By the Rev. R. K. Anketell, Vicar. 73 



These two estates, which seem to have been of nearly equal size, 

 may have been the origin o£ the two divisions into Upper and Lower 

 Seagry. 



The names of the two " milites," or knights, who held the first- 

 mentioned part of the parish under Durand not being given, the 

 line of succession of owners breaks off. The other is continued. 

 Drogo or Dm Fitz Ponz was a noble Norman, son of Walter de 

 Ponz, and brother of Richard de Ponz, ancestor of the noble family 

 of Clifford. Another Walter, son of Richard, and nephew to Dm, 

 married the heiress of Clifford Castle, and their son, another Walter, 

 exchanged the name of Ponz for De Clifford. 1 



Drogo or Dm was very largely endowed with manors by the 

 Conqueror, especially in Devonshire. His family name, as Drew, 

 survives in Somersetshire at Stanton Drew : and in Wilts at Littleton 

 Drew. His estate at Seagry appears to have passed to the great 

 nephew, Walter, above-mentioned, who took the name of Clifford, 

 and whose effigy in full armour is now in the south transept of 

 Seagry Church. This Walter Clifford was the father of Fair 

 Rosamond. 



In 1259 (44 Henry III.) we find a Roger de Burnivale (the name 

 of the lower part of the town of Malmesbury), holding at his death 

 lands in Seagry; and in 1275 (3 Edward L), and again in 1399, 

 Roger de Clifford owner of half a knight's fee (three hundred and 

 twenty acres), held under the Crown. One Simon de Segre sub- 

 tenant under Clifford. 



Aubrey mentions a Lord Segrave as an owner, but gives no date 

 or authority. It may have been Nicholas, Lord Segrave, who died 

 about A.D. 1321. A few years later, in 1373, Seagry was held of 

 Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford; and in 1399 of Roger 

 Mortimer, Earl of March, by the Prior of Bradenstoke, Simon de 

 Segre, and Walter le Gisle. 



The Clifford name disappears in 1369, with Roger, above- 

 mentioned ; but that of Drew revives. By Isabel, the daughter 



1 See Burke's Extinct Peerage. 



