KEMEYS-TYNTE FAMILY OF HALSWELL HOUSE, GOATHURST.

The manuscripts contain mainly charters from the C13-C16 comprising mainly the archives of the Tremayll family of Cannington but also relating to North Somerset, including the de Fayland family of Wraxall and Long Ashton and other charters particularly of Barrow Gurney. Also worthy of note are deeds of former chantry lands acquired by Nicholas Halswell mainly in the Bridgwater area very few of which are noted in Chantry grants 1548-1603 (S.R.S.77) (DD\S\WH 175).

The manuscripts were rather dispersed through sales in the late 1940s early 1950s atwhich period the Somerset Record Office acquired the bulk by purchase. Other purchasers at the time were J.Stevens Cox, Rue des Monts, Delancey Park, St.Sampson, Guernsey, who still holds an element of estate records, Mr.Tucker who subsequently deposited several volumes of estate rentals and accounts (see DD\X\TCR 4 below). Mr.T.Dougherty discovered plans of Goathurst 1756 and Chelvey and Midgell,1708 walled up in the house of a former estate steward. The former was deposited at the Somerset Record Office following repair and the latter sold privately.

The collection is rich in C18 correspondence primarily of Sir Chas. Kemeys Tynte (d.1785) which reflects his political and military activities. Of particular interest are the papers relating to the county election of 1768 which include canvas books, agents' accounts and a plan and description of polling booths. (DD\S\WH 346-348).

Among items accumulated either through distant family connections or in the pursuit of antiquarian interest, are a few Hewson family deeds together with accounts of Col.Jn.Hewson as Commander-in- Chief in Ireland with a report of the Audit General 1653 (DD\S\WH 89) and an acknowledgment of the delivery of plate and jewels bequeathed to Glastonbury Abbey by the late Sir Humphrey Stafford in 1470 following his attainder and execution (DD\S\WH 354).

LIST OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Pedigree

Deeds of Title

Main Estate

Cannington 1425 - 1465 1

Bridgwater Durleigh 1553-1599 2

Estates in the Taunton & Bridgwater area. 1361/2 - 1836 3-28 30-43

Estates in N.Somerset 1548-1701 29,44-50

Various

Misc.sales: 1557-1855 51-56

Cannington(mainly Tremayll family) Bridgwater, Dunster,etc. mid C13-1537/8 57-68

Long Ashton,Wraxall,Barrow Gurney, etc. (mainly de Fayland family) n.d.late C13-1480/1 69-74

Somerset (not Halswell estate) 1510/11-1708 75-77

Co.Berkshire 1570 78

Co.Devon 1303-1677 79-80

Co.Dorset 1579-1623 81

Co.Glos. 1594-1739 82-83

Co.Rutland 1658-1785 84

Co.Salop 1705-1706 85

Co.Wilts 1593-1633 86

Johnson Family[co.s Surrey & Middlesex] 1635-1851 87

Ecton Family [co s Soton & Middlesex] 1681-1778 88

Hewson Family [Ireland, & co.Middlesex] 1653-1659 89,90

Family Settlements,I.P.M.s,Wills 1416/17-1850 91-117

Estate Administration

Leases for 99 years or 3 lives or years and admissions.

Manor of West Bower 1566 -1870 118-128

Manor of Blackmore 1589-1811 129

Manor of Broomfield 1580-1800 130-132

Manor of Chilton Polden 1656-1806 133-139

Manor of Halswell 1640-1816 140-145

Manor of Lexworthy 1681-1743 146

Manor of Goathurst 1636-1764 147

Goathurst Parish 1670-1722 148

Manor of Othery 1624-1816 149-165

Manor of Moorland 1665-1868 166

Manor of Boomer al West Melcombe 1785-1799 167

Manor of Woolmersdon & Hadworthy 1604-1787 168

Manor of N.Petherton 1710-1866 169

Manor of Clavelshay 1706-1751 170

Manor of Thurlbear 1638,1641 171

Manors of Catcott & ?Pawlett 1612-1621 172

Manors of Burtle & Spaxton 1715,1751 173

Manor of Chew Baber 1632-1806 174-179

Manor of Regilbury 1663-1804 180-181

Manor of Pensford 1669-1828 182-184

Manor of Chelvey 1648-1833 185

Manor of Axbridge 1678-1807 186

Manor of Backwell 1768-1805 187

Manor of Gatcombe 1440,1520 188

Various (Somerset) 1557-1699 189-190

Manor of Peters Marland [co.Devon] 1683-1773 191

Leases for years

Somerset Estates 1632-1916 192-205

North Somerset(Mineral leases) 1666-1805 206-207

Somerset Manors Court books, rolls and papers. 1485-1787 208-217

Surveys,plans etc. mid C14 - C19 218-251

Accounts, vouchers 1641-1850 252-265

Estate misc. 1554-1931 266-286

Litigation 1587- C19 287-305

Financial bonds,etc. 1437/8 - 1718 306-307

Enclosure [1618]-1813 308-311

Family; appointments, Wharton Barony,etc. 1484-1926 312-320

Family:correspondence 1691-1860 321-329

Family; misc. papers C18-C20 329-337

Parish 1663-1795 338-339

Public Office: militia & Lieutenancy,etc. 1624-1854 340-345

Public Office; elections 1744-1852 346-352

Miscellaneous 1452-1792 353-361

Thos.Mullins,snr. & jnr. 1786- early C19 363-365

Photocopies of docts.held privately. 1476- C18 366

118 - 191 Leases for 99 years or 3 lives:

These have been arranged according to a numerical order imposed in the late C18th for which no relevant survey is extant. Those leases outside this arrangement are marked unnumbered. Property names and interesting field or topographical names are noted together with lessees' names. Estates and tenants are of the obvious parish unless otherwise stated. In some cases copyhold admissions are also included with the manorial leases.

<span class="wrapper"><p>Other Kemeys Tynte Muniments deposited at the Somerset Record Office will be found under the following references:</p> <p>DD\RN See list for details</p> <p>DD\X\TCR 4 Estate rental and accounts and servants wages,1786-1789.</p> <p>DD\X\DT 1 Map of Goathurst,1756.</p> <p>DD\X\ELT 1 Court rolls of Manor of Goathurst, 1493-4,1502.</p> <p>DD\S\BW 5 General surveys mid C17.</p> <p>T/PH/dty Plans of Chelvey (copies of originals held elsewhere).</p> <p>Some Kemeys Tynte Muniments were purchased by J.Stevens Cox , Rue des Monts, Delancey park, St.Sampson,Guernsey.</p> <p>See also DD\S\WH 366 for additional material held privately.</p> <p>The Welsh elements in DD\S\WH See Glamorgan R.O. list and DD/RN have been placed on reclaimable loan with Glamorgan Archives service.</p></span>

C/159, C/164, C/165, C/166; C/190 (prev.DD/X/NL), C/215; C/222, C/408, C/979.

INTRODUCTION

The association of the Halswell family with Goathurst dates from at least 1286 when, according to Kirbys Quest, Peter de Halswelle held the vill of that name. Wm. de Haleswell, aged 40, gave evidence at an inquisition for the proof of age of Hugh de la Tour in 1310. This long connection may explain the lack of any deeds relative to the acquisition of the Manor of Halswell. The family appears not to have acquired further lands until the C16 when Nicholas Halswell increased the estates through marriage and purchase. Subsequent acquisition came mainly by descent by marriages through the various families. The marriage of Jane Halswell and John Tynte of Chelvey c.1645 established the link between the two main families represented in these archives. In turn the Manors of Chew Baber, Regilbury and Pensford came to Sir Halswell Tynte through his kinswoman Florence Baber, in 1706.

The marriage of Sir Jn.Tynte and Jane Kemeys of Cefn Mably [co. Glamorgan] in 1704 formed the link with the Wharton family, and ultimately led to the several attempts to revive the Wharton Barony culminating in the success of Chas.Theodore Halswell Kemeys Tynte in 1916. The unsuccessful efforts of Chas.John Kemeys Tynte in 1843 and 1844 led to an extensive search by an assistant Keeper of the Public Records through at least 34,000 documents over a period of several months [see Reports of the Deputy Keeper, V & VI]

For an account of the creation of the Wharton Barony see, Complete Peerage vol. XII/2 App.D pp 14-17.

Little detail about Halswell House survives before the C18 although a bond exists by which John Tremayll in 1524 gave money to Nicholas Halswell,the younger, for various uses including the maintenance of his household on reaching the age of 21. The document was endorsed in 1536 with a note of the receipt of money for the 'buildyng of the maner of Halswell' (DD/S/WH 91). An inventory of the belongings of Henry Halswell deceased records the rooms of the house in 1637 (DD/S/WH 91).