History and Antiquities of the Country of Hertford Icheton,

Lefstanchirche otherwise Layston Vol III pages 427 to 438

AFFLEDAWICHE, OTHERWISE BEAUCHAMPS,

WAS another part of the last mentioned hamlet, which the Conqueror gave to Earl Eustace, by the name of Affledawiche. It is thus recorded in Domesday Survey :

Rumold holds of the Earl (Eustace) two hides in Affledawiche. There is land to two ploughs, and they are there, with seven bordars and two bondmen. There is one mill of two shillings. Meadow for two oxen. Pasture for the cattle. Pannage for twenty hogs. It is worth thirty shillings; when received forty shillings; and the same in King Edward's time. Godid, a vassal of Asgar's, held this land, and might sell it(s).

By inquisition taken at Hertford on Friday next before the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it was found that Johanna, late the wife of John Waleis, held in demesne, as of fee, the lands called Beauchamps, in the parish of Layston, value 60s. of Richard de Vere, Earl of Oxford, as of his Manor of Wyngham ad castrum, by knight's service, &c.; that the said Johanna died seised of the said lands on the Feast of St. Edmund the Archbishop, &c. ; also that Beatrix, the wife of Reginald de Cokayn, aged 26 years, Johanna, the wife of Robert Leventhorpe, aged 21 years, and Agnes Waleis, of the age of 14 years, were the daughters and heirs of the said Johanna(t).

"This Estate afterwards came into the possession of the Beauchamps ; who changed the name to Beauchamps. In the time of King Henry the Eighth it was sold to Edward Baesh, Esquire, from whom it came, by right of inheritance, to Sir Ralph Baesh, Knight of the Bath, who, by an Act of Parliament, conveyed it to Mr. John Taylor, Clerk, since Rector of Westmill; but after he had enjoyed it a short time, he sold it to Barnard Turner, who died seised thereof in the year 1696, leaving issue John (Thomas) Turner(u), of Buntingford, who settled it in marriage with his daughter Ann upon Mr. Thomas Crouch, of the same place, and his heirs. Charles, his son and heir, enjoyed it upon his mother's death, and sold it in 1726 to Francis Goulston, Esquire, of Widial(w), whose son Richard became possessed of it, and sold it about the year 1772, to Stephen Comyn, Esquire, a Barrister at Law and a Bencher of the Inner Temple. He died on the 16th of January, 1773, and was succeeded in the possession of it by his sons Stephen and Robert, who sold it about the year 1775, to Brabazon Ellis, of Widial Hall, Esquire; He died on the 28th of November, 1780, and upon his death this estate descended to his son John Thomas Ellis, Esquire, M. P. the present possessor thereof.

BUNTINGFORD.

THIS Town lies upon the high road to Cambridge, at the distance of 31 miles from London; it is watered by the River Rib, and is situated in the four several parishes of Layston, Aspeden, Throcking, and Widial. No mention of this town occurs before the time of King Edward the Third, who granted a market and fair here to Elizabeth de Burgo and her heirs, reserving the yearly rents of six pence. The same King, afterwards, in the 41st year of his reign, granted a market to be held in the highway in this town, on Saturday in every week, and a fair there every year, on the day and morrow of the Apostles Peter and Paul, both which were afterwards confirmed by charter of King Henry the Fourth (x)

Afterwards King Henry the Eighth, by his letters patent, dated the 1st of February, in the 33d year of his reign, granted to Thomas Lord Audley, Lord of the Manor of Corneybury, and the tenants thereof, and to the inhabitants of the vill of Buntingford, a market in the High-street of this town, on Monday in every week in the year, and two fairs in every year, to continue for the space of four days; the first fair on the day and

(s)In Affledavvicha tenet Rumoldus de comite duas hidas. Terra est duarum carucarum, et ibi sunt cum septem bordariis, et duobus servis. Ibi una molina de duobus solidis. Pratum duobus bobus. Pastura ad pecudes. Silva viginti porcis. Valet triginta solidos ; quando recepit quadraginta solidos ; et tantummodo tempore Regis Edwardi. Hanc terram tenuit Godidus homo Asgari, et vendere potuit. Lib. Domesday, N° XVII. fo. 137.

(t) Esc. 3 H. VI. n. 35. (u) Chauncy's Hist. Antiq. of Herts, p 133. (w) Salmon's Hist of Herts, p. 316.
(x) Rot, Pat.anno 12 H. IV. m, 12.

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