By T. Baker. 



229 



" Anno 1245. Richard Earl of Cornwall sent one thousand pounds by the 

 knights hospitalers, for the relief and assistance of travellers and pilgrims to the 

 Holy Land ; and at Christmas entertained at Wallingford the King (Henry III.), 

 the Queen, and nobility. And April 22nd, the same year, the King granted to 

 him the manor of Meere with all appurtenances, that he may there found a 

 religious house of what order he pleased." 



This was eight years before permission was granted to the same 

 earl to build the castle, but there is no existing evidence as to what 

 religious house he built. Sir R. C. Hoare mentions the site of the 

 monastery of Sealys Aylesbury, and as this was within the ancient 

 parish of Mere, and was part of the possessions of the Earl of 

 Cornwall, it may have been there, but there is no tradition as to 

 its situation. 



In 1253 permission was granted to Eichard Earl of Cornwall to 

 build a castle on a hill situated in his manor of Mere, and afterwards 

 to fortify it ; a grant of materials for this work was made from the 

 forest of Blackmore. Also allowing him to hold it during his own 

 life and entailing it upon his heirs male by Sanchia, his wife, but 

 in failure of such issue the castle was to devolve again to the crown. 

 His eldest son, Edmund, succeeded him in the earldom of Cornwall. 

 He died without issue and this lordship reverted to the crown and 

 was granted by Edward I. as dower to his second wife, Margaret 

 of France. Edward II. bestowed the Earldom of Cornwall on his 

 favourite, Piers Gaveston, who was beheaded in 1312 ; the manor 

 of Mere was then seized by the King and remained in his hands 

 till 1332, when Edward III. created his brother, John of Eltham, 

 Earl of Cornwall, and granted to him the manor of Mere with all 

 the other possessions of the Earldom of Cornwall. He died in 

 1337 ; his property reverted to the crown ; the Earldom of 

 Cornwall was created a Duchy, and it was granted to Edward, 

 Prince of Wales, eldest son of Edward III. From this period the 

 manor of Mere with all its appurtenances descended with, and as 

 part and parcel of, the Duchy of Cornwall. 



The Castle. 



As we have shown before, this was built about 1253, and must 

 have been a grand and conspicuous object. It consisted of six 



