A HISTORY OF SURREY 



and Molesey Hurst is to the north of it on the banks 

 of the Thames. This was a famous place for cricket- 

 matches, prize-fights, and occasionally for duels. 

 Hampton races used to be held upon it, Hampton 

 being just across the Thames, over which is a ferry. 

 The Hurst Park Racing Club was established on the 

 ground in 1892. The Lambeth Waterworks have 

 reservoirs partly in West Molesey. 



There was an Inclosure Act in 1815 for East and 

 West Molesey, though the award was not till I June 

 1821.* This inclosed commons and common fields. 



In 1800, when Walton Commons were inclosed, 

 the 6 13*. dfd. set apart from the Walton tithes 

 for a curate of West Molesey was secured upon part 

 of the inclosed land. The income has been raised to 

 150 by voluntary gifts. 



East Molesey is a large scattered village 2 miles 

 west of Kingston. It is bounded on the north-east 

 by the Thames, on the east by Thames Ditton, on 

 the south by Esher, on the west by Walton and West 

 Molesey. It contains 743 acres of land and 38 of 

 water. The Mole, which flows through the parish, 

 divides to the south of the village, the western branch 

 forming part of the boundary between West and 

 East Molesey, the eastern branch between East 

 Molesey and Thames Ditton. They re-unite and 

 fall into the Thames within the parish. Dun- 

 stable Common and Molesey Hurst are partly in 

 East and partly in West Molesey. The branch line 

 from Surbiton to Hampton Court passes through part 

 of the parish and terminates in it at Hampton Court 

 station on the southern bank of the Thames. The 

 soil is the gravel and alluvium of the river valleys. 



Molesey was formerly a chapelry of Kingston 

 parish, but was erected into a separate perpetual 

 curacy by the Act 9 Geo. Ill, cap. 65. Previous to 

 this date, however, it possessed parish officers of its 

 own. 



In 1856 Kent Town in East Molesey was made an 

 ecclesiastical parish. A church (St. Paul's) was con- 

 secrated that year, but was finally rebuilt in 1888. 

 It is of 1 5th-century style, of stone, with a tower and 

 spire. The Wesleyan Chapel was built in 1876 

 and the Baptist Chapel in 1885. The drinking 

 fountain in Bridge Street was set up to commemorate 

 the Jubilee of 1887. Hampton Court Bridge was 

 built by James Clarke, who had a lease of the 

 manor of Molesey Prior in 1750.'" It was of wood 

 and soon fell into disrepair. It was rebuilt of wood 

 in 1778, and remained till 1865, when it was replaced 

 by an iron bridge. 



The limit of the tide in the unlocked Thames was 

 near Molesey. Drayton refers to it in the Polyolbion' 

 and Selden's note on the passage is ' Mole's fall into 

 the Thames is near the utmost of the flood.' As 

 usual, near the head of the tide, there was a ford. 

 When there was a question of the route by which 

 Monmouth was to be brought as a prisoner from 

 Guildford to London, Lord Lumley wrote, ' I think the 

 best way will be by way of Hampton, where there is 

 a good ford (opposite Molesey), and I think is a much 



better way than by Cobham and Kingston." * How- 

 ever, the ford was not used then.' But its existence, 

 as well as fords at Coway Stakes and Halliford, all 

 near the flood limits, make the identification of 

 Caesar's crossing-place impossible. 



The Cottage Hospital was built by the Dowager 

 Lady Barrow in 1890. There is a Roman Catholic 

 convent in the parish, established in 1907. 



At the time of the Domesday Survey 

 MANORS there were two manors of ' Molesham ' 

 both held of Richard de Tonbridge by 

 John ' and by Roger D'Abernon respectively. They 

 were both probably parts of what was afterwards Mole- 

 sey Prior. Aluric and Toco had been the respective 

 holders under King Edward. 6 Unless the two were 

 amalgamated under Richard in the hands of the 

 D'Abernom or under-tenants, the former disappears 

 altogether. 



Between 1129 and 1135 Engelram D'Abernon 

 granted to Merton Priory this manor, thenceforth 

 frequently called MOLESET PRIOR.' Much confusion 

 has arisen from the fact that both this manor and the 

 manor of Molesey Matham are spoken of as ' the 

 manor of East Moulsey.' Both seem to have in- 

 cluded lands in both Moleseys and in Walton on 

 Thames. 



Early in the reign of Edward I the prior claimed 

 rights of infangtheof, outfangtheof, &c., in Mole- 

 sey. His claim was allowed. 8 In 1284 he com- 

 plained that another of his rights there pleas of theft 

 had been infringed. Amice 

 of Ewell had been captured 

 with stolen goods within his 

 liberties at Molesey by two of 

 his servants, and had been sub- 

 sequently rescued." The priory 

 is stated in the Taxatio of Pope 

 Nicholas to have held property 

 at Molesey which was taxed at 

 3 6s. 1 " At the time of the 

 Valor of 1535 the possessions 

 of Merton Priory in Molesey 

 were valued at 2$ izs. zd., 

 being rents of assize and other 

 rents, farm of the mill, &c. n 



In 1518 the prior and convent demised to Sir 

 Thomas Heneage, kt., the manor of 'East Mole- 

 sey, with all their land and all their tithes in the 

 precinct of East Molesey and Thames Ditton, and 

 their live stock there ; for which he was to pay a rent, 

 partly in money and partly in kind, amounting in all 

 to 26 21. 2ii.' The lease was for a term of sixty- 

 six years." 



Henry VIII, when engaged in making the Chase 

 of Hampton, desired to obtain possession of the manor 

 and estate of East Molesey, and gave in exchange for 

 it to the priory of Merton certain lands, tenements, 

 advowsons, &c., formerly belonging to the suppressed 

 monastery of Calwich, co. Stafford." Whereupon 

 4 John, Prior of Merton, and the convent by inden- 

 ture dated 1536 conveyed to the king all their tithes, 



MERTON PRIORY. Or 

 fretty azure viith eaglet 

 argent at tht crostings of 

 the fret. 



1 Blue Bk. Incl. A-uiards. 



la By Act 27 Geo. II, cap. 37. 



9 Polyoltioti, Jtvii, 71. 



3 Lord Lumley to the Sec. of State, 

 quoted by Fea, King Monmoutb, 314. 



4 Land. Gax. 16 July 1685. 



5 This John is possibly John who held 

 Woldingham and Walton on the Hill of 



Richard, probably ancestor of the family 

 of Dammartin ; see V.C.H. Surr. i, 315, 

 316. The statement by Willis that 

 Woldingham once belonged to Merton 

 may originate in John's manor at Mole- 

 sey having been granted to Merton with 

 the D'Abernon land. 

 6 V.C.H. Surr. i, 318*. 



452 



'' Ibid. 



8 Plac. de Qua Warr. (Rec. Com.), 748. 



Cal. Pat. 1281-92, p. 199. 



10 Pope Nich. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 206. 

 " Valor Reel. (Rec. Com.), ii, 48. 



11 Bray ley, Hist, of Surr., ii, 300. 

 L. and P. Hen. VIII, xi, 1411. 



