Manors

Hugh de Beauchamp's Manor

Stagsden lay in the Willey Hundred|. the Domesday Book of 1086 recorded that the largest landowner was Hugh de Beauchamp, soon to be created Baron of Bedford by King William II. He had five hides| and no tenant. His manor included 12 villagers, 8 smallholders and 2 slaves as well as woodland for 100 pigs. In 1066 two of King Edward the Confessor's men and a man of earl (later King) Harold had held the land. Unusually, no evidence of value in 1066, when acquired or in 1086 is given. This manor is unique in Bedfordshire as the entry mentions "parchus ferarum silvaticarum" or "park for woodland beasts" suggesting it was maintained for hunting, providing the clue (sadly incorrect) to early antiquarians that the village's name meant "stag valley". In the 20th century the owner of Burdelys Manor, J.Steele-Elliot attempted to trace where the Domesday Manors were by using later boundaries. He suggested that de Beauchamp's Manor lay south of the A4222 and west of Spring Lane, with a part lying north of the A422 and east of the lane leading past Round Hill; this would include the later Ducksworth Farm, Firs Farm, West Farm and West End Farm as well as Astey Wood, Hill Farm and Burdelys Manor. Later records indicate that the park for beasts lay south of the modern A422 and the land later farmed by Arthur Prickett at West Farm included The Great Park and The Park.

Bishop  Odo's Manor

Odo, Bishop of Bayeux (half brother of William I) was another major landowner; as recorded in the Domesday Book he held 3 hides 3 virgates|, tenanted by Herbert, son of Ivo and the manor also included 12 villagers, 7 smallhlders and woodland for 40 pigs. In 1066 this manor had been owned by 12 freemen (the 12 villagers now subject to Odo?) and had been worth £12. In common with much of Bedfordshire the value had fallen by the time it was acquired (due, historians consider, to the depredations of William I's army as it moved north to quell rebellion) - in this case to £9 - dropping still further, to £7, by 1086. J.Steele-Elliot suggested that this manor land between the A422 and the lane running north from Church End, adjoining lands he held in Stevington. His manor house (later the Manor of Gemys, Jempsis or Stanford) may have lain in the moated site in Upend Wood

Countess Judith's Manor

Countess Judith of Northumbria (niece of William I) also held a hide in Stagsden, as recorded in Domesday Book, tenanted by a man called Hugh (there is no indication that this is Hugh de Beauchamp). The land holding included 2 villagers and 2 smallholders and also contained woodland for 40 pigs. In 1066 it had been held by 2 freemen (the 2 villagers now subject to Judith?) and had been worth 20 shillings, a value halved by the time Judith acquired it and the same reduced value in 1086. J.Steele-Elliot suggested that her manor lay south of the A422 and east of Spring Lane thus including Hanger Wood and adjoining her manors in Bromham and Kempston.

Count Eustace's Manor

Domesday Book records that Count Eustace II of Boulogne had a virgate in Stagsden in 1086 which was tenanted by Godwy "an Englishman". The land was valued at 2 shillings, having been worth five times that in 1066 and 5 shillings when Eustace acquired it. J.Steele-Elliot suggested that Eustace's manor lay along the boundaries with Stevington and Turvey east of the moated site at Upland Wood.

Steele-Elliot's work suggested that the village of Stagsden and its church lay at the junction of three manors - those of Odo, de Beauchamp and Eustace.

moat at Wick End, possible site of Dylwyck Manor

Dylwyck or Wick End Manor

This was the manor held by Hugh de Beauchamp in 1086. It remained in the Beauchamp family until the death of John de Beauchamp, fighting for Simon de Montfort against King Henry III at Evesham in 1267. Dylwyck Manor passed to his second sister Beatrice, wife of Thomas FitzOtho, then William de Monchensey. Her daughter Maud FitzOtho married John Botetourt and inherited her mother's lands. In 1328 she settled Dylwyck, with other lands, on her daughter Elizabeth, wife of William, Lord Latimer. Her son succeeded her and was himself succeeded by his daughter Elizabeth, wife of John Nevill of Raby in 1381.The manor remained in the Nevill family (who became Lords Latimer in 1426) until 1589 when it was alienated by Lucy and her husband William Cornwallis to Lewis, Lord Mordaunt. The manor remained in the Mordaunt family until 1710 when it was purchased by Sir Thomas Trevor. He became Baron Trevor of Bromham in 1712 and died in 1730, succeeded by his eldest son Thomas, who died childless in 1754 and was succeeded by his brother John. He also died without having produced a son and his half-brother Robert inherited his lands who, in order to comply with the will of his maternal great-grandfather, changed his name to Hampden, being created Viscount Hampden in 1776.

Viscount Hampden died in 1783 and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas Trevor Hampden. About this time the name Dylwyck Manor disappears and, from 1812, the various manors in Stagsden owned by Viscount Hampden were grouped together as Stagsden Manor.

Gemys, Jempsis or Stanford Manor

This manor was that owned by Bishop Odo and was, on his death on crusade in 1097, appropriated by the English Crown. The next reference to it is considered to be of a manor held from the crown by the Gemys family in 1233. The family continued to own the manor until 1428 when it passed to William Gemys' daughter Joan, wife of Nicholas Ravenhill, then to her daughter Agnes, wife of James Fryaunce in 1447. In 1469 John Fryaunce alienated the manor to John Stanford whose two daughters (Elizabeth Cornwallis and Margaret Harvey) inherited half of it each in 1493. It is surmised that the Cornwallis share passed, with the Manor of Dylwyck, to the Mordaunt family in 1589. The Harvey share was conveyed to Lord Mordaunt in 1544. The reunited manor had a separate identity into the 18th century but shared the same descent as Dylwyck and later Stagsden Manor all manorial incidents, courts and tenure of land being abolished under the Law of Property Act 1922.

Bosoms Manor

This manor seems to have originated in the 13th century as it is first mentioned in 1276 when tenanted by Bartholomew Bosom. It was held from the Barony of Bedford. The family continued to hold the manor until the middle of the 15th century when it was divided between two daughters, Elizabeth Halton and Anne Ovy. The Halton portion was sold to John Mordaunt in 1497 and he bought the Ovy portion in 1506. The manor then followed the same descent as Dylwyck and then Stagsden Manor, though preserving a separate identity into the 18th century. The manor house lay in Wick End or Bury End, near Burdelys Manor.

Burdelys Manor

Burdelys Manor

This was another Stagsden Manor held of the Barony of Bedford. It is first mentioned in 1278 when it was held by Roger l'Estrange (husband of Maude Beauchamp) and the Abbot of Warden. In 1282 the manor was vested in Sir William de Monchensey (brother-in-law of Maude Beauchamp). By 1348 John de Burdelys held the manor from the Barony, after which date the overlordship of the Barony is no longer mentioned. The de Burdelys family probably held the manor since at least 1278 when a John de Burdelys was recorded as owning land in the parish. They continued to hold the manor until 1347 when the manor was bestowed on Joan de Burdelys, wife if Gilbert atte Chamber. In 1362 the atte Chambers alienated the manor to Edmund Bosom and in 1497 it was conveyed to John Mordaunt, whereafter following the same descent as the Manors of Dylwyck and, later Stagsden.

The later manor house survives and is still called Burdelys Manor, formerly being known as Bury End Farm. It lies in the north of the parish above Wick End. The house probably stands on the site of the medieval manor house, lying as it does within a moat. In 1952, when it was listed by Department of Environment it was reckoned to be 17th century or earlier. It is built of coursed limestone rubble and has a tiled roof. The main house is built in a T plan with the cross wing on the left-hand side. The main body of the house has two storeys and part of the rear is timber-framed with brick infill. At the time of listing the first floor rooms contained early17th century oak panelling and an oak chimney piece of Doric and Ionic orders. The staircase was also mid to late 17th century with a turned baluster. The right wing was of one storey with attics with gabled dormers.

Duxworth or Duckford Manor

This property is first recorded in the early 16th century and appears to have originated in land held in 1278 by Henry de Dylwyck of his overlord Ralph Paynel. In 1310 William Sweyn conveyed land to John de Dokesworth and the family continued to own land until at least 1346. The first mention of Duxworth Manor is in 1514 when it was conveyed by Thomas Marlborough to Sir Ralph Lane. By the 17th century this manor, like all the others in Stagsden, was in the hands of the Mordaunts.

Stagsden Manor

Viscount Hampden died in 1824 at which point all his manors in Stagsden were aggregated together as Stagsden Manor and passed to his brother John Trevor, 3rd Viscount Hampden. When he died in the same year, his will devised the manor to his kinsman George Rice Trevor, who became Fourth Baron Dynevor in 1852. His trustees sold Stagsden Manor to the Crown.