Subordinate to the Barony of Castle Combe. 263 



the bulk of them formed a group nearly contiguous, in its north- 

 eastern division, extending from Mildenhall, near Marlborough, 

 through Blunsdon, Wroughton, Broad Hinton, Olive, the Bassetts, 

 Somerford, Sherston Pinkney, Combe, and Biddeston. 



I propose to take these manors in the order in which they appear 

 I in the Conqueror's Survey, and begin therefore with the ten which 

 were held in hand by Hunfridus de Insula himself. 



1. Broctone, now Broughton GifFard. — In the 3rd of John (1201) 

 Broctone was taxed as late the land of Walter de Dunstanville 

 (Rot. lane. 3rd John). In the Liber Feodorum (1250-70), Walter 

 de Dunstanville is said to hold two knight's fees and two hides of 

 the king in Brocton. In what manner or when Broughton was 

 transferred to the GifFards does not appear, but as Elias GifFard of 

 Brimsfield held the Manor of Ayston (Ash ton GifFard), another of 

 the subordinate knight's fees of the Barony of Castle Combe, under 

 Walter de Dunstanville, in the time of Henry III., (he died 33 

 Henry III.) it is probable that Broughton likewise was enfeoffed 

 to him or to his son John, about the same period, by one of the 

 Walters de Dunstanville, their companion in arms. Broughton 

 manor was held in dower for her life (together with Eleston, 

 Orcheston, and Ashtoh, all subordinate to the Barony of Castle 

 Combe) by Margaret GifFard, widow of John GifFard, the elder, 

 who was slain at Boroughbridge. On her death it reverted (with 

 them) to the heirs of her husband, by his first marriage with 

 Matilda Longespee, namely, James Lord Audeley, and John le 

 Strange — the intermediate forfeiture of this reversion, which had 

 been bestowed on Sir John Mautravers, being rescinded by King 

 Edward III. in the first year of his reign (a.d. 1327-8). 1 



On the partition of the great Badlesmere estates in 1340, the 

 superiority of these knight's fees in Broughton was assigned to 

 John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, in right of his wife, Maud de Badles- 

 mere, and these were held at that time "under the Barony of Castle 

 Combe," by the above-named James Audeley and John le Strange, 



1 For the Pedigree of GifFard see "Hoare's Heytesbury," p. 225; and the 

 Rev. Mr. Fane's paper in No. 4 of this Magazine, p. 101 



2 M 2 



