Archive:Whitney and Clifford Manorial Records

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Whitney Family Groups > Medieval Whitney Families > Whitneys of Whitney > Whitney and Clifford Manorial Records

Whitney Family Groups > Medieval Whitney Families > Whitneys of Clifford > Whitney and Clifford Manorial Records

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Overview

The manuscript collection for the manors and parishes of Whitney and Clifford, 1333-1891, are located at the University of Wales Bangor, titled Whitney and Clifford Manuscripts (ref GB 0222 WHC)

Administrative/Biographical history:

The manor of Whitney is stated to have been obtained by one Thurstin the Fleming, a companion of the Conqueror, who married Agnes, only child of Alured de Merleburgh, and their son, Eustace, assumed the name de Whitney from this manor. His descendant, Sir Eustace de Whitney, who was M.P. for Herefordshire in 1312-1313, figures as party to the first deed in the collection, dated 1333. It was his grandson, Sir Robert de Whitney who in 1402 received a grant of the castles and lordships of Clifford and Glasbury from Henry IV. They were in consideration of the services of his father, the first Sir Robert, who was killed at the battle of Pilleth in 1401 while opposing the forces of Glyn Dwr.

Both manors, together with other lands in the parishes of Winforton and Brilley remained in the possession of the Whitney family until 1692-1693, when William Wardour, of Lincoln's Inn and Westminster, Clerk of the Pells in Chancery, acquired by purchase the four equal shares in the estate. Previously these shares had gone to the four sisters of Thomas Whitney, son of Sir Robert Whitney (d.1653), following his death without issue. They were, Lucy, wife of John Booth of Hereford; Susannah, widow of Henry Williams of Cabalva; Ann, widow of Thomas Rodd of Foxley; and Eleanor, widow of Dr. Nathaniel Wright. William Wardour died in 1699 leaving his estate to his eldest son, Col. William Wardour, who died unmarried in 1746, and left it to his only brother, Tomkyns Wardour. In 1767, by the will of Tomkyn's widow, the Whitney and Wardour property came to her sister, Mary Bourne of St. George's Hanover Square, Middlesex. She in turn left it to Tomkyns Dew of Lincoln's Inn, the first of three of that name who feature in the collection as lords of the manor of Whitney from 1780 to the close of the nineteenth century.

Contents

A collection of 571 items relating mainly to the manors and parishes of Whitney and Clifford in northwest Herefordshire. It comprises deeds and documents concerning lands in Stow, Millhalf and Whitney, 1333-1852; records of the court leet and court baron of the manor of Whitney, including presentments, suit rolls, surveys and valuations, maps and plans, 1676-1874; deeds and documents concerning lands in Castleton and Clifford (alias Llanfair-ar-y-bryn), 1339-1855; records of the manor of Clifford, including bailiffs' accounts, presentments, rent rolls, surveys, valuations, maps and plans, 1381-1889; deeds relating to lands and properties in the parishes of Winforton and Brilley, 1594-1866; wills, letters and administration, etc., relative to members of the Whitney, Wardour and Dew families, lords of the manors of Whitney and Clifford, 1567-1828; miscellaneous accounts, vouchers etc., 1776-1846 and correspondence, including letters addressed to Tomkyns Dew (II), 1724-1889. The collection also includes a few deeds concerning properties in Ireland (Galway), Hertfordshire (Sarratt), Middlesex and London 1722-1802.

Archival history:

Deposited by Mrs. E. Thornton Jones, the widow of the late Mr. E. Thornton Jones, Glyn Garth, Anglesey, solicitor, in 1954.

Additional Information

Additional information can be found at Archives Network Wales.

PDF File

The original PDF file can be obtained from http://www.whitneygen.org/WhitneyManor.pdf.

Volunteers

The following volunteers transcribed the index listed below in 2006. Thank you to all of our volunteers!

Adrian Benjamin Burke, Esq., Carol Cook, Eleanore Dilello, Tim Doyle, Albert Durrell, Joan Whitney Markert, Ann Mathewson, Paul Nichols, Lois Valentin, Robert L. Ward, Andaleen Whitney, Arv Whitney, Bruce A. Whitney, Janet Whitney, Stacy Whitney, Marilyn Williams, and Judy Wright.

Manuscript Status

Manuscripts Obtained

Photocopies of the following manuscripts have been obtained:

• 11, 208, 213, 315, 316, 378, 473, 474.

Manuscripts Unobtainable

Copies of the following manuscripts were not able to be obtained:

• 317 (missing)
• 405 (too fragile to copy)

Manuscripts Desired

The following manuscripts are desired:

• 1 - By far the oldest document
• 5 - None of these individuals can currently be placed.
• 60 - Son and heir Robert should have been dead at this time. Is the date correct? Does it really say Robert?

Content

A collection of 571 items relating mainly to the manors and parishes of Whitney and Clifford in northwest Herefordshire. It comprises deeds and documents concerning lands in Stow, Millhalf and Whitney, 1333-1852; records of the court leet and court baron of the manor of Whitney, including presentments, suit rolls, surveys and valuations, maps and plans, 1676-1874; deeds and documents concerning lands in Castleton and Clifford (alias Llanfair-ar-y-bryn), 1339-1855; records of the manor of Clifford, including bailiffs' accounts, presentments, rent rolls, surveys, valuations, maps and plans, 1381-1889; deeds relating to lands and properties in the parishes of Winforton and Brilley, 1594-1866; wills, letters and administration, etc., relative to members of the Whitney, Wardour and Dew families, lords of the manors of Whitney and Clifford, 1567-1828; miscellaneous accounts, vouchers etc., 1776-1846 and correspondence, including letters addressed to Tomkyns Dew (II), 1724-1889. The collection also includes a few deeds concerning properties in Ireland (Galway), Hertfordshire (Sarratt), Middlesex and London 1722-1802.

Index

FOREWORD

This collection, consisting of 571 items ranging in date from 1333 to 1891, was deposited in the library in 1954 by the widow of the late Mr. E. Thornton Jones, Glyn Garth, Anglesey, who for many years practiced as a solicitor in High Street, Bangor. It comprises deeds, presentments, bailiffs accounts, surveys, correspondence and miscellaneous papers relating to the manors and parishes of Whitney and Clifford in north west Herefordshire, an area which was originally part of Gwent. There is also a small group of deeds concerning properties in Hertfordshire, Middlesex and London. How or why such a collection ever found its way to the office of a Bangor solicitor remains a complete mystery, for there is nothing in the contents to indicate even the remotest connection with North Wales and Bangor in particular.

The manor of Whitney is stated to have been obtained by one Thurstin the Fleming, a companion of the Conqueror, who married Agnes, only child of Alured de Merleburgh, and their son, Eustace, assumed the name de Whitney from this manor. His descendant, Sir Eustace de Whitney, who was M.P. for Herefordshire in 1312-3, figures as party to the first deed in the collection, dated 1333; it was his grandson, Sir Robert de Whitney (see Nos. 3, 196, 197), who in 1402 received a grant of the castles and lordships of Clifford and Glasbury from Henry IV in consideration of the services of his father, the first Sir Robert, who was killed at the battle of Pilleth in 1401 while opposing the forces of Glyn Dwr.

Both manors together with other lands in the parishes of Winforton and Brilley remained in the posession of the Whitney family until the 1692-3, when William Wardour, of Lincoln's Inn and Westminster, Clerk of the Pells in Chancery, acquired by purchase the four equal shares in the estate which after the death without issue of Thomas Whitney, only surviving son of Sir Robert Whitney (d. 1653), had come to his sisters and co-heirs: Lucy,* wife of Robert Price of Bwlch y beudy, co. Denbigh; Susannah, widow of Henry Williams of Cabalva; Ann, widow of Thomas Rodd of Foxley; and Eleanor, widow of Dr Nathaniel Wright (see Nos. 383-94). William Wardour died in 1699 leaving his estate to his eldest son, Col. William Wardour, who, dying unmarried in 1746, left it to his only brother, Tomkyns Wardour. In 1767, by the will of Tomkyns's widow, the Whitney and Wardour property came to her sister, Mary Bourne of St. George's Hanover Square, Middlesex, who in turn left it to Tomkyns Dew of Lincoln's Inn, the first of three of that name who feature in this collection as lords of the manor of Whitney from 1780 to the close of the nineteenth century.

[An useful account of the Whitney family and of the devolution of the property will be found in : Collections towards the History and Antiquities of the County of Hereford in continuation of Duncumb's History: Hundred of Huntington, by Morgan G. Watkins (Hereford, 1897), pp. 77-96]

E. Gwynne Jones,

27 June, 1956.

Librarian.

Table of Contents

		page
I. MANOR AND PARISH OF WHITNEY:
(i)	Deeds and allied documents...............................	1 - 24
(ii)	Manorial records................................................	24 - 25
(iii)	Rentals, etc. .....................................................	25
(iv)	Surveys, valuations, etc. ....................................	25 - 26
(v)	Maps and Plans.................................................	27
(vi)	Miscellaneous....................................................	27 - 29
II. MANOR AND PARISH OF CLIFFORD:
(i)	Deeds and allied documents...............................	30 - 54
(ii)	Manorial records................................................	55 - 57
(iii)	Surveys, valuations, etc. ....................................	57 - 58
(iv)	Maps and Plans.................................................	58 - 59
(v)	Miscellaneous....................................................	59 - 60
III. MANORS AND PARISHES OF WHITNEY AND CLIFFORD (MIXED):
(i)	Deeds and allied documents................................	61 - 68
(ii)	Schedules of title deeds, abstracts of
	title, etc. ...........................................................	68 - 69
(iii)	Surveys and valuations, .....................................	69
(iv)	Rentals and accounts ........................................	69
(v)	Maps and plans..................................................	70
(vi)	Miscellaneous....................................................	70 - 71
IV. OTHER HEREFORDSHIRE PARISHES: Winforton and
	Brilley: ..............................................................	71 - 72
V. HEREFORDSHIRE AND ADJACENT COUNTIES ........		72 - 74
VI. IRELAND, HERTFORDSHIRE, MIDDLESEX & LONDON :
(i)	Ireland...............................................................	74
(ii)	Hertfordshire......................................................	74 - 76
(iii)	Middlesex and London........................................	76 - 79
VII. WILLS, LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION, ETC. ........		79 - 82
VIII. ACCOUNTS, VOUCHERS, RECEIPTS, ETC. ...........		82 - 84
IX. CORRESPONDENCE ..............................................		84 - 86
X. MISCELLANEOUS ...................................................		86 - 89

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Copyright © 2006-2008, Carolyn Cook, Tim Doyle, Robert L. Ward, Andaleen Whitney, Adrian Benjamin Burke, Esq., Ann Mathewson, and the Whitney Research Group