ASHBURTON MANUSCRIPTS

Alexander Baring (created Lord Ashburton in 1835), member of Parliament for Taunton, 1806-26, purchased several estates in West Somerset between the years 1823 and 1841, to which additions were subsequently made by himself and his successors. These estates were retained for most of the 19th century, but no family seat was ever established in Somerset.

The estates thus purchased were: (1) the reversionary interest in the Hestercombe Estate purchased from Miss E. M. T. Warre in 1823; Miss Warre, the tenant for life, continued to live at Hestercombe House until her death in 1872, when the estate was immediately sold to Lord Portman; (2) the rectory, great tithes and advowson of Taunton St. Mary, purchased from Edward Berkeley Portman in 1825; the advowson was conveyed in 1840, but the great tithes were not sold until the major sale of 1894; (3) the Wiveliscombe and Fitzhead estate, purchased from W. F. Beadon in 1840; the manor of Wiveliscombe, which formerly belonged to the Bishop of Bath and Wells was sold in 1827 to Richard Beadon, previously lessee of the manor and father of W. F. Beadon; and (4) the Somerville Estate in Milverton, Wiveliscombe, etc., which included the manor of Preston Bowyer held under lease from the Dean and Canons of Windsor; this estate had formerly belonged to Lord Somerville and had largely been inherited from Cannon Southey, (great uncle of John Southey, Lord Somerville); it was sold to Richard Beadon in 1824 and purchased by Lord Ashburton from W. F. Beadon in 1841.

PROPERTY TENURE AND PERSONAL ESTATE

1-5 Hestercombe Estate

6 Rectory and advowson of Taunton St. Mary Magdalene

7-13 Wiveliscombe and Fitzhead Estate

14-34 Somerville Estate (Milverton and Wiveliscombe, etc.)

35-52 Later purchases in the Wiveliscombe and Milverton area

53-58 Miscellaneous documents affecting title

59-68 Hants, Wilts and Herefordshire Estates (Hampshire and Wiltshire material now transferred)

MANORIAL PROCEDURE

69 Preston Bowyer

ESTATE ADMINISTRATION

70,71 Somerset Estates

72-74 Wilts Estates

14-22 MANOR OF PRESTON BOWYER IN MILVERTON AND ESTATES IN MILVERTON, WIVELISCOMBE, HALSE AND HILLFARRANCE deeds, etc. 1756-1873 85 docts

Nine bundles of deeds, abstracts of title and related documents concerning the manor of Preston Bowyer (held by lease under the Dean and Canons of Windsor), Preston Farm, Kingshams, Cannons, and Westcombes in Milverton, Piles in Hillfarrance, and Nunnington Park, Emborough, Russells and Richmonds, and Millets or Collards in Wiveliscombe, all purchased by Lord Ashburton in 1841 from W. F. Beadon under a contract made in 1839.

The contents of individual bundles are as follows:

Open

C/377,C/383