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The Priory of Saint John of Jerusalem was the headquarters of the Knights Hospitallers, and was situated in Clerkenwell, covering 5 acres from the surviving Saint John's Gate (now off Clerkenwell Road) down to Farringdon Street. The monastery was closed during the dissolution and the lands and buildings sold.

The Manor of Saint John of Jerusalem included those parts of the parish of Clerkenwell known as the liberties of Saint John of Jerusalem, as they were part of the priory, and some parts of adjacent parishes. The manor was held in moieties (shares or portions) and the lords held courts leet and courts baron annually on Holy Thursday [Maundy Thursday].

The Manor of Saint John of Jerusalem is sometimes referred to as the Manor of Clerkenwell, however, it should not be confused with the land at Holloway held by the Priory of Saint John of Jerusalem, and also sometimes known as the Manor of Clerkenwell.

The manor of Shepperton was granted to Westminster Abbey by Edward the Confessor between 1051 and 1066. The Abbey later granted the manor to an undertenant but retained the overlordship until the Dissolution. In 1741 the manor was sold to the trustees of Penelope Stratford, who was then a minor. Penelope married Richard Geast, who later took the name of Dugdale. After his death she sold Shepperton in 1811 to Thomas Scott (d. 1816). The manor afterwards passed to his nephew James Scott (d. 1855). In 1856 it was purchased by W. S. Lindsay, a ship-owner and member of Parliament who wrote a history of merchant shipping as well as one of Shepperton, and was largely responsible for the construction of the Thames Valley Railway (d. 1878). He was succeeded by his grandson, W. H. Lindsay (d. 1949). In 1954 W. H. Lindsay's widow transferred the estate to her husband's nephew, Mr. P. A. R. Lindsay, who was the owner in 1958.

The manorial demesne contained 100 or more acres of arable in the 14th century and a good deal of meadow and pasture. There is no reliable information about its extent thereafter before 1843, when the estate belonging to the lord of the manor amounted to some 380 acres. This included the Manor Farm in Chertsey Road with which the bulk of the property was leased. By 1867 the estate comprised about 600 acres, but some of this has since been sold.

From: 'Shepperton: The hundred of Spelthorne (continued)', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962), pp. 1-12 (available online).

Land at Rotherhithe was granted to the Bishop of Worcester in 893, but Rotherhithe is not mentioned in the Domesday Book. In 1127 land there was granted to the Abbey of Bermondsey, who held it until the dissolution when the lands were taken by the Crown. In 1608 the manor was granted to Robert, Earl of Salisbury. From 1692 onwards it passed to many owners including the Bennet, Scawen, Swinfen, Wager, Gashry, Goldsworthy, Gomm and Carr-Gomm families. The Gomms sold parts of the land to the Surrey Commercial Docks and for Southwark Park. The last manorial court was held in 1846.

Source of information: 'Parishes: Rotherhithe', A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 (1912), pp. 83-92.

No information was discovered at the time of compilation.

The manor of Paris Garden covered almost the same territory as the parish of Christ Church, Southwark, a little less than 100 acres. The whole area is below high-water level and was prone to flooding. Consequently it was not built-up until after 1809 when new sewers were constructed. The land belonged to the Knights Templars from around 1113. After that order was supressed the manor was granted to the Knights Hospitallers, who leased it out. The first use of the name "Parish Garden" (later Paris Garden) to describe the estate was made in 1420.

In 1536 the Hospitallers surrendered the land to Henry VIII. It was held by the Crown until 1578 when it was granted to Henry Cary, Lord Hunsdon. Two years later he demised the demesne lands to one owner and the copyhold lands to another; thenceforward they have separate histories. The copyholder's lease was converted into a fee simple in 1881, but the manorial rights were not abolished until 1936. The manor was bought by William Angell in 1655, and was sold by him to George Baron. The Baron family held the manor until 1827, when Elizabeth Ann Baron married John Lethbridge, it then passed into the Lethbridge family, who still held it in the 1950s.

For a more detailed history see 'Paris Garden Manor', Survey of London: volume 22: Bankside (the parishes of St. Saviour and Christchurch Southwark) (1950), pp. 94-100 (available online).

The Manor of Pates (also spelled Paites, Patys, Paytes or Patts) was held of the manor of East Bedfont. John Pate held land in Bedfont in 1403, presumably this was the origin of the Pates manor. The manor passed through various hands until 1623 when it was sold to Christ's Hospital.

Source of information: 'Spelthorne Hundred: East Bedfont with Hatton', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 2: General; Ashford, East Bedfont with Hatton, Feltham, Hampton with Hampton Wick, Hanworth, Laleham, Littleton (1911), pp. 309-314 (available online).

The manor of Paddington, formerly held by Westminster Abbey, became in 1550 one of the estates of the Bishop of London. Thereafter the Bishop leased out the estate. An Act of 1795 permitted the granting of building leases and thus the gradual development of the estate. It reverted to the Church Commissioners in 1953. The records were created following the 1795 Act.

The Manor of Newington Barrow or Highbury was owned by the priory of Saint John of Jerusalem, Clerkenwell, from 1270 to the Dissolution. From 1548 to 1629 it was owned by various members of the royal family, then sold to Sir Allen Apsley and thence to various owners. In 1773 the owner George Colebrooke was bankrupted and sold the demense lands and the site of the manor house. The manorial rights and quitrents were sold separately, but cannot be traced after 1877.

The manor house at Highbury was a substantial stone building used as a summer residence by the priors of Saint John of Jerusalem. It was destroyed in 1381 by followers of Jack Straw, who hated the then prior. It was subsequently known colloquially as 'Jack Straw's Castle'. The later house was known as Highbury Barn and was a well-known tea gardens in the eighteenth century.

From 'Islington: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 8: Islington and Stoke Newington parishes (1985), pp. 51-57 (available online).

The manor of Marshalls was part of the manor of North Weald. The Lord of North Weald granted land to the Mareschal family, from whom the name Marshalls derives. The manor subsequently passed through many owners. At the date of the document in this collection the manor was owned by Sir William Fitzwilliam, a merchant tailor from Bread Street, London.

The Domesday book mentions several estates in Loughton, as many as 8. The greatest part of the parish belonged to Waltham Abbey, and its property became known as the Manor of Loughton. It held the manor until the Dissolution, when it passed to the Crown. It subsequently had various owners, including Mary Tudor, the Duchy of Lancaster and the Wroth family.

The manor later passed to the Maitland family, who were involved in the Epping Forest controversy of the 1870s. The Reverend John W. Maitland eventually gave up his rights over 650 acres of forest land in return for £30,000. The remaining manor lands and Loughton Hall were sold in 1944 to the London County Council for the creation of a housing estate.

The manor of Great Stanmore was owned by St Alban's Abbey at the time of the Norman Conquest. The manor was initially known as Stanmore-the first recorded division of Stanmore into "Great" and "Little" is in the Domesday Book. The Abbey leased the manor to various tenants until 1279 when Robert of Stanmore successfully claimed it. In 1362 it was acquired by the prior of St Bartholomew's, Smithfield, who already held the manor of Little Stanmore. The chief steward of St Bartholomew's, Geoffrey Chamber, leased the manor. He sold some of the property to Sir Pedro de Gamboa, a Spanish mercenary working for the royals. Chamber died in 1544, in heavy debt, and his estates were forfeited and granted to de Gamboa. However, he was murdered in 1550 and the manor was leased to Sir George Blage.

In 1604 the lordship was sold to Sir Thomas Lake, a secretary of state, and the owner of Little Stanmore. A fee farm rent was paid to the Crown, later granted to the chapter of Westminster. Later branches of the Lake family underwent much litigation relating to the ownership of the manor, and it subsequently went through several changes of owner and was subdivided. In 1715 the manor was once again united with Little Stanmore manor, this time under the Brydges family, earls of Carnarvon and dukes of Chandos. The manor was sold to James Hamilton, marquess (later duke) of Abercorn, and the owner of Bentley Priory. It was sold on to John Kelk, then in 1882 sold to Thomas Clutterbuck. The Clutterbuck family held the manor until 1936 when the manorial rights were extinguished.

Information from: 'Great Stanmore: Manor and other estates', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 96-99 (available online).

The Manor of Little Stanmore was also known as Canons. In 1086 the manor belonged to Roger de Rames and remained in his family, although gifts of land were made to St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield, and to other churches; while parcels of land were sold, leased or transferred. By 1243 the Rames holding in Little Stanmore was divided between three tenants, leasing the land from St Bartholomew's. By 1353 the priory had increased its holdings to 957 and a half acres, the largest single estate of St Bartholomew's until the Dissolution. The priors leased out the manor house and gardens and portions of the estate, from 1501 referring to it as "Little Stanmore called Canons". St Bartholomew's surrendered to the Crown in 1539 and Little Stanmore was granted to Robert Fuller, the last prior. He died in 1540 and the manor reverted to the Crown, who granted it to Hugh Losse and his heirs.

In 1604 one of the Losse heirs sold the manor to Sir Thomas Lake. It remained in the Lake family until 1709 when it was sold to James Brydges, who became duke of Chandos in 1719. He rebuilt the mansion house of Canons in ostentatious style, including marbles, rare woods, ceiling paintings and tapestries. The grounds included canals, hothouses, an aviary and sculptures. His son Henry was forced by debts to break up the Canons estate, much of the furniture and collections of fine art were sold and the house was pulled down in 1753. The Brydges family (later the dukes of Buckingham and Chandos) retained the lordship of Little Stanmore and Great Stanmore, and kept a small amount of land in the area. William Hallett bought the Canons site and built a new, more modest villa. Canons then passed through various hands, with parcels of land sold off piecemeal, until 1929 when the mansion with 10 acres of land were bought by the North London Collegiate School, while part of the estate was purchased by Harrow Urban District Council to be used as a park.

Information from: 'Little Stanmore: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 113-117 (available online).

The manor of Lambeth was held by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The manor house is known as Lambeth Palace.

The manor of Isleworth or Isleworth Syon seems to have included land in Heston, Isleworth and Twickenham. In 1086 it belonged to Walter of Saint Valery, one of William the Conqueror's companions. The land subsequently passed into royal possession and was granted to Queen Isabel in 1327 and Queen Philippa in 1330. In 1421 the king granted Isleworth to the newly created abbey of Syon, in whose possession it remained until 1539. The Abbey was suppressed in 1539 and in 1547 the Duke of Somerset secured a grant of the estate to himself, which he held until his execution in 1552, although his widow continued to live at the manor until ordered to leave in 1554. The Crown leased the lands to various tenants until 1598 when Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, secured the tenancy rights. In 1604 he received a grant in fee of the house and manor with the park. The property descended to his heirs including Charles, Duke of Somerset (died 1748) and his son the Earl of Northumberland. Their descendants still owned Syon in 1958.

One notable event in the later history of the manor occurred in 1656. In that year articles of agreement were drawn up between Algernon, Earl of Northumberland, lord of the manor of Isleworth Syon, and Sir Thomas Ingram and other principal copyhold tenants. These articles established certain of the customs of the manor on a firm basis. Fines and heriots were to be certain and not arbitrary, at the will of the lord. The tenure of customary and was to be by Borough English, whereby the youngest son of a copy holder inherited on the death of his father. These articles were signed on 20 May 1656 and were confirmed by a decree in Chancery, 28 June 1656 (see ACC/1379/330 and partial transcript in History of Syon and Isleworth by G. Aungier p.206). A printed tract called Isleworth Syon's Peace was to be published in 1657 and according to Aungier was to be placed in the Isleworth parish chest. London Metropolitan Archives possesses copies in ACC/0479 and ACC/1379.

The Manor of Isleworth Syon has always been considered as coterminous with the hundred of Isleworth and included the parishes of Isleworth, Twickenham and Heston. At the time of the Domesday survey, in 1086, the manor was in the hands of Walter de St Valery, having been granted to him by William the Conqueror as a reward for his support during the conquest of England. The family retained possession of the manor until 1227 when it escheated to the crown.

In 1229 a full grant of the manor was made by Henry III to his brother, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, whose son Edward inherited it in 1272. In 1301, Edward's widow Margaret was assigned the manor by Edward I as part of her dower, but it reverted to the crown on her death in 1312.

The manor was eventually granted for life by Edward III to his wife Queen Philippa in 1330. The reversion was included in a grant of lands to Edward, Duke of Cornwall, in 1337. In 1390 Queen Anne the wife of Richard II was given a life interest in the manor. Henry V held the manor, as Prince of Wales, but when king, separated the manor from the duchy of Cornwall by Act of Parliament in 1421 in order to bestow it upon his newly founded convent of Syon. It remained as part of the convent's possessions until the dissolution in 1539 when it fell into the hands of the Crown and was added to the Honour of Hampton Court. In 1604 James I granted the manor to Henry, Earl of Northumberland, in whose family it remained.

One notable event in the later history of the manor occurred in 1656. In that year articles of agreement were drawn up between Algernon, Earl of Northumberland, lord of the manor of Isleworth Syon, and Sir Thomas Ingram and other principal copyhold tenants. These articles established certain of the customs of the manor on a firm basis. Fines and heriots were to be certain and not arbitrary, at the will of the lord. The tenure of customary and was to be by Borough English, whereby the youngest son of a copy holder inherited on the death of his father. These articles were signed on 20 May 1656 and were confirmed by a decree in Chancery, 28 June 1656. (see ACC/1379/330 and partial transcript in History of Syon and Isleworth by G. Aungier p.206) A printed tract called Isleworth Syon's Peace was to be published in 1657 and according to Aungier was to be placed in the Isleworth parish chest. He also refers to a copy in the British Museum. London Metropolitan Archives possesses a copy amongst the archives of the Earl of Jersey.

The manors of Worton and Aystones referred to in ACC/1379/12 originated in two freehold estates in the manor of Isleworth and were both connected with the Eyston Family. Together with other lands they were granted by Henry V to the Abbess and convent of Syon. (see Aungier, p. 212)

In the medieval period the manor of East Bedfont was held by the de Windsor family. From 1542 it was held by the Crown as part of the lands they owned around Windsor. The manor was customarily leased by both the de Windsors and the Crown. Tenants included the Trinitarian Priory at Hounslow, Lord Berkeley, and from 1656 the Earls of Northumberland.

The manor of Ickenham was formed by joining two holdings, both described in the Domeday Book as "Ticheham", which were united under Earl Roger some time before 1094. The manor passed through various owners until 1334 when it was purchased by merchant John Charlton. He left the estate to his daughter Juette, wife of Nicholas Shorediche. The Shorediche family retained the manor until 1812 when it passed to George Robinson, probably after foreclosure on a mortgage debt. George Robinson's will was disputed and Chancery ordered that his property be sold in 1857. Ickenham was purchased by Thomas Truesdale Clarke and merged with his neighbouring manor of Swakeley's.

'Ickenham: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 102-104 (available online).

The Manor of Honeylands and Pentriches was situated near Enfield. It was named for Ellis of Honeyland who held land in the area in 1275. The manor was also called Capels after the later owner Sir William Capel. The manor passed through several hands before manorial rights were extinguished after 1901.

The manor of Worcesters was formed in 1298 by John of Enfield. The manor was named for the owner in 1470, John, earl of Worcester. In 1550 it was granted to Princess Elizabeth. As queen she granted it to Robert Cecil, although it was later sold and passed through various owners. The house and land were purchased by the Enfield Urban District Council in 1951.

Source of information: 'Enfield: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 224-229.

At the time of the Domesday book the manor of Hendon belonged to the abbey of Westminster. At the Dissolution the manor passed to the Crown, who granted it to Sir William Herbert, later Earl of Pembroke. It subsequently passed through various hands and was mortgaged several times. At the date of the document in this collection the manor was mortgaged to Guy's Hopsital, Southwark. It was later owned by actor David Garrick.

The manor of Hendon is listed in the Domesday Book as belonging to the Abbey of Westminster. At the Dissolution it passed to the Crown, who granted it to the new Bishopric of Westminster. However, it returned to the Crown when the Bishopric was suppressed in 1550. It was granted to the Earl of Pembroke, William Herbert, and remained in the Herbert family until 1650 when it was sequestrated as the Herberts were Royalists. At the Restoration it was restored to the family. In 1757 the manor was purchased by James Clutterbuck who conveyed it to his friend David Garrick in 1765. It was left to Garrick's nephew but sold after his death and subsequently passed through various hands. The estate was described as 1226 acres in 1754.

Source of information: 'Hendon: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 16-20 (available online).

The manor of Hendon is listed in the Domesday Book as belonging to the Abbey of Westminster. At the Dissolution it passed to the Crown, who granted it to the new Bishopric of Westminster. However, it returned to the Crown when the Bishopric was suppressed in 1550. It was granted to the Earl of Pembroke, William Herbert, and remained in the Herbert family until 1650 when it was sequestrated as the Herberts were Royalists. At the Restoration it was restored to the family. In 1757 the manor was purchased by James Clutterbuck who conveyed it to his friend David Garrick in 1765. It was left to Garrick's nephew but sold after his death and subsequently passed through various hands. The estate was described as 1226 acres in 1754.

Source of information: 'Hendon: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 16-20 (available online).

The manor of Hendon is listed in the Domesday Book as belonging to the Abbey of Westminster. At the Dissolution it passed to the Crown, who granted it to the new Bishopric of Westminster. However, it returned to the Crown when the Bishopric was suppressed in 1550. It was granted to the Earl of Pembroke, William Herbert, and remained in the Herbert family until 1650 when it was sequestrated as the Herberts were Royalists. At the Restoration it was restored to the family. In 1757 the manor was purchased by James Clutterbuck who conveyed it to his friend David Garrick in 1765. It was left to Garrick's nephew but sold after his death and subsequently passed through various hands. The estate was described as 1226 acres in 1754.

Source of information: 'Hendon: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton, Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 16-20 (available online).

Hayes manor was granted to Christ Church, Canterbury, in 832; and remained in the possession of the church until 1545 when it was taken over by the king. It was sold to the North family in 1546, who in turn sold it on in 1613. It subsequently passed through various owners. The estate was broken up in 1898.

Information from 'Hayes: Manors and other estates', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 26-29.

Harrow Manor belonged to the archbishops of Canterbury from the early middle ages until 1545 when Henry VIII forced Cranmer to sell the manor to him. Henry sold the estate to Sir Edward North. The North family sold the manor to the Pitt family, whence it came to Alice Pitt and her husbands, Edward Palmer and then Sir James Rushout. The Rushouts acquired the barony of Northwick in 1797. Harrow stayed in the family until the death of the 3rd Baron, Sir George Rushout-Bowles, in 1887. His widow left the estate to her grandson Captain E. G. Spencer-Churchill. He sold the land in the 1920s.

Harrow Manor described both the manorial rights over the whole area and the chief demesne farm in the centre of the parish. This farm was known as Sudbury Manor or Sudbury Court. The ownership of Sudbury Manor followed that of Harrow, hence the name Harrow alias Sudbury.

From: 'Harrow, including Pinner : Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 203-211 (available online).

The Manor of Harrow Rectory alias Harrow-on-the-Hill originated in land owned by priest Werhardt in the 9th century. From 1094-1845 Harrow Rectory was a peculiar of the archbishopric of Canterbury within the deanery of Croydon. The rector had sole manorial jurisdiction over Harrow-on-the-Hill and Roxborough, and collected tithes from a large area. This was a prized position which attracted ambitious and important men, and the rectory house was accordingly fine and spacious. In 1546 the rectory was impropriated to Christ Church, Oxford, but in 1547 the college alienated the rectory, the advowson of the vicarage, and (from 1550) the tithes to Sir Edward North, lord of Harrow alias Sudbury Manor. The grant was made in fee farm in perpetuity, North paying the College an annual fee. North sublet the rectory and tithes while retaining the manorial rights, and enjoyed the rights and profits of the rectory. In 1630 the rectory was conveyed to George Pitt and thereafter descended with Sudbury Court Manor until 1807, when the rectory house and 121 acres of land north of it were sold to James Edwards; the remaining land becoming part of Harrow Park.

From: 'Harrow, including Pinner : Harrow church', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 249-255 (available online).

Harrow Manor belonged to the archbishops of Canterbury from the early middle ages until 1545 when Henry VIII forced Cranmer to sell the manor to him. Henry sold the estate to Sir Edward North. The North family sold the manor to the Pitt family, whence it came to Alice Pitt and her husbands, Edward Palmer and then Sir James Rushout. The Rushouts acquired the barony of Northwick in 1797. Harrow stayed in the family until the death of the 3rd Baron, Sir George Rushout-Bowles, in 1887. His widow left the estate to her grandson Captain E G Spencer-Churchill. He sold the land in the 1920s.

Harrow Manor described both the manorial rights over the whole area and the chief demesne farm in the centre of the parish. This was known as Sudbury Manor or Sudbury Court. The ownership of Sudbury Manor followed that of Harrow, hence the name Harrow alias Sudbury.

From: 'Harrow, including Pinner : Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 203-211 (available online).

The Manor of Harrow Rectory alias Harrow-on-the-Hill originated in land owned by priest Werhardt in the 9th century. From 1094-1845 Harrow Rectory was a peculiar of the archbishopric of Canterbury within the deanery of Croydon. The rector had sole manorial jurisdiction over Harrow-on-the-Hill and Roxborough, and collected tithes from a large area. This was a prized position which attracted ambitious and important men, and the rectory house was accordingly fine and spacious. In 1546 the rectory was impropriated to Christ Church, Oxford, but in 1547 the college alienated the rectory, the advowson of the vicarage, and (from 1550) the tithes to Sir Edward North, lord of Harrow alias Sudbury Manor. The grant was made in fee farm in perpetuity, North paying the College an annual fee. North sublet the rectory and tithes while retaining the manorial rights, and enjoyed the rights and profits of the rectory. In 1630 the rectory was conveyed to George Pitt and thereafter descended with Sudbury Court Manor until 1807, when the rectory house and 121 acres of land north of it were sold to James Edwards; the remaining land becoming part of Harrow Park.

'Harrow, including Pinner : Harrow church', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 249-255 (available online).

Harrow Manor belonged to the archbishops of Canterbury from the early middle ages until 1545 when Henry VIII forced Cranmer to sell the manor to him. Henry sold the estate to Sir Edward North. The North family sold the manor to the Pitt family, whence it came to Alice Pitt and her husbands, Edward Palmer and then Sir James Rushout. The Rushouts acquired the barony of Northwick in 1797. Harrow stayed in the family until the death of the 3rd Baron, Sir George Rushout-Bowles, in 1887. His widow left the estate to her grandson Captain E G Spencer-Churchill. He sold the land in the 1920s.

Harrow Manor described both the manorial rights over the whole area and the chief demesne farm in the centre of the parish. This farm was known as Sudbury Manor or Sudbury Court. The ownership of Sudbury Manor followed that of Harrow, hence the name Harrow alias Sudbury.

From: 'Harrow, including Pinner : Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 203-211 (available online).

The Manor of Harrow Rectory alias Harrow-on-the-Hill originated in land owned by priest Werhardt in the 9th century. From 1094-1845 Harrow Rectory was a peculiar of the archbishopric of Canterbury within the deanery of Croydon. The rector had sole manorial jurisdiction over Harrow-on-the-Hill and Roxborough, and collected tithes from a large area. This was a prized position which attracted ambitious and important men, and the rectory house was accordingly fine and spacious. In 1546 the rectory was impropriated to Christ Church, Oxford, but in 1547 the college alienated the rectory, the advowson of the vicarage, and (from 1550) the tithes to Sir Edward North, lord of Harrow alias Sudbury Manor. The grant was made in fee farm in perpetuity, North paying the College an annual fee. North sublet the rectory and tithes while retaining the manorial rights, and enjoyed the rights and profits of the rectory. In 1630 the rectory was conveyed to George Pitt and thereafter descended with Sudbury Court Manor until 1807, when the rectory house and 121 acres of land north of it were sold to James Edwards; the remaining land becoming part of Harrow Park.

From: 'Harrow, including Pinner : Harrow church', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 249-255 (available online).

Harrow Manor belonged to the archbishops of Canterbury from the early middle ages until 1545 when Henry VIII forced Cranmer to sell the manor to him. Henry sold the estate to Sir Edward North. The North family sold the manor to the Pitt family, whence it came to Alice Pitt and her husbands, Edward Palmer and then Sir James Rushout. The Rushouts acquired the barony of Northwick in 1797. Harrow stayed in the family until the death of the 3rd Baron, Sir George Rushout-Bowles, in 1887. His widow left the estate to her grandson Captain E G Spencer-Churchill. He sold the land in the 1920s.

Harrow Manor described both the manorial rights over the whole area and the chief demesne farm in the centre of the parish. This farm was known as Sudbury Manor or Sudbury Court. The ownership of Sudbury Manor followed that of Harrow, hence the name Harrow alias Sudbury.

From: 'Harrow, including Pinner : Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 203-211 (available online).

Prior to the Norman Conquest in 1066, Earl Harold Godwinson, later King Harold, was Lord of Harmondsworth manor. William the Conqueror gave the manor to the Benedictine Abbey of Holy Trinity, Rouen in 1069. In 1086 the manor of 'Hermondesworde' had three mills and was valued at £20. In 1391, William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester purchased the estate to provide revenue for his newly-founded College of Saint Mary in Winchester. In 1544, Henry VIII compelled the College to exchange Harmondsworth for other property. The manor was then granted by the Crown in 1547 to Sir William Paget (born circa 1505, died 1563), of Staffordshire, together with the manor of Drayton.

Sir William Paget increased his possessions under Edward VI and was granted Beaudesert, Staffordshire, the principal family seat. Paget was created Baron Paget of Beaudesert, by the Earl of Warwick when Paget deserted the Duke of Somerset as his advisor. Under Mary I, Paget became a member of the Privy Council, but under Elizabeth I he was excluded from the Queen's Council due to his support of Catholicism. On his death in 1563, he had lands in West Drayton, Harmondsworth and Iver, and estates in Staffordshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Shropshire, and property in London. His lands in Harmondsworth included the lesser manors of Puryplace, Malinglawe, Luddyngton, and Barnarde.

Sir William Paget, the first Lord Paget of Beaudesert, married Ann Preston and had four sons and six daughters. His eldest son Henry became second Lord Paget and died 1568. Henry's brother Thomas became third Lord Paget. Thomas was also a strong supporter of the Catholic faith and was named by Mary Queen of Scots in the Babington Plot against Elizabeth I. Thomas and his brother Charles were attainted for treason in 1587 and their property was confiscated by the Crown. The manors of Drayton and Harmondsworth was granted for life by Elizabeth I to her favourite Sir Christopher Hatton who was made Chancellor in 1597.

Thomas Paget, the third Lord Paget died in exile in 1590 and was succeeded by his only son William (born 1572, died 1629). William accepted the Protestant faith, was knighted, and went to Cadiz with the Earl of Essex in 1596. On this return he secured Government posts, and the honours and lands lost in 1587 were restored to him by James I, following Sir Christopher Hatton's death in 1603. The manor continued under the Paget family until the 18th century when it was sold by the Earl of Uxbridge.

Harmondsworth was a large manor in the county of Middlesex. It had several hamlets including Heath Row, now the site of the busiest airport in the world. The name is derived from Heremod's worth (enclosure). The manor was granted by William I to the Abbey of Rouen in 1069. It later belonged to William of Wykeham who gave it as part of his endowment to Winchester College in 1391. It passed to Henry VIII in 1543 and in 1547 was granted to the Paget family. On the disgrace of Thomas, Lord Paget it passed to Queen Elizabeth who leased the manor to Sir Christopher Hatton but it was returned to the Paget family in 1604. The manor remained in the Paget family, Earls of Uxbridge and later Marquesses of Anglesey until the mid nineteenth century.

8 manse at Hanwell were granted to Westminster Abbey by Archbishop Dunstan in the 10th century. Hanwell was reckoned as an independent manor in Domesday Book, but after this, apparently before the 13th century, it became absorbed in the neighbouring manor of Greenford, which also belonged to Westminster. The first court rolls, which survive from the early 16th century, show that Hanwell was then a subsidiary hamlet of Greenford; from the middle of the century the manor was generally called 'Greenford and Hanwell', and lands in Hanwell were described indifferently as held of Greenford manor or Hanwell manor. By the late 18th century, though the courts were still held together, the two manors seem to have been regarded as separate entities. Most of the extensive copyhold land in Hanwell seems to have been enfranchised during the 19th century and the manorial courts were discontinued about 1900.

The leases of the demesnes of Greenford manor which were made from the late 15th century onwards included a certain amount of land in Hanwell, though it seems that Hanwell Park, which was copyhold, was never the residence of the lessees of the manor. The manor passed in the 16th century to the Bishop of London and in 1649 his lessee was estimated to hold 95 acres in the parish. When the manorial estates were divided into two unequal parts in the 18th century, the Hanwell lands all formed part of the larger share. At the inclosure of 1816, the bishop and his lessee were allotted 26 acres for open-field land and common rights, and also held about 75 acres of old inclosed land. Most of these lands, like the manorial estates in Greenford to which they were attached, were sold by the Church Commissioners after the Second World War.

Source: 'Hanwell: Manor', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962), pp. 224-225 (available online).

The Manor of Hampton, later Hampton Court, was in the hands of Walter de St Valery in 1086, having been granted to him by William the Conqueror as a reward for his support during the conquest of England. The manor was sold to the Prior of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem in 1237. The Prior leased the estate to various tenants, including Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York, from 1514. Wolsey had permission to rebuild or alter as he chose, and he rebuilt the manor house, creating a palace of some splendour. King Henry VIII became jealous of the palace and for reasons of political expediency Wolsey gave it to him around 1525, although he continued to live there. After Wolsey's death Hampton Court became a royal palace; and in 1531 the Order of St John gave the King the manorial rights in exchange for other lands.

The Manor of Isleworth Syon was also granted to Walter de St Valery in 1086. The family retained possession of the manor until 1227 when it escheated to the crown. In 1229 a full grant of the manor was made by Henry III to his brother, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, whose son Edward inherited it in 1272. In 1301, Edward's widow Margaret was assigned the manor by Edward I as part of her dower, but it reverted to the crown on her death in 1312. The manor was eventually granted for life by Edward III to his wife Queen Philippa in 1330. The reversion was included in a grant of lands to Edward, Duke of Cornwall, in 1337. In 1390 Queen Anne the wife of Richard II was given a life interest in the manor. Henry V held the manor, as Prince of Wales, but when king, separated the manor from the duchy of Cornwall by Act of Parliament in 1421 in order to bestow it upon his newly founded convent of Syon. It remained as part of the convent's possessions until the dissolution in 1539 when it fell into the hands of the Crown and was added to the Honour of Hampton Court. In 1604 James I granted the manor to Henry, Earl of Northumberland, in whose family it remained.

Source of information: 'Spelthorne Hundred: Hampton: manor', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 2: General; Ashford, East Bedfont with Hatton, Feltham, Hampton with Hampton Wick, Hanworth, Laleham, Littleton (1911), pp. 324-327 (available online).

The manor of Hampstead was held by Westminster Abbey from 1086 till 1540 when the Abbey surrendered to the Crown. The Crown endowed the land to the new Bishopric of Westminster until this was dissolved in 1550. Subsequently the manor was granted to Sir Thomas Wroth. In 1620 it was sold to Sir Baptist Hicks, and stayed in his family until 1707 when it was sold to Sir William Langhorne. It subsequently passed through various hands until the manorial rights lapsed in 1944. In 1889 part of the estate, East Heath Park, comprising 56 acres, was added to Hampstead Heath.

'Hampstead: Manor and Other Estates', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 9: Hampstead, Paddington (1989), pp. 91-111 (available online).

The manor of Great Stanmore was owned by St Alban's Abbey at the time of the Norman Conquest. The manor was initially known as Stanmore-the first recorded division of Stanmore into "Great" and "Little" is in the Domesday Book. The Abbey leased the manor to various tenants until 1279 when Robert of Stanmore successfully claimed it. In 1362 it was acquired by the prior of St Bartholomew's, Smithfield, who already held the manor of Little Stanmore. The chief steward of St Bartholomew's, Geoffrey Chamber, leased the manor. He sold some of the property to Sir Pedro de Gamboa, a Spanish mercenary working for the royals. Chamber died in 1544, in heavy debt, and his estates were forfeited and granted to de Gamboa. However, he was murdered in 1550 and the manor was leased to Sir George Blage.

In 1604 the lordship was sold to Sir Thomas Lake, a secretary of state, and the owner of Little Stanmore manor. A fee farm rent was paid to the Crown, later granted to the chapter of Westminster. Later branches of the Lake family underwent much litigation relating to the ownership of the manor, and it subsequently went through several changes of owner and was subdivided. In 1715 the manor was once again united with Little Stanmore manor, this time under the Brydges family, earls of Carnarvon and dukes of Chandos. The manor was sold to James Hamilton, marquess (later duke) of Abercorn, and the owner of Bentley Priory. It was sold on to John Kelk, then in 1882 sold to Thomas Clutterbuck. The Clutterbuck family held the manor until 1936 when the manorial rights were extinguished.

Information from: 'Great Stanmore: Manor and other estates', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 96-99 (available online).

The Manor of Friern Barnet was also known as the Manor of Whetstone. In 1336 it was owned by the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem. In 1540, when the Order of St John was closed, the lands passed to the Crown. In 1544 the Crown granted the manor to the Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral, London. The Chapter sold the lands in 1800, while the manorial rights passed to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

Information from 'Friern Barnet: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 6: Friern Barnet, Finchley, Hornsey with Highgate (1980), pp. 15-17 (available online).

The Company of Free Dredgers of Faversham were formerly under the jurisdiction of the Lord of the Manor who appointed a steward to hold two courts called admiralty courts, to which the members were summoned by the water bailiff. The first of these was held on the Saturday after Easter, the second on the last Saturday of July.

Edmonton Manor was held by Geoffrey de Mandeville in 1086 and descended with the manor of Enfield until 1189 when William de Mandeville died. Edmonton Manor passed to Beatrice de Mandeville, widow of William de Say; and was later claimed by their son Geoffrey de Say. In 1284 this division of the Mandeville lands was formalised by the family, so that the descendants of Geoffrey de Say held Edmonton of the Crown as a knight's fee. In the 1360s the manor was granted to Adam Francis, and stayed in the Francis family, passing to Sir Thomas Charlton, the son of Elizabeth Francis, in 1461. Sir Thomas' son Sir Richard inherited the manor but was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, and the estate passed to the Crown.

The manor was granted to Sir Thomas Bourchier in 1485, and in 1521 to Henry Courtenay, earl of Devon and marquess of Exeter. By 1535 the manor was returned to the Crown and was managed by Thomas Cromwell on behalf of the King. It remained with the Crown thereafter, usually part of the queen's jointure. By 1716 the connection with the Crown consisted of a nominal rent and the lessee was regarded as lord of the manor. In 1800 the manor was conveyed to Sir William Curtis and was still in that family in 1943.

'Edmonton: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 149-154 (available online).

The manor of Tottenham was owned by the earls of Huntingdon from 1065. In 1219 the earldom passed to John the Scot and the manor was assigned to his mother Maud. John died without children and the manor was granted to his widow, Helen, as a customary dower of a countess of Huntingdon. On Helen's death in 1253 the manor, as part of the honor of Huntingdon, passed to the descendants of John's married sisters Margaret, mother of Devorgild, wife of John de Balliol; Isabel, wife of Robert de Bruce; and Ada, wife of Henry de Hastings. The manor was therefore divided into three separate manors known as Balliols or Daubeneys; Bruces; and Hastings or Pembrokes.

John Gedney, a London draper, bought Balliols/Daubeneys in 1433, and Bruces and Hastings/Pembrokes in 1427. Gedney also acquired a fourth manor, Mockings, which had been created out of Bruces. After this the manors remained united. The manor remained in the possession of descendants of Gedney until 1513 when it was granted to Sir William Compton. By 1626 the manor was owned by Hugh Hare, Lord Coleraine, and remained in the Hare family for over a century. In 1749 the Coleraine peerage became extinct when Henry, Lord Coleraine, died without legitimate children. The manor was left to his illegitimate daughter Henrietta Rose Peregrina Duplessis. The manor passed to her son Henry Hare Townsend, who auctioned most of the land in 1789 and sold the lordships to Thomas Smith, who sold them to Sir William Curtis. The lordships then stayed in the Curtis family, who also held the lordship of Edmonton.

'Tottenham: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 324-330 (available online).

Edgware Boys manor originates in a grant to the Order of St John of Jerusalem. The order are recorded as holding lands as tenants of the Manor of Edgware in 1277. In 1397 the first mention of a separate manor of Boys appears in a terrier document. After the Dissolution the manor was granted to Sir John Williams and Anthony Stringer, but they alienated it to Henry Page of Harrow. Henry's son sold it to John Scudamore in 1631, and it was then sold to Lord Coventry in 1637. The Coventry family sold it to William Lee of Totteridge Park in 1762. It remained in the Lee family until 1866, thereafter the descent is unclear.

From: 'Edgware: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 155-157 (available online).

The Manor of East Smithfield was that part of the parish of Saint Botolph Aldgate which was in Middlesex, also known as the Liberty of East Smithfield.

The manor of Ealing or Ealingbury was presumably the 10 hides at Ealing granted in 693 by Ethelred, king of Mercia, to the bishop of London for the augmentation of monastic life in London. The manor passed through various owners until 1906 when most or all of the land was sold to the Prudential Assurance Company.

'Ealing and Brentford: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden (1982), pp. 123-128.

The Manor of Dunsford developed out of lands held at Dunsford in the parish of Wandsworth by Merton Priory. According to the Victoria County History of Surrey, "by 1535 the possessions of the house {i.e. the Priory} in Wandsworth and Dunsford formed an estate of considerable value".

At the dissolution of the monasteries in 1538 the Manor passed to Charles Duke of Suffolk, who sold it in 1539 to Thomas Cromwell. When Thomas Cromwell was attainted, the Manor passed, in 1540, to the Crown, which held it until 1563 when it was granted to Lord Robert Dudley. Dudley sold it in the same year to Sir William Cecil, who in turn sold it in 1564 to John Swift (see E/BER/S/T/II/B/1/2). John Swift sold it to Thomas Smith in 1569 (see E/BER/S/T/II/B/1/3), and it stayed in the possession of his descendants until 1664 when it was sold to Sir Alan Brodrick. It passed in 1730 to his great nephew, Alan 2nd Viscount Middleton, and remained in the Middleton family until it was apparently sold to James Clark in 1851 (see ACC/1720/011 and ACC/1720/023).

As the title deeds in this collection show, a process of enfranchisement (that is, the process whereby copyhold tenants of the Manor bought the freehold to their property) had got under way by 1800 and continued throughout the century (see ACC/1720/023), leading to the disintegration of the Manor. This process is also indicated by the cessation of Courts Baron and Leet soon after James Clark bought the Manor.

Cowley Peachey was a small manor which sat within the lands of Colham Manor. Ownership of the estate was often the same as other small manors in the area, such as Cowley Hall and Hayes Park Hall.

Source of information: 'Hillingdon, including Uxbridge: Manors and other estates', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 69-75 (available online).

The Manor of Colkennington alias Kempton adjoined Sunbury Manor. In 1066 it is recorded as held by one Ulward. In 1104 the owner William of Mortain was convicted of treason and the lands became Crown property. The Crown leased or granted the manor to various courtiers. By 1864 the property belonged to the Barnett family, who sold the land in 1876 but kept the title of lord of the manor.

'Sunbury: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962), pp. 53-57 (available online).

Colham manor was in 1086 assessed at 8 hides, 6 of which were in demesne. Part of the manor lands was probably granted away in the mid-13th century to form the basis of the sub-manor later known as Cowley Hall. At some time before 1594, however, Hillingdon manor was incorporated in that of Colham. The location of the manor lands before the assimilation of Hillingdon manor is uncertain. Fourteenth-century surveys of Colham include land in Great Whatworth Field, Hanger Field, and Strode Field, a warren on Uxbridge Common, and woodland at Highseat in the north-west. By 1636, however, Colham and Hillingdon manors had been consolidated, so that the lands of Colham then covered approximately two-thirds of Hillingdon parish. At this date the outer boundaries of Colham appear to have substantially respected those of the parish, except in the north-east where the manor boundary followed the Pinn southward from Ickenham Bridge to Hercies Lane and then ran south-eastward to rejoin the parish boundary south of Pole Hill Farm. Insulated within the lands of Colham lay the 'three little manors' of Cowley Hall, Colham Garden, and Cowley Peachey, and freehold estates belonging to a number of manors in other parishes, including Swakeleys in Ickenham.

The manor passed through several owners before, in 1787, John Dodd sold the whole manor to Fysh de Burgh, lord of the manor of West Drayton. Fysh de Burgh died in 1800 leaving Colham, subject to the life interest of his widow Easter (d 1823), in trust for his daughter Catherine (d 1809), wife of James G Lill who assumed the name of De Burgh, with remainder to their son Hubert. The manor passed to Hubert de Burgh in 1832 and he immediately mortgaged the estate. Hubert retained actual possession of the property, which was seldom if ever during this period unencumbered by mortgages, until his death in 1872.

In the 12th century the dean and chapter claimed that ten manse at West Drayton had been given by Athelstan to the cathedral church of Saint Paul, and the date 939 has been given for this grant. Though both the transcribed grant and the date are suspect, Saint Paul's appears to have been in possession by about 1000, when West Drayton supplied one of a number of 'shipmen' for a muster drawn from estates in Essex, Middlesex, and Surrey, most of which can be shown to have belonged, then or later, to the Bishop of London or to Saint Paul's. Various tenants farmed the estate on behalf of Saint Paul's until the lease was acquired in 1537 by William Paget (c 1506-63), secretary to Jane Seymour. In 1546 Henry VIII, having 'by the diligence and industry' of Paget acquired the manor with all appurtenances, granted it to him in fee, and the interest of the chapter ceased.

From 1546 to 1786 the manor descended with the other Paget honors and estates, apart from a brief period at the end of the 16th century. In 1786 Henry Paget (1744-1812), 1st Earl of Uxbridge, sold the manor and estate to Fysh Coppinger, a London merchant, who assumed his wife's name de Burgh. His widow, Easter de Burgh, owned the manor in 1800. She died in 1823 and it passed to her grandson Hubert de Burgh, who died in 1872. The next heir, Francis (d 1874), devised it jointly to his daughters, Minna Edith Elizabeth, and Eva Elizabeth, who was sole owner when she died unmarried in 1939.

From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962) and A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971) (available online).

The manor of Barnet was held by the Abbey of Saint Albans. At the Dissolution the manor came to the Crown, who granted it to John Maynard and John Goodwin. The manor subsequently passed through several hands, belonging for some time to the Dukes of Chandos. Manor courts were held on Easter Tuesday.

The manor of Charlton, situated near Sunbury, is first mentioned in the reign of Edward the Confessor. In 1267 it was granted to the Priory of Merton. It remained their property until 1538 when it was surrendered to the Crown. It was then rented out to various families. In 1620 the manor comprised a house and 125 acres; by 1803 this was 125 acres of inclosed land and 60 acres of allotments.

From: 'Sunbury: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962), pp. 53-57 (available online).

The Manor of Barnsbury (also called Bernersbury or Iseldon Berners) was held in 1086 by Hugh de Berners. The Berners family retained the manor until 1502 when it was sold. In 1542 the manor was purchased by Thomas Fowler, merchant, and passed to his son Edmund (d 1560) who left it to his son Sir Thomas (d 1625). The manor was left to his son Sir Thomas (d 1656) who left it to his daughter Sarah, widow of Sir Thomas Fisher. Her eldest son Sir Thomas Fisher inherited but died in 1671, leaving the estate to his brother Sir Richard Fisher (d 1707). Richard left the manor to his nephew Sir Thomas Halton (d 1726), whose son Sir William Halton (d 1754) left the land to his godson William Tufnell (who later changed his surname to Jolliffe). The manor remained in the Tufnell family until 1925. The manor house was situated to the west of what is now Barnsbury Square, near to the modern Caledonian Road and Barnsbury railway station.

The Manor of Canonbury was formed from land granted to the prior of Saint Bartholomew Smithfield by Ralph de Berners in 1253. It was also known as the Manor of Iseldon. The manor was taken at the Dissolution and was owned by Thomas Cromwell, 1529-1540, then was owned by Dudley, Lord Lisle, 1547 onwards. It passed to the Earl of Northampton in 1610 and remained in that family until sold to developers in 1954.

The Manor of Newington Barrow or Highbury was owned by the priory of Saint John of Jerusalem, Clerkenwell, from 1270 to the Dissolution. From 1548 to 1629 it was owned by various members of the royal family, then sold to Sir Allen Apsley and thence to various owners. In 1773 the owner George Colebrooke was bankrupted and sold the demense lands and the site of the manor house. The manorial rights and quitrents were sold separately, but cannot be traced after 1877. The manor house at Highbury was a substantial stone building used as a summer residence by the priors of Saint John of Jerusalem. It was destroyed in 1381 by followers of Jack Straw, who hated the then prior. It was subsequently known colloquially as 'Jack Straw's Castle'. The later house was known as Highbury Barn and was a well-known tea gardens in the eighteenth century.

From 'Islington: Manors', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 8: Islington and Stoke Newington parishes (1985), pp. 51-57 (available online).

In 1556 the manor was held by Thomas Hyde. The court leet, which was held on Thursday in Whitsun week, belonged to the honour of Berkhampstead, and had jurisdiction over the tithings of Long Marston, Betlow, Dunsley Grove cum Pendley, Wigginton, Northcote cum Lyghe, Drayton Beauchamp, Gubblecote cum Cheddingdon, and Aldbury cum Helpusthorp. Each tithing had its own constable.

From: 'Parishes: Aldbury', A History of the County of Hertford: volume 2 (1908), pp. 143-148.

Manor House Asylum was a private lunatic asylum (metropolitan licensed house) founded by Edward Francis Tuke (c 1776-1846) and continued by the Tuke family. The Asylum moved to Chiswick House in 1893 and was later known as Chiswick House Asylum.

The North Islington Infant Welfare Centre and School for Mothers was founded in 1913 by Mrs A.M. Keen. In some ways a pioneer in infant welfare work, she succeeded in opening one room at the Mission Hall, Elthorne Road and obtained the services of Doctor Vance Knox and Doctor Campbell Maxwell. With herself as honorary secretary and treasurer, and with the help of one nurse the school began with only 9 mothers but by 1920 the number of attendances had risen to over 12,000.

In Islington at the time the infant mortality rate was 110 per 1000 births. The stated aim of the centre was to prevent disease and death among women and children by educating the mother. The first mothers were able to buy clothing and medicines, have their babies weighed and examined by the medical officer. Apparently in the early days Mrs Keen herself would stand outside and stop passing mothers with babies in order to persuade them to attend the clinics.

It soon became clear that larger and more suitable permanent premises were needed, and in 1915 number 9 Manor Gardens was rented, two years later, such was the demand for the centre's services, that another house, number 8, was taken over.

By degrees Mrs Keen developed the centre in a variety of ways, and soon there were dental clinics, massage, an 'artificial sunlight treatment' clinic, training for infant welfare students and LCC scholarship pupils, the provision of home helps, a flourishing fathers and mothers committee, sewing classes for mothers, and in 1917, with the support of the American Women's Club and the American Red Cross, four wards were set up in numbers 6 and 7 Manor Gardens, so that children who were not thriving could be taken in and could have special attention.

In 1919 Lady Crosfield, wife of Sir Arthur Crossfield, at one time Member of Parliament for Warrington and later chairman of the National Playing Fields Association, took over as chairman. And in 1922 the Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) agreed to be its patron.

During the Second World War, the wards were closed down and part of the centre was taken over by Islington Borough Council as a Stretcher Party Depot and First Aid Post. After the war, and under the National Health Service, local health services in Islington (including those for maternity and child welfare) were transferred from the Borough to the London County Council. Lady Crossfield managed to persuade the Minister of Health, Aneurin Bevan that the centre should retain its individuality, and the committee should retain responsibility for its daily work. The centre had remained for its first 50 years primarily what it had set out to be - a service for promoting the health of mothers and babies, but the inception of the NHS led the centre to take a wider view of the health needs of the community. Thus in 1950 the centre opened a playgroup. The 1960's saw the start of Family Planning and Marriage Guidance Counselling services and the introduction of Geriatric Health visitors.

By the 1970's however, the local population had fallen and the numbers of mothers and babies attending began to decline. The wards, which had done such vital, life-saving work were no longer needed and were closed down in 1973.

In the 1980's the need for revitalisation and further expansion became evident and the building was steadily refurbished. By the time of the centre's 70th anniversary in 1983, it had been renamed the 'Manor Gardens Centre' and was open seven days a week. In addition to the child health centre, maternity and playschool facilities, new services for young people and the elderly, the fit and the disabled, those living in the community and those from further afield had been set up. Some 4,000 people were now using the centre each week.

In 1985, however, the Islington District Health Authority set in motion plans for a purpose built health centre to be based at the Royal Northern Hospital, with the intention that the community health services at the Manor Gardens Centre would be transferred there in the early 1990's. The space made available at the centre would be used to house a community mental health centre staffed by a range of health and social service workers.

By the late 1990's, alongside its playgroup, the centre was running a variety of health and welfare services, with the aim as always to improve the quality of life of local people. Services included - a Homecare Scheme offering support to vulnerable people living on their own; a Stroke Project to help those who had had strokes get involved with a variety of rehabilitative, creative and social activities (including a weekly exercise session at Pentonville Prison); arts projects for young disabled people; a Befriending Scheme to provide practical support for local older and/or disabled people in their own homes; a Bengali and Turkish/Kurdish womens group; a lunch club; an Accident Prevention Loan scheme; and an advocacy project for asylum seekers; as well as acting as a meeting place for tenant groups and other local organisations.

Manoel II was born in Lisbon, 1889, the second son of King Carlos I. He succeeded to the Portugese throne on 1 Feb 1908 following the assassination of his father and elder brother Prince Luiz.

Manoel sought to save the fragile position of the monarchy by dismissing the dictator Joao Franco and his entire cabinet in 1908. Free elections were declared in which republicans and socialists won an overwhelming victory. Revolution erupted on 4 Oct 1910 and Manoel fled to Britain.

While in exile he never gave up hope of regaining his throne, and this collection of documents contain a plan for the restoration of the monarchy and the formation of a new government.

In 1913 he married his cousin, Augusta Victoria, Princess of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. He died at Fullwell Park, Twickenham, Middlesex in 1932.

Sir August Manns, born Stolzenberg, 12 March 1825; played in the Danzig regimental band and theatre orchestra as a clarinettist at age 20; member of Gungl's orchestra in Berlin, 1848; served eight years in the Prussian army and arranged classical repertoire for military band and conducted concerts; appointed Assistant Conductor at Crystal Palace, London, 1854; appointed by the Secretary, George Grove, as Conductor at the Crystal Palace, 14 Oct 1855; between 1855-1901 Grove and Manns made the Saturday concerts at the Crystal Palace the principal source of classical music at popular prices; Manns transformed the existing wind band into a renowned orchestra, and was estimated to have conducted 12,000 orchestral concerts during his 42 years at the Crystal Palace; the programmes included Schubert and Schumann symphonies, works by Berlioz and Wagner, many previously seldom-performed works and first London performances; conductor of the Handel Festival, 1883-1900; naturalized as a British citizen, 1894; knighted, 1903; died, Norwood, London, 1 March 1907.

William Manning was born in London in 1763. He joined his father's trading firm as a young man. After the death of his parents, he inherited the firm and several West Indian estates, confirming his status as a wealthy City merchant. He became a director of the Bank of England in 1792, serving as Deputy Governor during 1810-1812 and then Governor until 1814. He also sat as the MP for several boroughs between 1794 and 1830 and was a staunch supporter of William Pitt's government. From the 1820s a downturn in the West Indies trade led to financial difficulties for Manning's company, and he was eventually declared bankrupt in 1831, after which he retired from public life. His son, Henry Edward Manning, a convert to Roman Catholicism, later became Archbishop of Westminster.