By the Rev. F. H. Manley. 



291 



family, doubtless, it obtained its name of Somerford Bolles. In 

 the Visitation of Wilts, 1565, the pedigree of Bruning, of Seagry, 

 is given, traced back through five generations to Nicholas Bruning, 

 of Winterbourne Stepleton, county Dorset. Richard Bruning seems 

 to have been the first of the family to settle in Seagry. His wife 

 was the eldest daughter and one of the heiresses of William Wayte, 

 of Wymering, Co. Hants, who through his wife, Ann Mompesson, 

 grand-daughter of Isabella Drew, owned much property in Seagry. 

 In the reign of Elizabeth we have the foot of a fine levied between 

 William Bruning and his mother, Eleanor Bruning, in connection 

 with property in Somerford Magna. This Eleanor was the wife of 

 the Richard Bruning mentioned above and William,their fourth son. 

 I am inclined to think that the Brunings also purchased some of 

 the Maltravers property, anyhow they were prepared to dispute the 

 rights of the Jasons. They described their property as the Manor 

 of Great Somerford or Somerford Bolles, and held their courts. 

 In 1676 Sir Robert Jason only established his right to present 

 to the Rectory after a law-suit with Edmund Bruning, of 

 Hambleden Park, Southampton. As late as 1751 one of the farms 

 which formed part of their property was let on a lease, in which 

 occurs this proviso, "that it may be lawful for the said Richard 

 Serle, his heirs, &c, and the Steward of the Manor of Somerford 

 Boles, during the same term to enter into the said messuage to 

 keep the courts of and for the said Manor, &c." A curious rent 

 charge on this manor, which had come into the hands of trustees 

 of a charity at Shinfield, Berks, was paid off by Mr. Beak for a 

 lump sum in 1870. It seems that in 1628 Anthony Bruning, Esq., 

 a grandson of Richard Bruning, of Seagry, then the owner of 

 the manor and estate of Somerford Boles, refused payment of 

 this rent charge of £6 6s. O^d., then claimed by William 

 Wallingscott, the elder, and William Wallingscott, the younger, 

 in connection with an annuity enjoyed by Sarah Ann Wayte. A 

 decree in Chancery, however, established the legality of the claim. 

 Mr. William Randell found himself saddled with this charge 

 when he purchased the above-mentioned farm in 1774, and, in 

 consequence, as lord of the manor, had thought of preventing the 



