Subordinate to the Barony of Castle Combe. 281 



19. Smitecote. — Held by Elbertus temp. Domesday. This is the 

 Manor of Smithcot in Dauntesey Parish, adjoining Broad Somerford. 

 Roger de Dauntesey held a knight's fee in Smithcot of Walter de 

 Dunstanville, (Lib. Feod.) In 1340, the roll gives Richard Daun- 

 tesey as the mesne lord, and it is valued at 10/. Sir John Dauntesey 

 held it up to 1392, when his heir of the same name did homage 

 for his relief. In 1413, on the death of this Sir John Dauntesey, 

 his son and heir, Walter, being of full age, paid 51. as relief due 

 for this fee. In 1420, on death of Walter, his sister and heiress, 

 wife of Sir John Stradlyng, was sued for the relief due thereon, 

 which was not paid. But at a Court held in 1429, Sir John 

 Stradlyng and his wife paid for release of suit and service, and all 

 arrears, 10/. 2s. ; and from the account of John Heynes, bailiff of 

 the knight's court for the year 1428, it appears that a distress had 

 actually been put in and levied on the Manor of Smithcot for the 

 recovery of this sum.- In 1440, John Dewall, the second husband 

 of Lady Stradlyng, held this fee. In 1454, Lady Stradlyng is 

 styled in the rolls late the wife of John de Wale, Esquire. Early 

 in the sixteenth century Smithcote had become the property of the 

 Danvers family, by marriage of Anne, sole heiress of the Stradlyngs, 

 to Sir John Danvers, Knight; who, by Aubrey's account, " hastily 

 clapped up a match with her before she heard the newes" of the 

 murder of her brother and all his family at Dauntesey manor- 

 house: 1 he died in 1514. In 1547, Thomas Danvers is on the rolls 

 as tenant of the fee. In 1573, John Danvers. In 1600, Sir John 

 Danvers, Knight, and Henry Earl of Danbye ; he was the second 

 son of Sir John Danvers and of Lady Elizabeth Neville, daughter 

 and co-heiress of Neville Lord Latimer. He was created Baron of 

 Dauntesey by James I.; and by Charles L, Earl of Danby, and 

 Knight of the Garter. His elder brother, Charles, having been 

 executed for treason, as accomplice of the Earl of Essex, Lord 

 Danby succeeded to the family estate of Dauntesey. Some further 

 memorials of the Dan verses, and a description of their monuments 

 in Dauntsey church, will be found in Aubrey's collections. The 



1 Aubrey's Collections, I., p. 47. 



