Westwick: Manors

MANORS

The largest of three estates in Westwick in 1066 was 2 2/3; hides belonging to Blacwine, sheriff of Cambridgeshire. Together with 1/3; hide held by a sokeman of Ely abbey, it had passed by 1086 to Picot the sheriff as a 3hide manor, later LISLES. (fn. 1) Ely's interest in the sokeland was later reasserted and by the 1150s land in Westwick was possessed by Bishop Niel's chamberlain Ralph as successor or overlord of Anketil Vavassor. (fn. 2) Robert Vavassor in 1199 sought to regain the tenancy of 2 1/2; hides from Ralph's grandson Robert de Lisle, (fn. 3) probably unsuccessfully, since c. 1212 Lisle held 1/4; knight's fee in Westwick from the bishop of Ely. (fn. 4)

Picot's tenant in 1086 was Odo, evidently the chamberlain of Count Alan and his tenant elsewhere in Cambridgeshire. (fn. 5) One of Odo's granddaughters and eventual heirs married Robert de Lisle, and after c. 1212 the manor was held as 2/3; knight's fee of Count Alan's honor of Richmond, (fn. 6) whose lords exercised rights in Westwick in the 14th century. (fn. 7)

The manor descended with the Lisle family and their successors the Windsors, Scropes, and Hindes (fn. 8) until William Hinde sold it and 125 a. to Edmund Bendyshe in 1597. (fn. 9) Edmund's son Robert, who was buying copyhold land in Westwick in the first decade of the 17th century, succeeded him after 1610 (fn. 10) and in 1618 sold the enlarged estate to Martin Perse. (fn. 11) Perse (d. 1636) was succeeded by his son Valentine, (fn. 12) who was probably resident from his marriage in 1637 until 1652, (fn. 13) when he sold the estate to John Buck (fn. 14) (d. 1680). Buck's heir was his son Thomas (d. after 1684), whose son and heir Thomas (d. 1688) was succeeded by his son, another Thomas. (fn. 15) The last Thomas Buck was owner in 1722. (fn. 16) The manor was sold in 1765 with 360 a., (fn. 17) partly outside Westwick but covering most of the parish. (fn. 18) It belonged to W. T. Cook in 1802 and 1805, (fn. 19) but shortly afterwards passed to the Linton family, Salmon Linton (d. 1803) (fn. 20) probably having been the tenant. Salmon Linton's son William was later said to have bought the manor c. 1809; (fn. 21) he owned Westwick (fn. 22) until his death after 1861. By 1864 it belonged to his son John Linton (d. c. 1891). (fn. 23) John was succeeded by his son J. H. H. Linton, (fn. 24) who sold the estate in 1936. The hall and park, covering 35 a., were bought by W. D. Womersley and belonged in 1988 to his daughter Mrs. R. M. Burdett. The remainder of the estate was bought in 1939 by Bertram Pearson and was owned until the 1960s by the Pearson family, who then sold it to an investment company. (fn. 25)

A manor house which had 12 hearths in 1674 (fn. 26) was succeeded in the early 19th century by Westwick Hall, a large gault brick and slate house incorporating a cast-iron verandah looking out on the park to the west. (fn. 27)

The manor later called BELBOUCHES was held in 1066 by Earl Waltheof's man Guthmund as 1 hide of sokeland belonging to Ely abbey. It passed after the Conquest to David de Argentine, from whom Robert the usher held it in 1086. (fn. 28) Ely later regained the lordship and before 1135 granted the manor to be held as 1/4; knight's fee, William Despenser holding it in 1166. (fn. 29) The Ely overlordship was recorded in 1279 (fn. 30) but not later.

Ely's immediate tenant in 1199 was Alan Despenser, who was demanding possession from John the chamberlain (de camera), probably his tenant (fn. 31) and perhaps a descendant of the chamberlain Odo who had once held Lisles manor. (fn. 32) Alan's heir was his nephew Robert Chantemerle. (fn. 33) The Chantemerle family remained overlords of 1 hide in Westwick in 1279, (fn. 34) the latest reference found to their interest. (fn. 35)

Robert Chantemerle enfeoffed his kinsman William Belbouche with his manor in Westwick in 1197-8. (fn. 36) It was occupied in 1207 by William's brother Robert, (fn. 37) and the Belbouche family retained possession later, though the descent is obscure. Richard Belbouche held 1 hide as 1/4; fee of the bishop of Ely c. 1235, (fn. 38) as did a namesake in 1279. (fn. 39) Roger Belbouche had it c. 1302, (fn. 40) and Amice Belbouche in 1315, by when the holding had evidently been divided. (fn. 41) William Belbouche was a landowner in 1327, (fn. 42) and in 1346 held the manor with a partner. (fn. 43) John Belbouche occupied some land in 1361, (fn. 44) and in the early 15th century Richard Belbouche held that part of the manor which remained in the family's possession, (fn. 45) but by 1486 the house and 23 1/2 a. formerly belonging to him had been conveyed to the trustees of the Cottenham church and causeway estate. (fn. 46) Belbouches manor house lay on the north side of the road in the area where earthworks survived in 1987. (fn. 47)