St John and Heathcote estates

Collection of manorial documents and title deeds relating to St John and Heathcote estates in Farley Chamberlayne, King's Somborne and Stockbridge, Merdon, Hursley, Compton, Littleton and Sparsholt, 1611-1844; Hursley parish records, 1812-1829

Includes: court books, Hundred and Manor of King's Somborne, 1639-1720, presentments, 1705-1839, accounts, 1585-1686, administration and court papers, 1682-1736, Kings Somborne rent roll, nd, list of cottages in Longstock, 1776, Stockbridge rent roll, 1721; copy of minutes view of frankpledge, for Eling, 1718; Stockbridge title deeds, 1610-88; Kings Somborne title deeds, 1860-61; sale particulars, King Somborne, 1833-45; deeds and affidavits, Merdon Manor, Hursley, 1682-1708; map of manor of Compton, 1735; map of manor of Littleton, 1735; map of parish of Compton, 1833; map of parish of Sparsholt, 1844; Hursley enclosure award, 1812; Hursley altered tithe apportionments, 1842-1926; overseers book of receipts and payments for Otterbourne parish, 1848-68.

<p>See also Mildmay Collection (15M50) and Heathcote Collection (18M54)</p>

This collection falls into two groups: records of the St. John family manors of Farley Chamberlaine and King's Somborne and records of the Heathcote family estates in the manor of Merdon and in Compton, Sparsholt and Littleton.

These two groups were brought together on the purchase by Sir George Cooper of the Heathcote estates in 1905 and the manor of Farley in 1907. Farley belonged to the St. John family from 1525 to 1830, when the St. John Mildmays sold to Thomas Woodham. The St. Johns also held King's Somborne manor, and the bulk of records in this group relate to that manor. The manor and hundred of King's Somborne were part of the Duchy of Lancaster from the 14th century until 1628, when Charles I granted it to trustees of the Corporation of London. They, in turn, sold to Richard Gifford in 1634 and he sold the manor and hundred to Francis Rivett about 1649. Oliver St. John gained King's Somborne through his marriage to Rivett's daughter and co-heir, Margery. The St. John Mildmays sold the manor in two stages in 1846 and 1860 to Rev. T. F. Woodham. The records in this group were kept by his solicitors Woodham and Woodham of Winchester and were presumably passed to Sir George Cooper on his purchase of Farley in 1907. Among the court books and papers of King's Somborne were a number of court papers relating to Winchester college manors. These appear to have been drafts or copies made for purposes of instruction or for use of a deputy by Richard Serle, steward to the College for their manors near Winchester.

The second group of records are of considerable interest for the ownership of Merdon manor by Richard Cromwell and Oliver Cromwell, son and grandson of Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector. Richard Cromwell gained Merdon by his marriage to Dorothy, daughter of Richard Major. They reflect the financial difficulties of Richard Cromwell who was in exile from 1660 to c.1680, leaving the estate in his son's hands. Though he was associated with his son in a number of deeds in this collection, he was compelled after his son's death in 1705 to defend his claim to the estate in chancery. He himself died in 1712 and his trustees sold Merdon to Sir William Heathcote in 1718. The Heathcotes also held the 'manor' of Compton Wasselling and land in the Winchester Cathedral manors of Compton, Littleton and Sparsholt. A number of Hursley parish records are also among the Heathcote group of records.