Manor of Muchland

'The Manor of Muchland was the possession of Sir Michael le Fleming who received a grant of the demesne of this manor from the Conqueror ... In 1199 King John granted to William le Fleming and his heirs a court leet and baron... reserving for his manor of Aldingham a rent of £10 a year, which, with the homage and service due for the manor, was subsequently granted by Henry III to the Abbot of Furness... In 1269 the manor passed by marriage to Richard de Caunsfield and afterwards to the families of Harrington and Bonville; and in 1547 to the Greys, Marquises of Dorset. Henry Grey was created Duke of Suffolk by Edward VI but was beheaded for high treason against Queen Mary, 1554. At his death the manor passed to his daughter, Lady Jane Grey, on whose attainder it was forfeited to the Crown. Several parts of it were afterwards dismembered by James I and Charles I, the latter conveying it in 1629 to the Earl of Holland and others in trust for Queen Henrietta if during her life and after her death to the use of the King, his heirs and successors, for 99 years. About 1669 Charles II conveyed it for the residue of the term to the Earl of St Albans and others, in trust for his queen, Catherine, during her life. In 1679 he granted it... in trust for Charles, Earl of Plymouth, his natural son and his heirs...., but the next year, the Earl dying without issue, it again reverted to the Crown. In 1693 William and Mary conveyed it to George and John Sayer for a term of 99 years from the death of Queen Catherine, which took place in 1705.... The remainder of the lease was afterwards assigned to the Duke of Montagu and on his death in 1749 the manor was, for a time, vested in his trustees, but in 1781, Elizabeth, Duchess of Buccleuch was the lady of the manor and so continued until the expiry of the lease in 1804, when the manor again reverted to the Crown. It was afterwards leased to Michael Knott esq. of Waterhead House, Monk Coniston, the assignment of whose grant passed to TRG Braddyll esq. of Conishead Priory. The manor was subsequently held by the Duke of Buccleuch in trust for the Crown, by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests.' (History, Topography and Directory of Furness and Cartmel, T Bulmer & Co., c.1912).