Staines: Other estates

OTHER ESTATES.

It is not known whether any of the villeins at Staines mentioned in Domesday Book (fn. 1) were free, but there was at least one freehold, possibly of some size, at Yeoveney in the later 12th century, (fn. 2) and by the 13th century the parish contained a large number of small freeholds. (fn. 3) Many of these consisted of a house and a few acres, and estates of as much as 20 acres seem to have been few. (fn. 4) Among the more important freeholders was Thomas of Oxford who held over 200 acres in Staines and adjoining parishes in the late 13th century. (fn. 5) About 1335 either he, or another man of the same name, and Alan atte Mount were each said to own 40s. worth of land in Staines. (fn. 6) Sir Nicholas Brembre (d. 1388), lord mayor, acquired an estate in Staines, Stanwell, and Yeoveney, which was given after his execution to Westminster Abbey. (fn. 7) Several owners of neighbouring estates held lands or rents in Staines. Among these were the owners of Stanwell, Hammonds, Knollers, and Cleremont manors in Stanwell, (fn. 8) of Pates in East Bedfont, (fn. 9) and of La Hyde or Billetts in Laleham. (fn. 10) The last of these held perhaps the most substantial appurtenant estate in Staines: in 1366 part of it, comprising land and 31s. rent, was granted to Westminster, and another 48s. 10d. rent to Ankerwyke Priory (Bucks.). (fn. 11) Ankerwyke's property in Staines later consisted of an inn, a house and land called Foster's, near Hale Mill. (fn. 12) It passed from Ankerwyke to Henry VIII's short-lived foundation of Bisham. (fn. 13) Chertsey Abbey had a small property in Staines, possibly acquired under John. (fn. 14) Hurley Priory and Hounslow Friary both had very small lands or rights in Staines, probably appurtenant to their property in Stanwell. (fn. 15) In 1543 St. Stephen's College, Westminster, was granted property in Staines which it lost on its dissolution four years later. (fn. 16) St. George's, Windsor, acquired houses near the church and land in the open fields in 1457. In the 16th century their Staines property amounted to some 26 acres but by the time it was transferred to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1867 it had rather diminished. (fn. 17) St. George's seem to have held part of their property of Staines manor, part of Grovebarns, and part of the vicar. (fn. 18)

No large estates seem to have been formed after Westminster Abbey gave up demesne farming in Staines. By 1844, apart from Westminster's Yeoveney estate of nearly 400 acres, (fn. 19) and the vicar's glebe (c. 55 a.), (fn. 20) the Cooper's Company, as trustees of Henry Strode's Egham charity (founded 1703), owned about 70 acres, (fn. 21) and six other persons owned between 50 and 100 acres each. Of the remaining 185 freeholders and copyholders only five persons owned over 15 acres. (fn. 22) In the early 20th century John Ashby was said to be one of the principal landowners. (fn. 23)