GODALMING HUNDRED
��WITLEY
��previously held on lease. 84 In 1656 Edward More, grandson of Sir Edward, sold it to Thomas Russell ** ; it was probably already broken up into farms. Russell was possibly trustee for Simon Bennett, whose daughter Frances carried a moiety of the park in marriage to James fourth Earl of Salisbury. Her sister Grace died in 1730 without issue, and her moiety also passed to James, the sixth Earl. His son the first Marquess of Salisbury sold it to William Smith of Godalming in 1 79 1. 87 William Smith bequeathed the estate to his brother, Richard Smith of Burgate, whose niece Mary, widow of George Chandler, in- herited it in 1838, and held it with remainder to her son Allen. 88 Mr. Allen Chandler sold it to the Earl of Derby, in 1876.
In the 1 5th century the lords of Witley Manor had both court baron and view of frankpledge together with the chattels of fugitives and outlaws ; M they also had a right to heriot and relief from certain of their tenants, 90 and claimed a custom called ' grasaves,' or ' Grayside,' which was valued at 5/. ^J. yearly." From time to time their tenants claimed various privi- leges, asserting that Witley was ancient demesne. On this ground in 1380, and again in 1401, they were ex- empted from paying the expenses of knights to Parlia- ment." On the other hand, in the suit brought against Peter of Savoy by the men of Witley, the jurors allowed the exactions of Peter of Savoy, but denied that Witley was ancient demesne of the Crown. 93 In 1389 the tenants, with a few exceptions, 94 were said to be villeins and bond-tenants, and were bound to act as reeve of the lord's manor, and to perform certain other services. 94
They obtained a recognition of their position as tenants in ancient demesne in the proceedings in 1401, including right of exemption from juries. 94 This privilege, with the exemption from contribution to expenses of knights of the shire, was confirmed 20 June 1574."
Free fishery was recounted among the appurtenances of the manor in I443. 98
tTYTLEr CHESBERIES aSai WTTLETCHEAS- BURIES is a small reputed manor. It is near Wheeler Street. In 1310 William de Chussebury de Mule- ford was husband of Dionisia, co-heiress of Stephen de Asshurst. 99 They levied a fine of land in Witley, Godalming, &c. The name Chesbury appears in subsidies in 1332 and 1381. In 1 5 66 there was an inquiry in the Catteshull court as to whether Henry
��Chittie, tenant of Chesberies, was or was not subject to the court's jurisdiction. 100 In 1575 Henry Chittie alias Bocher parted with the manor of Chesberies to Laurence Stoughton, parson of Witley."" In 1580 Laurence sold to George Weller. 101 In 1605 Weller parted with the manor of Chesberies to Thomas Compton,"" doubtless the owner of Taylors, God- aiming. 10 * It afterwards went to the Buncombes. In 1726 John Duncombe sold to John Marche, yeoman. It descended to Richard Marche, and through theWinkworth and Sparkes families from him to Mrs. Eastwood, who lately sold it to Mr. Heatley.
OXENFORD GRANGE, within Peper Harrow Park, but in the parish of Witley, was a part of the manor of Witley until Richer de Aquila granted it to the abbey of Waverley early in the I2th century. 104 His gift is mentioned in the bull of Pope Eugenius III, dated 1 147, confirming to the abbey all its property, 106 and the grange of Oxenford with land at Rihella was included in the lands confirmed to the abbey by Richard I. 107 Richer's grandson, Gilbert de Aquila, in confirming his grandfather's gift, mentioned the right of the abbot to inclose so much of Witley Park as belonged to Oxenford. 1 " 8 In the 'Taxatio ' of 1291 Oxenford was rated at ji, 109 and the abbot seems to have objected to paying the tenth for it, 110 but his claim to exemption was disallowed. 111 The grange remained among the possessions of the abbey till the Dissolution, at which time it was valued at 4 1 3/. 4</. n>
It was included in the grant of the site of Waverley to Sir William Fitz William, 113 with which it descended to Anthony, first Viscount Montague, 114 who died seised of a messuage called Oxenford, 9 October I 592. " 4
His son by his second wife, Sir Henry Browne, sold to Sir George More of Loseley in 1609."* Sir George, his son Sir Robert, and their respec- tive wives, levied a fine to John Hone in 1613,"' and Bartholomew Hone his son, of Oxenford, and others conveyed to John Chesterton of St. Giles in the Fields in i6i9. 118 After his death in February 1624-5, it was held by his wife Anne for life, who survived her two sons, Walter, who died in i638, 119 and John."
The reversion became divided among the three sisters of John and their representatives, namely, Mary wife of Henry Fox, Jane wife of John Smith of Riehull, and Martha wife of Antony Covert. On 8 February 1667 Antony Covert and his son conveyed their third to John Platt of Westbrook and his heirs, 111 and in 1676 his son Sir John Platt, and John Smith son
��85 dole, 1 1 Jas. I, pt. xxxvi, no. 3.
86 Feet of F. Surr. Mich. 1656, pt. I.
87 Cloie, 31 Geo. Ill, pt. iii, no. 7.
88 Brayley, Hist, of Surr. v, 254.
89 Pat. 21 Hen. VI, pt. i, no. ig.
10 Miic. Bk. (Land Rev.), vol. 190, foL 134; Mins. Accts. (Gen. Ser.), bdle. 1015, no. 8.
Panic, of Grants (Aug. Off.), 6 Edw. VI, 1515-
" Add. Chart. 27744-7.
- Assize R. 873, m. 6 (1259). Peter
brought forward as evidence against them the entry under the barony of Aquila in Domesday Book, which, strangely enough, was employed by the tenants themselves in asserting their privileges two centuries later.
M Viz. the tenants of Bouelith, Winkes- worth, Balham, Dene, Writrowe, Stutley, High Ashurst, and Oxenford.
M Coram Rege R. 5 1 1 (Hit. 12 Ric. II), '7-
��96 B.M. Add. Chart. 27444-5 ; Cal. Pat. 13991401, p. 502. On the ground that the manor was entered under the barony of Aquila in Domesday Book. Perhaps it was understood that the manor had pertained to the Crown before 1086, and that it had passed from Earl Godwin to Earl Harold, and thus to William I, and had been held by him as ancient de- mesne before the grant to Aquila.
- ! Pat. 1 6 E1U.
99 Pat. 21 Hen. VI, pt. i, m. ig.
99 De Banco R. Hil. 3 Edw. II, m. i go.
lwl View of Frankpledge, 27 Sept. g Eliz.
l" 1 Feet of F. Surr. Hil. 17 Eli*.
" Ibid. Trin. 22 Eliz.
> Ibid. Mich. 3 Ja.. I.
104 Private information.
101 The abbey was founded in 1128. The grant must therefore have been made between that date and the confirmatory
65
��charter of Pope Eugenius, which was given in 1147.
M Lansd. Chart. 17.
107 Cart. Antiq. S. 20.
108 Pat. 1 1 Edw. II, pt. ii, m. 36.
109 Poft Nich. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 206.
110 Ibid. 209*.
111 Ctl. fat. 1340-3, p. 128.
11J Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), ii, 34.
" L. and P. Hen. VIII, xi, 88. I
" See V.C.H. Surr. ii, 624.
114 Chan. Inq. p.m. (Ser. 2), ccxxxv, no.
118 Close, 8 Jas. I, Modern Ref. no. 2027.
17 Feet of F. SUIT. East. II Jas. I.
118 Close, 17 Jas. I, pt. xiv, no. 55.
u > Chan. Inq. p.m. (Ser. 2), ccccxix,
3'-
" Ibid. vol. cccclxxxvi, 100. "> Feet of F. Surr. Trin. 19 Chat. II. ; Close, 1 8 Chas. II, pt. !T, no. 17.
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