146 EPONYMOUS FAMILIES OF DORSET. 



CHILD CHILD HAY. 



Childhay is stated by the historian of Dorset to have belonged 

 anciently to the family of Child, but at an early date it passed 

 by the marriage of an heiress to John de Cruckern. Unfor- 

 tunately, there is the same lack of history respecting the 

 apparently allied manor of Child-Ockford ; which is believed by 

 some to be so named upon similar grounds ; but there seems to 

 be even less reason for this conjecture, though on the other 

 hand it is far from improbable. 



A reflection that may occur to some one familiar with 

 mediaeval ballads is that " Child" was commonly a term applied 

 to a Knight, as, for example, " Child Morrice," " Child Waters," 

 but here again we are met by want of evidence. 



The Dorset family of Child, which may or may not have given 

 a name to Childhay and Okeford, owned land at Newton for 

 certainly four generations, up to 1623, as is proved by the 

 Heralds Visitation of Dorset of that date ; and the Parish 

 Register shews that some of the name remained there fifty years 

 later. 



Any reliable evidence of the early history and shewing the 

 continuity, of this family, would be most welcome, but is still to 

 seek. 



