A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes). Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1992.
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A P Baggs, M C Siraut, 'Thurloxton: Manor and other estates', in A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes), ed. R W Dunning, C R Elrington( London, 1992), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/pp319-320 [accessed 28 September 2024].
A P Baggs, M C Siraut, 'Thurloxton: Manor and other estates', in A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes). Edited by R W Dunning, C R Elrington( London, 1992), British History Online, accessed September 28, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/pp319-320.
A P Baggs, M C Siraut. "Thurloxton: Manor and other estates". A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes). Ed. R W Dunning, C R Elrington(London, 1992), , British History Online. Web. 28 September 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/pp319-320.
MANOR AND OTHER ESTATES.
Until 1066 six thegns held in parage an estate called Tetesberge, which William de Mohun, lord of Dunster, held in 1086 with Hugh as his under tenant. (fn. 1) Before 1177, presumably following the death of his tenant, another William de Mohun had custody of Toteberga, (fn. 2) which probably soon after acquired the name THURLOXTON from Reyner Tornach or Thurlac, tenant of William for 1½ knight's fee in 1166. (fn. 3) Thurloxton was still held of the honor of Dunster in 1520. (fn. 4)
Reyner's daughter is said to have married Simon le Brett, who had evidently died by 1195 leaving a son Simon and a daughter Cecily. Cecily inherited Thurloxton (fn. 5) and married John of Bigbury, perhaps also called John of Thurloxton. Cecily gave land in Thurloxton perhaps including the manor to Taunton priory. Her son Henry of Bigbury confirmed her gift, (fn. 6) and in 1258 the priory held the manor. (fn. 7) By 1291 the income was assigned to the pittancer of the priory; (fn. 8) in the 15th century it was paid to the prior, pittancer, sacrist, steward, and cellarer. (fn. 9) The priory continued to hold the manor until the Dissolution. (fn. 10)
The Crown let the manor to Sir Thomas White in 1554 (fn. 11) and in 1557 granted it in fee to William Babington and his wife Elizabeth. (fn. 12) Babington sold it to Henry Portman and others in 1564. (fn. 13) In 1566 Portman's fellow purchasers released their rights to him (fn. 14) and the manor descended in the Portman family like Clavelshay in North Petherton. All the land had been enfranchised by 1943. (fn. 15)
There is no record of a capital messuage. A dovecot was mentioned in the 15th and 16th centuries. (fn. 16) Thurloxton Farm, adjoining the churchyard, was said in 1763 to be 'good enough for any nobleman' (fn. 17) and in 1791 was 'a small house with neat gardens'. (fn. 18) It was substantially rebuilt in the mid 19th century, but incorporates the structure of an earlier house.
John Bole was a free tenant of Thurloxton manor in 1539, (fn. 19) and in 1548 John Hodges or Balle held Bollyshay or BULLENSHAY, (fn. 20) which by the late 18th century belonged to the Harrisons, owners of Leversdown. (fn. 21)
LEVERSDOWN belonged to John Pratt (d. 1600). Pratt is said to have married Catherine Popham, possibly the daughter of Marmaduke (d. 1558), who held land in Thurloxton in 1555. (fn. 22) Leversdown passed from Pratt to successive sons, John (d. 1643), John (d. 1668), John (d. 1731), and John, who died in 1741 without issue and whose sister Mary married John Keyt, lord of Creech St. Michael manor. (fn. 23) Mary (d. 1757) settled Leversdown on Elizabeth Blake of Glastonbury in 1752 for her marriage to William Harrison of Thurloxton. (fn. 24) Harrison was succeeded in 1788 by his son William (d. 1811). Francis, a younger son of William, owned Leversdown in 1838; (fn. 25) he lived at Bullenshay Farm and was dead by 1861. He was probably succeeded by his nephew Dr. Richard Strong (d. 1867). (fn. 26) By 1894 the estate had been split up and Leversdown House was owned by Col. N. Lowis. (fn. 27) Mr. A. H. D. Gibson owned the house in 1985.
The old house at Leversdown, described as a large stone building in 1791, is said to have stood north of the present house. (fn. 28) It was probably demolished c. 1834, (fn. 29) and the new house erected by 1840. (fn. 30) Part of it had been taken down by 1887, (fn. 31) leaving a roughcast, two-storeyed, threebayed house with a recessed central porch.