Wilshamstead or Wilhamstead or Wilstead

There were two manors in this parish at the time of the Domesday Survey. WILSHAMSTEAD MANOR, slightly the larger, was held by the Abbess of Elstow of the Countess Judith, the soke belonging to Kempston; tradition says that the latter had founded and endowed the convent as an act of reparation for the betrayal of her husband. It was assessed at 3 hides and was worth £7 6s. The manor, like the remainder of the Countess Judith's lands, was held as of the honour of Huntingdon. After the Dissolution the manor was created part of the honour of Ampthill, and the overlordship remained in the hands of the Crown. The Abbess of Elstow continued to hold till the Dissolution, a view of frank pledge, free warren and the vill being confirmed to her in 1287. In 1539 the last abbess leased the manor to Mr. Holcrofte, but in the same year the abbey lands were surrendered to the Crown. At that time it was worth £19 0s. 5d. in temporalities. By 1562 the manor had been granted by the Crown to Robert Newdigate, who conveyed it possibly in trust to his brother John. In 1563 Robert sold the property to John Warner and Thomas Norwood. John Warner died in 1565 childless, and the manor reverted to Thomas Norwood, his nephew and son of the joint feoffee of the manor. Thomas Norwood still held the manor in 1584, and four years later it was settled on his son John for life, with remainder to John's second son Edmund, who held in 1605. In 1608 Edmund Norwood made a settlement of the manor on Edmund Bagshaw and Francis Clerke. Its history is here somewhat obscure. The next mention that has been found occurs in 1628, when Edward Ditchfield as trustee for the Corporation of London received a grant of the manor of Wilshamstead, said to be then in the tenure of Lady Elizabeth Radcliffe, and late belonging to Elstow. From him it passed to Henry Lord Mordaunt, whose daughters Elizabeth, Margaret and Anne compounded for their estates in 1649. John Manley of Wilshamstead was then declared to have purchased two-thirds of the estate, of which quiet possession was confirmed to him at this date. By 1669–70 a further alienation of this manor had taken place, it being then owned by Thomas Beech, who with his son made a settlement of it by fine on William Bedell. In 1764 it was the property of Robert third Earl Granville, who died without issue in 1776. His nephew Henry Frederick Thynne (afterwards Carteret) succeeded under the will of his uncle to the Carteret estates. Thus he held this manor still in 1795, and it remained in his family till 1849, when John third Lord Carteret died childless; the barony became extinct, but the manor remained in the possession of the family and is at present held by Mr. A. C. Thynne.