Brandon Manor

W. A. Copinger, in his Manors of Suffolk (1909) tells us that the Abbot of St. Edmunds held the manor of Brandon, with its 5 carucates of land, in the time of the penultimate Anglo-Saxon king Edward the Confessor (Edward III reigned 1042-66).

"There were 8 villeins, 4 bordars, 7 serfs, 3 ploughteams in demesne and 4 ploughteams belonging to the tenants, which by the tie of the survey had come down to 3. There were also 3 acres of meadow, and a fishery, 2 asses, 11 beasts, 200 sheep, and 20 hogs, and a church with 30 acres. The value in Saxon times was £6."

However the Domesday survey gives the following report:-

From fol. 381b.
"XXI. LANDS OF SAINT ETHELDREDA
Pg 518
Lacforde [Lackford] Hundret
(At) BRANDONA [Brandon] Saint Etheldreda held T.R.E, and now (holds) as a manor 5 carucates of land. Then as now 8 villeins, and 4 bordars , 7 serfs. Then as now 3 ploughs on the demesne. Then 4 ploughs belonging to the men, now 3. And 3 acres of meadow. And 1 fishery. And 2 asses, 11 beasts, 200 sheep, [Fol.382] And 20 swine. A church with 30 acres. Then it was worth 6li., now 8li. It is 1 league long, and half a league broad. And in geld (pays) 20d.

"In LAKINGAHEDA [Lakenheath] and in BRANTONA [Brandon] 6 sokemen under (Saint) Etheldreda and in her soke so that they could not sell. They were delivered to Lisia the predecessor of Eudo as (having) 2 carucates of land; but yet he (Lisia ) afterwards made recognizance (that he held) under Saint Etheldreda (recognov' de Sca. Aldreda); and Eudo held them with soke and sac. And 4 bordars. Then as now 3 ploughs. And 3 acres of meadow. And 2 fisheries. Then and afterwards they were worth 30s, now (this) renders 70s."

By this time the value of the manor (not including the land held by Eudo the Steward) had risen to £8 and was an area a league long and half a league broad but appears to be held by the Abbot of Ely. However Copinger obviously regards this as a mistake as he tells us that the manor and the estate belonged to the Crown in the time of Henry III (ascended the throne aged 9 in 1216) and were "by this King granted in his 35th year to Hugh, Bishop of Ely, and his successors, together with free warren in all their demesnes in this part of the county."

William de Wendling farmed the manor for the Bishop in 1259, said to be the same man who was a King's justice and who founded Wendling abbey (Norfolk).

Grants for market and fair were obtained in 1271, by Hugh, Bishop of Ely, and in 1319 by another Bishop of Ely, John de Hotham.

However by 1562 (the fourth year of the reign of Elizabeth I) the manor and advowson were controversially seized by the Crown giving rise to 20 suits being instituted. This included one commission issued out of the Court of Exchequer which charged Sir John Heigham and Robert Peyton to investigate and report back with their opinion on the matter. They found in favour of the Crown, confirming its right to the manor and "all warren rights and royalties"

Among the Exchequer Depositions taken during the inquiry at Brandon in 1605-6 we discover that there was at that time "an action pending between a Thomas Pleasance and John Rock and others relating to the customs of this manner" The significance of this will soon become clear.

In 1605, James I granted the manor to his 2nd son, Charles, Duke of York, " and his heirs male".

In 1612 there are further actions pending regarding the "manor, customs, common of pasture and meets and boutnds and free warren" of the Manor of Brandon, this time between Robert Wright and another against Thomas Pleasance.

Copinger tells us that "In 1616 both manor and advowson were granted by the Crown to George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, who sold them two years later to William Pleasance [a relative of the above-mentioned Thomas?].

"We next find Brandon in possession of Lord Villiers, Viscount Purbeck, elder brother of George who was granted the land in 1616, and it remained with the Wright family, who claimed to be the descendants of Lord Purbeck and " long sought the family honours until 1727, when John Wright alias Villiers who assumed the title of Viscount Purbeck and Earl of Buckingham..... "

1727 - Holt-Wilson family owns (linked to Wangford)

1828 - Edward Bliss owns

BACK