266 History of the Wiltshire Manors 



forty pence in a purse, "in gersumiam" 1 These charters are also 

 recited in a grant of Inspeximus of Henry III., in the Castle Combe 

 chartulary, dated at Westminster, the 27th day of May, in the 

 54th year of that king (a.d. 1270), who at the same time confirmed 

 these estates "to John de Wili, heir of the above-named John, 

 Thomas, and Nicholas," at the instance of Walter de Merton, (ad 

 instanciam dilecti et familiaris nostri Walteri de Merton ) . 



In the Liber Feodorwn (1250-72) we find that Philip de Depeford 

 held of the Barony of Combe the fifth part of a knight's fee, 

 mentioned in the above charters, and here described as in "Batham 

 Wili," by which it is identified with one of the manors of Bath- 

 hampton on Wily. Philip held it under Nicholas de Wili, and he 

 of Alfred de Lincoln, (who is then heard of for the first time) and 

 he of Walter de Dunstanville, as Lord Paramount. Gilbert de 

 Muleford held likewise of Walter de Dunstanville half a knight's 

 fee in the town of Wili, no doubt the other estate mentioned in the 

 grants of Earl Reginald. 



In the Nomina Villarum (1306) Bathampton is stated to be 

 owned by Matilda de Wily, and Margaret de Wodefold. 



The fifth of a knight's fee in Bathampton on Wily was assigned, 

 on the partition of 1340, to the Earl of Oxford. It was then in 

 the hands of Nicholas Lambert, and valued at 5/. yearly. 



In 1366, it was held by John Bocland; in 1374, by Hugh Cheyne 

 and his wife, (probably the heiress of Bocland) ; in 1394-1404, by 

 Thomas Blount, after marriage with the widow of Hugh Cheyne. 

 John Depeford held "the half knight's fee in fee-farm," in the year 

 1365; John Bathampton in 1374; and John Knottingley in 1392. 

 This last entry describes it as "formerly belonging to Nicholas 

 Wily." These two manors were, no doubt, those now known as 

 Great and Little Bathampton, the one consisting of seven hundred 

 and twenty acres, the other about five hundred. 



In 1454, both estates had become the property of John Mont- 

 pesson, Esquire; the smaller or fifth part of a knight's fee "on 



i The witnesses to this deed are Domimis Walterus, Son of Walter de Dun- 

 stanville, John his brother, Herbert de la Leye, Ranulphus de Mere, Willielnms 

 Struge, Walter Luddoc, and others. 



