80 Collections for a History of Seagry. 
estates for his life... Other tenants under the Hungerfords, of various 
portions, were, William Hawkins, John Jefferies, and Gabriel 
Wheeler. Total acreage, three hundred and seventy four. 
The tenants of the manor of Seagry appear to have considered 
themselves as holding under the Duchy of Lancaster. There is 
an original declaration,? dated 25th November, 1651, signed by 
Alexander Staples, Feodary and Bailiff of the Duchy, issued at the 
request of the tenants: testifying to them certain ancient privileges 
of exemption from payments of tolls, serving upon juries, doing 
suit of court, and the like. 
In 1681 it belonged to another Sir Edward Hungerford, of Farley 
and Corsham, who, in his will, leaves “to his old servant Edward 
Adye of Seagry, gent., an annuity of ten pounds.” The estate 
passed to Sir Giles Hungerford, of Coulston, near Devizes, whose 
widow, Margaret, in 1701, leased a messuage and lands in Lower 
Seagry for three lives, to Edward Adye, of Chippenham, mercer. 
About the middle of the eighteenth century it passed by marriage 
with the heiress of Sir Giles to Lord Lexington, by whose family it 
was sold to the Earl of Radnor’s family: by whom it has been 
sold to Earl Cowley. The farm has been rented by the Hamlins, 
Jefferies, Wheelers, Adeys, Beaks, Bayliffes. Present tenant, 
George Perritt. These are the names of the fields: —Stone Quarries, 
Dungcart, Keynes, Great Keynes, Great Slates, Little Slates, 
Griroes, Lower Broadleaze, Upper Broadleaze, Peter’s Orchard, 
Little Gorse Crab, Great Gorse Crab, Purcher’s Rails, Withy Tree, 
Townsend Lees, Little Five Thorns. 
There were many substantial houses here in ancient times. The 
Bayliffe family, who resided at Upper Seagry, built, in 1700, a 
gabled house in Queen Anne’s style, which still exists. 
The Richmonds, from whom Leigh Richmond (the anthor of 
“Dairyman’s Daughter”) descended, resided at) Lower Seagry in a 
house which is now a ruin. The Sealeys and Benjamins lived in 
two farm-houses in Lower Seagry, now in the occupation of their 
Oe ______ 
1 See “ Wiltshire Collections, Aubrey and Jackson,” p. 282. 
? In the possession of Canon Jackson. 
3 The last two being site of The Heathen Burial Ground. 
