322 



Notes on the History of Mere. 



ZISJLLS TITHING, 



This tithing consists of the whole of the western side of the 

 parish, and was originally composed of two manors, viz., Zeals 

 Ailesbiuy, or Higher Zeals, and Zeals Clevedon, or Lower Zeals. 

 The descent of these manors from early times till the advent of the 

 Chafyn family was exhaustively detailed in an article by John 

 Batten, Esq., in this Magazine, vol. xxviii., pp. 203 — 210. 



We have previously stated that Zeals is now formed into a 

 separate parish for both ecclesiastical and civil purposes. 



In 1258 Richard de Seles was one of the four knights re- 

 turned for the County of Wilts. 



1292, Walter de Ailesbury had a grant of the manor of Over 

 Seles from Edmund, Duke of Cornwall. 



1361, Thomas Lord Berkeley, died ; lie married for his second 

 wife Catharine, daughter of Sir John Clivedon, 1 and by her had 

 issue Sir John Berkeley, who married Elizabeth, daughter and heir 

 of John Bettisthorne, of Chadenwich, from which union descended 

 the Berkeleys of Beverston, in Gloucestershire. Sir John Berkeley 

 was born 1351 and died 1418. 



1413, messuages in both Over Sells and Netherselles, as well as in 

 Mere Woodlands, are named amongst the lands of William Lord 

 Stourton, who died that year. 



" 1558 Sealys Aylesbury de manibus Regis et Regime amovendis. De 

 manerio de Sealys Aylesbury quod fuit Caroli nuper Domini Stourton de felonia 

 attincti ac Thomas Chafyn, arm. liberando Michselis rceorda 4 et 5 Phil et M arise 

 llotul 193. Ibidem de Situ Monasterii de Sealys Aylesbury. ( Hoaie. Hund. 

 of Mere, p. 201.) 



Domesday Book gives the earliest information we have of this 

 manor : — 



"Land of Gozeliu Riveire. 



"Gozelin Riveire holds selj of the King. Alinar held it in the time of 

 King Edward and it paid geld for 2| hides. The land is 3 earucates. In 

 demesne is 1 carucate and 2 serfs; and there are 5 villans and 3 eoscets, with 2 

 earucates. There is a mill paying 40 pence and 3 acres of meadow. The pasture 

 is 3 furlongs long and 3 broad. The wood is half a mile long and as much broad. 

 It was and is worth 30 shillings." 



1 The family of Clevedon was located at Zeals before the Chafyns. 



