Parishes: Landford

LANDFORD.

At this place, before the coming of the Normans, Leuric had a Manor which usually answered to the Public Tax at two Car. three Bov. 1-5th. The Land of it being for eight ploughs, or eight Car. (fn. 1) Afterwards it became the Fee of Goisfride de Wirce, whose Man or Tenant Ranulf, is certified to have had two Car. ½. and sixteen Sochm. seventeen Villains, four Bord. having seven Car. There was a Priest and a Church, two Mills, 12s. one Piscary, one hundred Acres of Meadow. In King Edward the Confessor's Time this was 4l. Value, in the Conqueror's 4l. 10s.

(fn. 2) Mr. Dugdale, in his Book of Warwickshire, shows that Wirce his Lands were by King Henry the First, granted to Nigel de Albany, Progenitor of the Family of Mowbray, who, it is likely, did enfeoff Robert de Ayvill, mentioned in Egmanton, of this Manor. For John de Auvill gave 40s. in the seventh Year of King John, (fn. 3) for having a certain Precipe that William de Mumbray should restore unto him Landford, with the Appurtenances, to wit, a Knight's Fee, which Robert de Auvill, Father of the said John, gave in marriage to Roger de Caily, with Jane, his Sister, then dead, who had a Son who, died without any Heir at all, so that for want of Heir the Fee ought to return to the said John, Son and Heir of the said Robert.

(fn. 4) The next I find here was Richard de Grey (of Codnor) paying his Mark for half a Knight's Fee, in the former Part of the Reign of Henry the Third. William de Grey of Sandiacre in Darbishire, 53 H. 3. (fn. 5) had Free Warren here, who, I suppose, was enfeoffed of this Manor by the said Richard, whom I guess to be his Brother, William died about this Year, (fn. 6) and his Son Richard was his Heir, who married Lucia, his Daughter and Heir of Robert de Harestan, Lord of Sutton in the Dale, in Darbishire, and Hareston, in Leicestershire, and Hickling, in this County, as in that place may be seen, where it also appears that this Lordship with the rest became the inheritance of John Leek (said to be the younger Brother of Simon Leek of Cotham) in Right of his Wife Alice, Grandchild of Edward Hillary and Alice Grey, by John Grey their Son and Heir.

(fn. 7) This John Leek, and Alice his Wife (who after the death of her Sister Isabel without issue, about 14 H. 6. became sole Heir) had a Son called William Leek; who by Catherin his Wife, the Daughter of Sir Thomas Chaworth, Knight, had a younger Son called Thomas Leek, of Hasland, whose Daughter Elizabeth, the Wife of John Hardwyk, Esq. was Mother of Elizabeth, the Wife of Sir William Cavendish, afterwards Countess of Shrowsbury, the great Instrument of placing the two Illustrious Houses of Newcastle and Devonshire in these Parts: but his eldest Son was John Leeke of Sutton, who by his Wife Elizabeth the Daughter of John Savage, had two Sons John and Thomas, and three Daughters, Catharin, Wife, to Sir Godfr. Foljambe; Miriel to Sir Thomas Waterton; and Elizabeth to John Frechevile. He was buried in Sutton Chancel, 24 March 1504, (fn. 8) and by his Will, committed the said Thomas his Son (who was called Leek of Williamthorpe) to Thomas Savage Lord Archbishop of York, to be ordered concerning his marriage, and gave to Thomas Leek of Hastand his Brother before-named, and noted more particularly in Leke, Land in Carelton juxta Gedling; this same John Leek had Lands in the Counties of Nottingham, Derby, Lincoln, Leicester, and Worcester, he gave four hundred Marks towards the Building of Sutton Church, making of his Tomb, and paying his Debts, and was succeeded by Sir John Leeke, his Son and Heir, who, 10 Decem. 14 H. 8. 1522, being about to go in the Army into Scotland, under the most Noble Captain, the King's Lieutenant General, and Steward of England, the Earl of Showsbury, made his Will, and either died or was slain, for it was proved, 10 Oct. 1523, (fn. 9) whereby it appears that he had three natural Daughters Susan, Elizabeth, and Dorothy, begotten on the Body of Anne Mainwaring, who was with Child when he made his Will. His Wife was Jane, the Daughter of Henry Foljambe, Esquire, by whom he had Anne and Katherin, the Wife of Francis Mering; and two Sons, Francis, who married Elizabeth; and John, who married Margaret, the Daughters of Sir William Paston of Norfolk; the Lands mentioned in his Will, are at Sutton in le Dale, Sandiacre, Hickling, Normanton, Chesterfield, Huknall Torcard, Little Leek, Great Leek, Nottingham, Stoke by Newark, Landford, Colewick, Carcolston, and Wiverton.

(fn. 10) His Son Sir Francis Leeke, in the beginning of the Regin of Queen Eliz. obtained the other Part of this Lordship, whereof Robert de Perpount was Lord in 9 E. 2. (fn. 11) to whose Family it continued with Holme Perpont, where it is also mentioned till that Time; but he shortly after sold the whole to George then Earl of Shrowsbury.

It hath since been purchased by John More, Dr. of Physic, and by him left to Sir Edward More, his Nephew, Baronet, of Nova Scotia, who leaving four Daughters and no Son, John More of Kirtlington, another of the Doctors Nephews succeeded, and left John More his Son and Heir, the present owner, who married my Lord of Dunbar's Sister.

Sir Francis Leek died 1 Aug. 22 Eliz. and left a Son and Heir of his own name, who was knighted at Greenwich, 1 Jan. 1601, 43 Eliz. and made Baronet at the first creation of that honour 9 Jac. His first Wife was Frances, the Daughter of Robert Swift, by whom he had Sir Francis Leeke created Lord Deyncourt, and afterwards Earl of Scarsdale, Father of Nicholas the present Earl. His second Wife was Mary, the Daughter of John Egioke, of Worcestershire, (after his death married to Sir Gervas Clifton) on whom he begot William Leek, commonly called Squire Leek, the Father of Sir Francis Leek of Newark, Knight, and Baronet, the present Lord of Sandiacre.

(fn. 12) There was a Moore and Common in Landford, belonging to St. John's of Jerusalem, which, 18 Dec. 6 E. 6. were granted to Edward Fynes, Knight, Lord Clynton, and Saye, and Henry Hereson, and their Heirs; there were Lands and Commons in Barnebie and Landford, late belonging to the said Priory of St. John's of Jerusalem, (fn. 13) 4 Oct. 28 Eliz. granted to Sir Christopher Hatton, Knight, and his Heirs. And 21 Oct. 30 Eliz. (fn. 14) to Edward Wymark, Gent, and his. Possibly that Priory had the Church also. Mr. More hath the Tithes.

[Throsby] Landford

Is an inclosed Lordship, and is owned, chiefly, by — Duncombe, Esq. The village consists of a few scattered dwellings on the road towards Collingham.

The chapel stands in a close at some distance from the village. It is dedicated to St. Bartholomew, has a tower with two bells, and a lean-to aisle covered with tiles.

Near this place stands a large brick mansion, newly built, at present not inhabited. It faces the road to Lincoln. The grounds are planted with a variety of young trees, and useful offices are erecting near it. The trees, at some future period, may cloath the nakedness of its present appearance.

Patron of the curacy of Landford is Mr. Duncombe. Incumbent Mr. Tomlinson.