Newdigate , family , of Harefield x Newdegate , family , of Harefield

Newdigate , family , of Harefield x Newdegate , family , of Harefield

The Manor of Harefield was owned by the Swanlond family from 1315. The Manor passed to the Newdigate family [the spelling later changed to Newdegate] at some time between 1439 and 1446, possibly after the marriage of John Newdigate and Joan, the daughter and heir of William Swanlond. The Newdigates owned the estate until 1586 when they exchanged the manor (and Moorhall Manor) for Arbury Manor in Warwickshire. They kept the Brackenbury estate.

Harefield passed through various hands, including the Countess of Derby, the Chandos family, and the Pitts. Richard Newdigate bought back the manor in 1675. The manor remained in the Newdigate family until the manorial rights were extinguished in 1925.

The Manor of Moorhall was sold to John Newdigate in 1553. After this the manor was joined with Harefield and followed the descent described above.

The Manor of Brackenbury was held by John Newdigate in 1486, although the family did not come into full possession until after 1500, certainly by 1558. The Newdigates retained the manor in their own possession, and it was the sole land excepted from the sale of Harefield and Moorhall manors in 1586. By 1558 it was considered part of the demesne of Harefield manor.

From: 'Harefield: 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. 240-246 (available online).