Notes of Manorial Descent. 261 



Castle and Witcombe Park in Gloucestershire. His great grand- 

 father Michael nicks, Esq., the second eon of Sir Howe Hicks, 

 5th Bart, married Miss Henrietta Beach who was the daughter 

 and eventually the sole heiress of William Beach, Esq., the last 

 male descendant of the Beach's of Fittleton and Keevil, and who 

 died in the year 1790. 



It would seem from ancient documents that the Beach family 

 was connected with the parish of Fittleton from a very early 

 period, as appears from the Placita et Petitiones, that in the time 

 of 15th and 16th Edw. II., 1322, George of Brigmerston (clerk) 

 petitioned the King that " whereas he had leased his Manor of 

 Hakeneston in Wilts to Sir Philip de la Beche for the term of his 

 life, on condition that Sir Philip should year by year deliver to the 

 petitioner a robe suitable for an Esquire, and of the value of 120 

 solidi, and also find for him, and a Boy, and a horse, sustenance in 

 all manner necessary meat and drink ; but then the said Manor 

 was seized into the King's hands by the forfeiture of Sir Philip, 

 he being one of the King's enemies. Wherefore the said George 

 prayed relief, &c." 



The response he obtained was that " whereas Sir Philip was 

 then at present in prison, the petitioner should await the gaol 

 delivery." [See Wilts Arch. Mag., vol. ii., p. 260.] 



The Crown rent of £12 a year payable out of the Fittleton 

 Manor farm, was acquired by Archbishop Sancroft (who died in 

 the year 1693), and by him given in augmentation of the vicarage 

 of Lambourn in Berkshire, and it is still paid to the Yicar of that 

 parish. 



The common field lands in Fittleton were enclosed by Act of 

 Parliament in the year 1796, and the tenantry lands in Haxton in 

 the year 1839. 



The tithes of the whole parish belonging to the Church, were 

 commuted in the same year for a rent charge of £461 7s. 8d. 

 The Rev. John Parkinson, D.D., being the then Rector. 



The parish including the tithing, contains 3175 acres, of which 

 about 35 acres belong to the Church. 



VOL. XI. — NO. xxxin. X 



