Rights, customs and incidents

"At this Court William Brooke, Bayliff of this Manor informs this Court that about twelve months since he took two weather sheep on driving the Common belonging to this Manor called Butnall Green which were not claimed by any person having a right of Common on the said Waste and the Lords of this Manor of their special favour granted the said two weather sheep to the said William Brook for his own use."

Associated manorial documents / archive references

• Court Books: 1729-1751; 17512-1773; 1773-1801; 1802-1828; 1828-1864; 1864-1921
• Index to Court Books, Rentals, etc.
• Particulars of Properties, Enfranchisements, etc., revised to 1913.
• Extracts from Confirmed Apportionment of Tithe dated 30th December, 1848.
• Copy of Plan of the Parish of Hunston, undated
• Extracts from Plan of Great Ashfield, showing Buttonhaugh Green Allotments.
• Rentals commencing 1786, 1819, and 1831.
• There will also be handed over an envelope containing earth, which was taken from a copyhold property upon its seizure, after the necessary proclamations had been made, upon failure of the heirs to come to the Court to be admitted.
• Insurance of records: £300, premium 15/- p.a.
• Commencement of Title: Deed dated 12th October, 1896

Historical holder / succession information

1. Agnes
   passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: On Sir William's death, without issue, this Manor passed to Agnes, his sister, and one of his co=-heirs who had married William de Crickelot.
2. his son, a third William [source claim requiring identity review]
   1307|1310 · passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: This William died about 1307 and the Manor passed to his son, a third William, who died in 1310."
3. his two youngest daughters, Joan [source claim requiring identity review]
   1390 · passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: John Filyoll died seized of it in 1390, and the Manor passed to his two youngest daughters, Joan, wife of Thomas House, and Anne Filyoll.
4. whose son John [source claim requiring identity review]
   1553|1561|1587|1627 · stated_lord · historical_holder
   Source wording: He sold it in 1553 to Sir Robert Rochester, whose son and grandson sold it to Sir Thomas Bacon, Knt. in 1561; in 1587 he sold it to Jeffrey Lytell, whose son John was lord in 1627.