268 



History of the Wiltshire Manors 



auditing his accounts two items were struck out — viz., a gowne-cloth 

 of the value of ten shillings, and a " liveree" for the above Thomas 

 Piers, reeve (bailiff) of the manor, (and rector of Steeple Langford !) 

 "because they profited not the said Fastolf in their offices." 



In 1476, John Monpesson, Esquire, did homage at the Knight's 

 Court of Castle Combe for "the estate late of Roger Mulford," 

 and also for " all the town of Wily, and two hydes of land by fee- 

 farm," and paid 8/. yearly. 



An imperfect pedigree of the ancient family of Montpesson is 

 given by Sir P. Hoare, 1 whose account of the different estates in 

 South Wilts possessed by them is not very clear. The notices here 

 afforded may assist those who will undertake the task of further 

 inquiry on the subject. I find no mention made subsequent to the 

 date last given (1476) of the payment of the yearly quit-rent to 

 the superior Lord of Castle Combe. Probably it was bought out. 



4. Wilrenone. — This word, as it appears in the Domesday 

 Surrey, is a puzzle. I suppose it to be a clerical error for Winter- 

 bourne, which would be probably written in the original record with 

 the usual contractions, " Wi'trebo'ne" and thus might be easily 

 mistaken by the transcriber for "Wilrenone." In this case we 

 must presume it to be intended for one of several villages lying 

 along the course of the river Wily and its tributaries, to which, 

 from their liability to sudden floods, this name of Winterbourne 

 was frequently applied, and which certainly formed a part of the 

 baronial fee of Castle Combe. 



Elias Giffard is mentioned in the Liber Feodorum as holding a 

 knight's fee in Ayston of John Mautravers, and he of Walter de 

 Dunstanville. At a later date (1340) the Court Rolls of Castle 

 Combe show that Margaret Giffard, widow of John Giffard of 

 Brimsfield, held two knight's fees, by inheritance from John Mau- 

 travers, in Ayston and Eleston, of the Barony of Castle Combe. 2 

 In 1355, the Manors of Ayston and Eleston alias Crouchton, 3 were 



1 Heytesbury, p. 219. 



2 For the pedigree of Mautravers see Hoare' s Heytesbury, p. 181. 



3 Crouchton is probably misspelt for "Orcheston," in which parish the Manor 

 of Elston is situated, adjoining Ashton. 



