Reference
FAC79
Title
Photocopies from the Ashburnham diary held at East Sussex Record Office (their ref ASH 1166) containing
details of the descent and ownership of Brogborough and Beckerings Park
Date free text
1661-1680
Production date
From: 1661 To: 1680
Scope and Content
B No 3 'Mr John Ashburnham's 1st lease from the Crown of his parks in Bedfordshire Dated ye 15 of July 1661'
reciting letters patent of Charles I dated at Oxford 13 April 1646 to secure £12912 owing to His Majesty said King Charles
granted to John Ashburnham, Lettice Viscountess Falkland (since December) and Sir Edward Nicholas
- Great Park, Brogborough Park, and Beckerings Park in Bedfordshires, parcel of the Honour and Manor of Ampthill
with ground, soil, deer house, timber and trees
dependant on any grant for life or years made of the premises of
Record or not of Record proviso for redemption
By deed of 3 July 1661 [See SA/M 1] of John Ashburnham and Sir Edward Nicholas enrolled in Chancery surrendered to ye King it now is, the Parks etc
Queen Henrietta Maria's trustees by deed of 6 July surrendered to the King, the interest to the Queen's Majesty, which the King accepted
The King by letters Patent of 13 July 1661 [See S/AM 2] has disfranchised and disparkt the premises to the intent that they may be
disposed of to the King's best profit and advantage
The King in consideration of the surrender of the letters patent and premises and £5000 paid to Queen by John Ashburnham, by advice of Earl of Southampton, Lord High Treasurer of England, grants to John Ashburnham
- Ampthill Great Park, ground and soil therof, in parishes of Ampthill, Millbrook and Hoton, parcel of Honour of Ampthill
East and South Ampthill Warren
West and North Millbrook Fields
and in other part thereof
North Hoton Field
Southerly common way from Ampthill to Hoton
in other part: on close or park called Hoton Park
(total: 1650 acres 1 rood)
- Mansion House or Lodge called the Great Lodge in the Park,in the part thereof which is in Ampthill parish
- Brick building called the Stand in the Park near Ampthill Warren toward the South
- Little Lodge in the Park near the Highway leading from Ampthill gate to the great lodge toward the west
- late enclosed Park called Brockborough Park (part of Honour of Ampthill) with ground and soil lying in the parishes of Lidlington
and Ridgmont
East common fields of Lidlington
West Ridgmont common fields
(total 641 acres 3 roods)
- Chiefe Lodge situate towards North part of the Park and in Lidlington parish
- Little Lodge situate towards - of the said park
- late enclosed ground called Beckerings Park with ground and soil, situate in parishes of Ridgmont,Steppingley, Lidlington and Millbrook (parcel of Honour
of Ampthill)
N Ridgmont Field
South and West Steppingley Field
East Lidlington Field
South and East Warren of Millbrook
(total 707 acres)
- lodge lying in about the middle of the Park and within the parish of Ridgmont
- Little Lodge in said parish lying on the part of the said park which is the parish of Steppingley (all great timber trees and saplings
like to be timber trees in the several parks, Mines Royall and mines of copper, lead and tinne excepted)
term - 40 years from Michaelmas 1661
rent - £40 per annum for Ampthill Great Park
- £40 per annum for Brockboro Park
- £20 per annum for Beckerings Park
payable half-yearly. 1st payment to be at Lady Day following.
A covenant for repairs
A covenant to have houseboot, hedgboot etc by the assignment of the Surveyor General
A covenant that lessee shall receive the Michaelmas profits next
That lessee shall plant 30 oaks and Ashes. Stra ight thriving trees and deliver a terrier in parchment expressing the metes and
boundaries so as the same may be certainly known and divided from other lands next adjoining
the lessee to enjoy premises not withstanding the not receiving of any lease or letters patent or indentures of lease now in being or
the misnaming, not naming or ill naming of the premises
With proviso that if the rent be not paid within 60 days of the lessee shall not enroll this present indenture before the King's auditors of
Bedfordshire, then lease to be void.
B No 4 King's lease to Mr John Ashburnham of the Bedchamber for 40 yrs being his 2nd lease for 40 years
date 21 July 1666 [See H/DE 1]
consideration - several sums Mr John Ashburnham had disbursed to King's royal father and Queen Consort which did not appear when the other lease of 40 yrs was granted by the King it now is his command at the expiry of the lease for 40 years
With this Indorsement there upon
After this the patent of the inheritance being obtained by the Honourable Mr John Ashburnham the Cofferer was inrolled the 1st day
of October 1675
B No 5 A lease of Parte of Beckerings Park to Thomas Bayley for 21 yeares
Mr John Ashburnham's lease to Thomas Bayley of Edlesborough dated June the 20th 1663 (first reciting the King's grant to him) of
part of Beckerings Park late in Latimer Jennsons possession and lately divided from it in James Noells possession for 21 years from Michealmas 1663. Rent £180 and £5 an acre for every acre ploughed in Homewood or in the great Mead, the New Close, the Barn Close, the Calves Close, Lyfield Corner, Brewers Hill
Re-entry for non payment in 30 days
A covenant not to comitt to waste
To repaire
To pay all tenants taxes
To spread ye muck on the premisses
Not to let the Premises without licence
To set every year 30 young straight thriving oaks and ashes to preserve [them] when planted & others which are likely to prove timber
To make a terrier once in 7 yeares in Parchment so as the lands be certainly known from other lands there next adjoining
A covenant that the Landlord shall pay Landlords taxes ordinary and extraordinary. As also ye Kings rent of £20 per annum
That the tenant may grub up any stumpes
To take by landlords assignment sufficient houseboote, hedgeboot, or dig turf in the moors of the Park not exceeding 10 acres
B No 6 Mr John Ashburnhams mortgage of ye Parks to his Brothers
Mr John Ashburnham by his deed dated January ye 4th 1661 [See S/AM 14] mortgages his 2 Parks of Brockborough and Beckerings for £3000 for his whole term of 40 yeares then unexpired with proviso of redemption paying £3180 on ye 5th of June 1662
B No 7 The Cofferers Assignment of ye Parks to his nephew Mr John Ashburnham
Mr William Ashburnham by deed dated June ye 7th 1677 [See RO 1/6 & H/DE 5] assignes ye 2 Parkes of Brockborough and Beckerings to his nephew the better to enable him to make a settlement for a joynture for Bridget Vaughan his intended wife & for provision for ye children. Reciting ye deeds which convey the same from the King to Mr John Ashburnham & from his to his brother, the Cofferer
B No 8 The lease of Beckerings Park to Richard Denbigh
Mr William Ashburnham by deed dated September 30th 1674 letts Beckerings to Richard Denbigh for 12 years. Rent £160 per annum & £5 an acre for every acre ploughed in Fryers Grove and Lodge Lees from Michaelmas last commenced
[with various covenants including:]
To plant 2 oakes or Ashes and furrow ye young saplings etc
That 20 acres shall be in tilthe and fit to be sowed at the end of the term
B No 9 Joane Bayley with her Sonnes William and Robert's Bond
Joane Bayley upon the death of her husband and her landlord Mr John Ashburnham's interest into Bond with her two sonnes William and Robert Bayley of £500 to Mr William Ash[burnham] the Cofferer conditioned for the payment of the rent of 5 [illegable] & perfomances of covenants in the deed marked B No 5
Memorandum April 29 [16]81 delivered to Mr John Ashburnham B No 5
B No 8 B No [illegable]
B No 10 A Survey of Brogborough Park in Bedfordshire containing 621 acres 1 rood & 4 perches made to divide the said Park into 5 equall parts according to value made according to the best skills of the able and best experienced persons inhabiting near the Park and by Mr J A Selby in December 1650. Another made 1679.
B No 11 A new Survey of Brogborough 1679
B No 11th [?] Ambrose Ruddle holds by lease bearing date March the 25th 1685 for 21 years, part of Beckerings Park.
Rent for the 3 1st years £150 and the remaining 18 £160 per Annum half yearly
B No 16 John Denbigh hold part of Beckerings Park by lease bearing date Michaelmas 168[0?] for 21 years at the rent of £160 per annum half yearly
Exent
5 pages
Format
photocopies
Gift from East Sussex County Record Office, Pelham House, St Andrews Lane, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1UN on 10 November 1981"
Level of description
item