West Kington

Together with the right to hold a weekly market and an annual fair granted by King Henry III

This ancient lordship is in the Hundred of Chippenham, eight miles from the town of Chippenham and two miles south of Badminton Station. The area of the manor is about 2,445 acres.

In 1244 the manor of West Kington belonged to Hugh de Vivoin. Steward, under King Henry III, of Poitou, Aquitaine and Gascony. The family lived in Poitou. Hugh married the elder coheir of Hugh Malet and had two sons: William de Fortibus and Hugh. His son Hugh was slain in Wales, leaving a son John de Vivonia by his wife Petronilla, daughter of William de Putot. John died in 1314 and the lordship passed to the heirs of his uncle William de Fortibus. William married Maud de Kyme, sixth daughter and coheir of Sybyl de Farrars, by whom he had four daughters; Johan, wife of Reginald FitzPeter, Cecilia, wife of John Lord Beauchamp of Hache, Sybyl, wife of Guy de Roche Chiwart, and Mabel, wife of Foulk de Archiaco.

By 1314 there were found to two heirs to William de Fortibus, Peter Fitz Reginald, aged 30, son of Joan de Vivonia and Cecilia de Bellacampo, aged 40, widow of John Lord Beauchamp of Hache. Each of these had a moiety of the Manor of West Kington.

The moiety of FitzReginald descended to FitzRoger, by whom it was held in 1385. The Beauchamp moiety was again divided in 1360, on the death of the last Lord Beauchamp of Hache without issue, between his sisters Cicely and Eleanor wife of Meryot. John Meryot, son of Eleanor, sold his share in 1379 to Sir William Bonville of Shute, in Devonshire. Sir William Maragaret, daughter and coheir of Sir William Damarell and was grandfather of William Lord Bonville, K.G., who was beheaded in February 1461 after the battle of St. Albans. Cicely, the great granddaughter and heiress, married John Grey, ancestor of Lady Jane Grey. Up to 1502 this portion was still in the hands of the Grey family. By the end of the 18th century the whole lordship was held by an ancestor of the present lord of the manor.

The church, of Early English date, is in the shape of a Greek cross and is dedicated to St. Mary. Hugh Latimer was the rector from 1530 to 1535 and often talked of his “Little Bishoprick of West Kington”. In the walk at the Parsonage House stood a little scrubbed hollow oak called ‘Latimer’s Oak’ where he used to sit. He was the protestant martyr burnt at the stake in Oxford with Nicholas Ridley Bishop of London, on the orders of Queen Mary in 1555.

It is understood that this lordship is sold with the royal right to hold a weely market on Mondays and an annual fair on the vigil the feast and the morrow of the Festival of St. Dunston (29th, 30th and 31st May).

Rights, customs and incidents

Together with the right to hold a weekly market and an annual fair granted by King Henry III
It is understood that this lordship is sold with the royal right to hold a weely market on Mondays and an annual fair on the vigil the feast and the morrow of the Festival of St.

Associated manorial documents / archive references

• 1 Royal Charter, King Henry III 1254
• 2 Rentals of manors of Glastonbury Abbey 14th Century
• 3 Survey (with other manors) 1707

Historical holder / succession information

1. heirs of his uncle William de Fortibus [source claim requiring identity review]
   1314 · passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: John died in 1314 and the lordship passed to the heirs of his uncle William de Fortibus.