RO1/5

Copy of Royal Grant

22 Sep 27 Charles II [1675]

From: 1675 To: 1675

whereas: Charles I by Letters Patent dated at Oxford 13 April 22 Charles I [1646] for securing £12,912 granted to John Ashburnham esquire, one of the grooms of the bedchamber, Right Honourable Lettice Viscountess of Falkland, since deceased, and Sir Edward Nicholas knight, late one of the King’s principal secretaries of state -all those parks commonly called the Great Park, Brockborough alias Brogborough Park and Beckerings Park with appurtenances in Bedford, parcel or reputed to be parcel on the Honour and manor of Ampthill and also all the deer within the said park and all the buildings etc. belonging and all woods and timber. with proviso for redemption. whereas: Charles I by writing under sign manual 14 April 1646 declared that although £8,912..2..9 part of the said £12,912 was expressed in the said Letters Patent to be due to the said John Ashburnham and to be part of the consideration for the said grant, yet the parks should go absolutely to said John Ashburnham charged only with the residue of the said monies due to said Lady Falkland and Sir Edward Nicholas as a reward for his service and not in satisfaction of the said debt of £8,921..2..9 and that he would convey the same to John Ashburnham. John Ashburnham later paid to Lady Falkland and Sir Edward Nicholas the debts due to them by Charles I and they conveyed their interest in the said park to him. Recites: Letters Patent under Great Seal 15 July 13 Charles II [1661] (recited in RO1/1) whereas: John Ashburnham esquire, grandson and heir of said John Ashburnham deceased has besought King to grant him reversion and inheritance of said parks as promised by Charles I. now: King grants to John Ashburnham the grandson -Ampthill Park (as in RO1/1) -park or late park or enclosed ground called Brockborough alias Brogborough Parke, parcel or reputed to be parcel of the Honour of Ampthill, in Lidlington and Ridgmont :E. common fields of Lidlington :W. common fields of Ridgmont containing 641 acres 3 roods -mansion house or lodge called the Chiefe Lodge towards the NE. of the said park within the parish of Lidlington, the barns, stables and courts belonging, and other appurtenances. -messuage called the Little Lodge with appurtenances towards S. part of the said park. -other park or late park or enclosed ground called Bickerings Park, in Ridgmont, Steppingley, Lidlington and Millbrook, parcel or reputed to be parcel of said honour of Ampthill. :N. and W. fields of Ridgmont :S.and W. fields of Steppingley :E. and N. fields of Lidlington :S. and E. warren of Millbrook containing 707 acres -mansion house or lodge about the middle of the said park within the parish of Ridgmont, with all appurtenances -messuage called the Little Lodge in part of the park near Steppingley to John Ashburnham and his heirs and assigns for ever to be held of the King as of his manor of East Greenwich, Kent in free and common socage. paying 40s per annum at Lady Day and Michaelmas to be void if John Ashburnham does not enrol these presents before the auditor of Bedford within 6 months. Examined by G Boucher and Richard Whitborne

item

Boucher, G.,
Whitbourne, Richard,
Charles I,
Ashburnham, John,
Cary, Lettice [Viscountess Falkland],
Nicholas, Edward

DEEDS, legal papers, Ampthill Great Park, AMPTHILL, Letters Patent, Brogborough Park, Beckerings Park, Honour of Ampthill, Ampthill Manor, deer, woods, timber, LIDLINGTON, RIDGMONT, STEPPINGLEY, RIDGMONT, MILLBROOK, East Greenwich Manor [Kent]