80 



Collections for a History of Seagry. 



estates for his life. 1 Other tenants under the Ilungerfords, of various 

 portions, were, William Hawkins, John JefFeries, and Gabriel 

 Wheeler. Total acreage, three hundred and seventy four. 



The tenants of the manor of Seagry appear to have considered 

 themselves as holding under the Duchy of Lancaster. There is 

 an original declaration, 2 dated 25th November, 1651, signed by 

 Alexander Staples, Feodary and Bailiff of the Duchy, issued at the 

 request of the tenants : testifying to them certain ancient privileges 

 of exemption from payments of tolls, serving upon juries, doing 

 suit of court, and the like. 



In 1681 it belonged to another Sir Edward Hungerford, of Farley 

 and Corsham, who, in his will, leaves " to his old servant Edward 

 Adye of Seagry, gent., an annuity of ten pounds." The estate 

 passed to Sir Giles Hungerford, of Coulston, near Devizes, whose 

 widow, Margaret, in 1701, leased a messuage and lands in Lower 

 Seagry for three lives, to Edward Adye, of Chippenham, mercer. 

 About the middle of the eighteenth century it passed by marriage 

 with the heiress of Sir Giles to Lord Lexington, by whose family it 

 was sold to the Earl of Radnor's family : by whom it has been 

 sold to Earl Cowley. The farm has been rented by the Hamlins, 

 Jefferies, Wheelers, Adeys, Beaks, Bayliffes. Present tenant, 

 George Perritt. These are the names of the fields:— Stone Quarries, 

 Dungcart, Keynes, Great Keynes, Great Slates, Little Slates, 

 Griroes, Lower Broadleaze, Upper Broadleaze, Peter's Orchard, 3 

 Little Gorse Crab, Great Gorse Crab, Purcher's Rails, Withy Tree, 

 Townsend Lees, Little Five Thorns. 



There were many substantial houses here in ancient times. The 

 Bayliffe family, who resided at Upper Seagry, built, in 1700, a 

 gabled house in Queen Anne's style, which still exists. 



The Richmonds, from whom Leigh Richmond (the anthor of 

 " Dairyman's Daughter") descended, resided at Lower Seagry in a 

 house which is now a ruin. The Sealeys and Benjamins lived in 

 two farm-houses in Lower Seagry, now in the occupation of their 



1 See " Wiltshire Collections, Aubrey and Jackson," p. 282. 

 2 In the possession of Canon Jackson. 

 3 The last two being site of The Heathen Burial Ground. 



