EDWINSTREE HUNDRED 



STOCKING PELHAM 



in this century was Jordan de Bideford,' whose heirs 

 were said in 1303 to hold half a knight's fee in 

 Stocking Pelham of the bishop.' The actual tenant 

 was probably Richard de Bideford, who with his 

 wife Agnes niece of Thomas de Wauncy occurs in 

 1278.' He may have had for his successor Richard 

 de Bideford, who settled Stocking Pelham Manor in 

 1 33 1 on himself and his wife Alice in tail-male, with 

 remainder to his brother Henry.' In 1350 Richard 

 de Bideford and Richard his son were amongst the 

 trustees for a settlement of Chamberleyns Manor 

 in Brent Pelham.'" The younger Richard probably 

 succeeded to the elder and was identical with Sir 

 Richard Bideford, kt., from whom before 1411 the 

 manor of Stocking Pelham passed to his daughter 

 Joan." She married Henry Hert, citizen and cloth- 

 maker of London, to whom and herself John son and 

 heir of Thomas Bideford, perhaps the heir male of Sir 



Between 1483 and 1485 the legality of this transac- 

 tion was disputed by Richard son and heir of Thomas 

 Rous, who claimed to be reversionary heir under 

 settlements made by Richard Bideford, Joan Hert and 

 his father. He stated that John and James Songer 

 had taken advantage of his father's ' great and feeble 

 age of eighty years ' to the undoing of himself and of 

 his children, ' which be many in number.' '° Richard 

 Rous lost his case and James Songer held the manor 

 as late as 1499." In 1509 the holder was Anne 

 Songer and in 1 5 1 8 Richard Songer," who were 

 probably James's widow and heir respectively. In 

 1541 Richard son and heir-apparent of Richard 

 Songer seems to have conveyed his reversionary 

 interest to Jeremy Songer." The manor was settled 

 in 1 542 on the elder Richard for his life, with 

 remainder to Jeremy and Mary Grene, probably his 

 betrothed wife, and to Jeremy's heirs." Further 



Stocking Pelham Church from the South-east 



Richard, released the manor in 1410-11." Henry 

 Hert held the lands in Stocking Pelham in his wife's 

 right in 1428 " and in 1436." Her heir was Thomas 

 Rons, who within her lifetime and about the year 1 443 

 married a certain Joan. At this time or afterwards 

 Joan Hert devised to him the reversion of the manor, 

 and some time after 1456" he duly succeeded her. 

 From about the year 1450 the manor was in lease to 

 John Songer, whose son and heir James bought the 

 reversion in fee after the death of Thomas Rous. 



settlements were made by Jeremy Songer and Mary 

 his wife in 1546" and 1553." In 1551 Jeremy 

 leased the manor to John Growte for fifty years" and 

 apparently again settled it in 1555" and 1557-" 

 In 1570 the manor of Stocking Pelham had come to 

 an heiress, Dorothy wife of Edmond Huddleston, 

 who with her husband settled it on their son John 

 Huddleston." Edmond Huddleston, who was knighted 

 in 1579," settled the manor in 1593 " and died in 

 1606. In accordance with various settlements the 



' Jordan held the fifth part of a knight's 

 fee in Thameworth, Oxon. {Testa de Nevill 

 [Rec. Com.], io6i). 



' Feud. Aids, ii, 431. 



' Herts, and Hants Assize R. Edw. I 

 (Agarde's Index), fol. 52. 



' Feet of F. Herts. J Edw. Ill, no. 77. 



"Add. MS. 5806, fol. 14 d. 



" Early Chan. Proc. bdle. 65, no. 54. 



" Close, 12 Hen. IV, m. 8. 



^ Feud. Aids, ii, 446. 



" See account of chantry. 



1' Newcourt, Repert. i, 866. 



16 Early Chan. Proc. bdle. 65, no. 54. 



" Newcourt, op. cit. i, 867. i' Ibid. 



" Feet of F. Herts. Trin. 33 Hen. VIII. 



«> Ibid. Trin. 34 Hen. VIII. 



" Ibid. Trin. 38 Hen. VIII. 



lOQ 



23 Ibid. East. 7 Edw. VI. 



» Chan. Proc. (Ser. 2), bdle. 170, no. 59. 



" RecoT. R. Hil. 2 & 3 Phil, and 

 Mary, rot. 457. 



" Feet of F. Herts. East. 3 & 4 Phil, 

 and Mary. 



»6 Ibid. East. 12 Eliz. 



" Metcalfe, Book of Knights, 133. 



>8 Feet of F. Herts. Trin. 3 5 Eiiz. 



