A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



connexion with Knebworth ceased, for in that year 

 Robert Lytton came of age and received his in- 

 heritance." Upon Robert's death without male 

 heirs Knebworth passed by will to his brother 

 Rowland," whose son Rowland inherited it in 1582." 

 William Lyttoa, son of the second Rowland, succeeded 

 to Knebworth at his father's death in 1615," and 

 held it until 1660, when he was succeeded by his 

 son, another Rowland. 67 William son of Sir Rowland 

 Lytton inherited the manor in 1674, and died in 

 1705 without issue, when Knebworth passed to 

 Lytton Strode, grandson of William's sister Judith 

 and son of George Strode and Mary Robinson." 

 He assumed the surname of Lytton, which was also 

 taken by his cousin William Robinson, who succeeded 

 him in 1 7 10, but had no Lytton descent. John 

 Robinson-Lytton inherited the manor from his 

 father in 1732, but died without issue in 1762, 

 when his nephew Richard Warburton succeeded 

 and took the name of Lytton. His daughter 

 Elizabeth Barbara Warburton-Lytton married William 



Lytton, Earl of Lytton 



Earle Bulw 



led the 



She died in 1843, leaving Kr 

 son Edward George, the famous nov 

 Lord Lytton of Knebworth in i* 

 1873. His son Edward Robert 1 

 of Lytton, and was succeeded i 

 third but eldest surviving son V 

 George Robert Lytton, second earl, 1 

 lord of the manor. 55 



The great park of Knebworth 



upon inheriting Knebworth i 

 of Lytton i 



th to her third 

 list, who became 

 56 and died in 

 -as created Earl 

 1 1 891 by his 

 ctor Alexander 

 'hois the present 



147Z- 7 * There it still a deer park of 156 acre), which 

 ii finely wooded and surrounds the house, A fair was 

 granted to Robert de Hoo in r.192, to be held 

 annually on the vigil, day and morrow of the Decol- 

 lation of St. John the Baptist ;I (28-30 August). It 

 was confirmed in 1 547," but was discontinued before 

 the end of the 1 8th century. Free warren was granted 

 and confirmed at the same time as the fair and was 

 also confirmed to Richard de Perers in 1317" and to 

 William Lytton in 1616." 



A mill is mentioned in Knebworth in 1086" and 

 in 161 1, 7 * but does not appear to exist now. In 

 1274-; the lord of the manor held view of frank- 

 pledge, gallows and the assize of bread and ale ; he 

 paid 17*. 41/. yearly to the sheriff's tourn." Court 

 leet was granted to William Lytton in 1616.™ 



The manor of THREHOUS (Trehus, le Trehouse, 

 Treyhouse) is first mentioned in 1303.™ It seems 

 to have been a part of the manor of Knebworth and 

 was perhaps the two messuages, 160 acres of land and 

 100 acres of wood which were excepted in the fine 

 of 1316, settling Knebworth on Richard and Joan de 

 Perers. 90 This estate was conveyed by William de 

 Beauchamp to Richard Forster and others, but owing 

 to its omission from the fine could not be claimed 

 by William de Hoo [n 1398." It followed the same 

 descent as the manor of Knebworth," and presumably 

 became eventually merged in it. The manor of 

 Threhous is last mentioned separately in 1616. *■ It 

 lay in the western part of the parish, and the locality 

 is still marked by a tenement called Three Houses. 



The parish church of ST. MAR} 

 CHURCH AND ST. THOMAS OF CJNTER- 

 BURr* stands to the north-cast of 

 Knebworth House in the park. It is built of flint 

 rubble, with clunch dressings and the roofs are tiled. 

 It consists of a chancel and nave, north chapel, west 

 tower, south porch and north vestry. 



The nave was built about the middle of the 12th 

 century and the chancel is probably of the same date. 

 The west lower dates from about 1420, the north 

 chapel from a century later, and the south porch from 

 about 1600. The nave was re-roofed in the 15th 

 century and the north chapel was rebuilt about 1700. 

 In the 19th century the chancel was almost entirely 

 rebuilt and the north vestry was added. 



The chancel, which is almost wholly modern, still 

 has in the north wall a blocked window with an edge- 

 roll moulding of about 1 1 50, and below it is an arched 

 recess of the early 1 6th century. To the west of the 

 recess and of the same date is the arch which opens 

 into the north chapel. It has been much repaired 

 and has half-octagonal responds supporting the inner 

 order. The round chancel arch, of about 1 1 50, has 

 engaged shafts with rudely scalloped capitals. On 

 the south side of the chancel under the easternmost 

 window is a 14th-century piscina, with an ogee 



