and Cliffe, master of the forest and parkes[1], 4th Edw. IV. These privileges were confirmed to them the 7th of Edw. IV.[2]
The act of resumption, 1st of Hen. VII., confirms the office of constable and of steward of the castle, lordship, and manor of Rockingham, and the office of master forester of the forest of Rockingham, and all the parks within the same forest, to John Lord Welles[3].
By virtue of the tenure of this manor with Wymundham[4], John de Clyfton, knight, 5th of Richard II., claimed to discharge the office of butler at the king's coronation, which had been, he stated, unjustly given to the earl of Arundell, at the coronation of Richard the Second[5].
In 1396, the custody of the Lordship was granted to William Brauncepath for the term of twelve years, at the annual rent of four pounds two shillings and one penny[6]. And by this rent, it was afterwards held by Thomas Palmer, of Rockingham, in the year 1442, for the same term[7].
In 1551, it was given to Edward Lord Clinton.
The manor next came to Sir Edward Watson, subsequently to Sir Lewis Watson, who, zealously attached to the royal cause, garrisoned the castle for the service of Charles the First, and who, in consideration of his loyalty, was afterwards created (1645) Baron Rockingham, of Rockingham.
In 1714, Lewis Watson, created Earl of Rockingham, possessed the manor. The title devolved in 1745 upon his brother Thomas, who dying in 1746 the earldom became extinct, but the barony came to his cousin, Thomas Wentworth, created Marquess of Rockingham, 1746, and this dignity also became extinct in 1750. The manor, however, has from the time of Lewis, Lord Rockingham, been vested in the Watson family.
Leland describes the castle as presenting the following appearance in his time: "The castelle of Rokingham standith on the toppe of an hille, right stately, and hath a mighty diche, and bullewarks agayne withoute the diche. The utter waulles of it yet stond. The kepe is exceeding fair and strong, and in the waulles be certein strong towers. The lodgings that were within the area of the castelle be discovered and faul to ruine. One thing in the waulles of this castelle is much to be notid, [8]
