Wix Park Hall

ANCIENTLY KNOWN as Wikes, this parish lies 2½ miles south of Bradfield and eight miles from Harwich. It is an agricultural area, mainly for arable production, and consists of an area of 3,129 acres. The Lordship dates from before Domesday Book and was held before the Norman Conquest by Queen Edith. Its entry in the Survey reads:

Queen Edith held Wix before 1066 as a manor, for 1 hide.

Now Roger holds it from Hugh.

Always 2 villagers. Then 2 smallholders; now 8,

then 2 slaves, now none. Always 1 plough.

Woodland, 10 pigs; meadow, 3 acres.

Value 10s.

Roger holds this land and the Hundred does not know how.

The Queen had the jurisdiction.

Wix Park was held by Walter the Deacon shortly after Domesday Book. Walter was the forebear of the Hastings family, who later became Barons of Hastings. The Barony consisted of 10 Knights’ Fees, one of which lay in Wix and which Robert de Hastings was noted as having paid scutage in 1206. The succession of the Hastings family is well recorded and proceeds as thus: Robert was succeeded by his son Alexander, who in turn was succeeded by Ralph. Ralph’s son was Robert who in turn passed Wix Park to his son William. William’s son Robert then left the Lordship to his daughter Delicia who was married to Godfrey de Lovain, brother of Henry, Duke of Brabant. Wix Park, together with the remainder of the Barony of Hastings was then held by the Lovain family. The Barony continued in the hands of the Lovain family until 1365 when the Alianore, the surviving heir of John Lovain, married Sir William Bourchier, to whom the Barony and the Lordship of Wix Park passed as part of the marriage settlement.

The Bourchier family were of Norman descent and settled in Essex soon after the Conquest. By the reign of Edward II (1307–1327) John Bourchier of Colchester had been knighted and served as one of the Justices of the King’s Bench. His son Robert was a great favourite of Edward III and was made Lord Chancellor in 1340, at a fee of £500 a year. Bourchier was the first layman to hold this position, ousting Archbishop Stratford. In the struggle between the King and the Archbishop which followed, Bourchier withheld the writ of summons to Stratford, interrupted his address to the other Bishops in the Painted Chamber of Parliament, and urged him to submit to the King. Bourchier fought with notable distinction at the battle of Crecy against the French in 1346 where he served under the immediate command of the Prince Edward, the Black Prince. He was created Baron by Writ of Summons in 1342 and was succeeded by his son John on his death in 1349.

Under the Lovains and Bourchiers, the Lordship of Wix Park was held in farm by members of several great families including the Bohuns and the Despensers. In 1360 on the death of William de Bohun, Earl of Northampton, Wix Park went to his son Humphrey, Earl of Hereford, Essex and Northampton. On his death in 1372 the Lordship passed to one of his daughters Anne who built a house in the Manor, known as Park Hall. Anne brought Wix Park to the Stafford family on her marriage to the Earl of Stafford, and this family retained the Lordship until 1460 when, on the death of Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham at the battle of Northampton, it was seized by Edward IV (1461–1483) for the Crown.

Richard III granted Wix Park back to his supporters the Staffords in 1483. The recipient, Henry Stafford, was the second Duke, succeeding to the title in 1460. Only on the death of Edward IV in 1483 did Buckingham make a serious impact on political life. He was deeply mistrusted by the late King’s wife Elizabeth Woodville and was a prominent supporter of Richard of Gloucester. In the tragic manoeuvrings which surrounded the disappearance of the young King Edward V and his brother, the Duke of York (the Princes in the Tower) Buckingham was seen to have been involved. It was with his help that Richard arrested Lords Grey and Rivers who had been conducting the King from Ludlow to London. Richard was keen to retain the support of Buckingham, and gave him powers over five counties to raise troops. It was Buckingham who suggested that King Edward V and his younger brother should be transported to the Tower. On Edward’s captivity, Buckingham hastened to London where he is said to have harangued the populace, from the Guildhall, into accepting Richard as their king. Despite officiating at Richard’s lavish and imperious Coronation, he could rouse no enthusiasm for Richard and was himself in open revolt just two months [later]. Richard had promised to restore land and estates taken from his family during the reign of Henry IV (1399–1413), but it seems that Buckingham had reason to doubt this and wished to seize them by force. Some historians have concluded that Buckingham felt he had a just claim to the throne in his own right. Whatever the reasons for the revolt, Buckingham decided to overthrow Richard on hearing of the death of the two Princes in the Tower, and began assembling an army. On 11 October 1483 Richard declared Buckingham a traitor and “a most untrue creature living”. Buckingham moved his forces from his Welsh strongholds. With the delays at Hereford, his forces melted away and he fled north to Shrewsbury in disguise. Richard placed a reward of £1000 on his head and a retainer, Ralph Bannister of Wem, sheltered him for a time before giving him up for the reward. He was brought before a court in Salisbury and was beheaded in the market-place. His lands and estates, including Wix Park, were seized by the Crown.

In 1595 Queen Elizabeth I granted the Lordship to Gilly Merrick. Later it was sold to John Philipson of Harwich, Commissary to the Packet-boats. He was succeeded by his son John who served as MP for Harwich from 1741 to 1753. On his death Wix Park passed to his daughter’s husband Robert Bristow. By the middle of the 19th century the Lordship was in the hands of E W Garland. The trustees of the Garland Estate are the current owners of this Lordship.

Rights, customs and incidents

Some historians have concluded that Buckingham felt he had a just claim to the throne in his own right.

Associated manorial documents / archive references

• Court Roll, 1277–1280 — Essex RO
• Compoti of Gilbert Barre, 1343–1348
• Compotus Rolls, 1402–1403 — British Museum
• Survey, Henry VIII — PRO
• Survey, with other manors, James I
• Court Rolls, 1602–1786 — ERO
• Court Books, 1727–1832
• Minute Books, 1723–1824
• Index to rolls, 1718, 1727
• Survey, 1825–6, c1828
• Survey of Lands, 1638 — PRO
• Steward’s solicitor’s correspondence and papers (with other manors), 1751–1813
• Court Books, 1832–1924 — ERO
• Minute Books, 1824–1921
• Steward’s Papers, 1748–1934
• Rental, with other manors, 1859–1885
• Fee Accounts, 1889–1916
• Enfranchisement accounts, 1916–1935
• Map of Copyholds, 1825–1827
• Estreat Minute Books, 1642–48

Source notes

Catalogue gifted & transcribed for the archive by the Lord of Finchingfield - a friend to learning

Historical holder / succession information

1. one of his daughters Anne [source claim requiring identity review]
   1372 · passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: On his death in 1372 the Lordship passed to one of his daughters Anne who built a house in the Manor, known as Park Hall.