CASTLE AND BARONY
As has been seen from the early history
of the borough, Bedford was fortified
during Saxon times, traces of such fortifications still remaining in the carefully
preserved King's Ditch on the south side
of the river. (fn. 1) It has also been stated that an earlier
stronghold preceded the Norman castle, which some time
during the 11th century
became the caput of the great
local barony of Beauchamp
of Bedford. It was probably
granted to Hugh de Beauchamp by William II, who
succeeded his father the year
following the Survey, for the
barony and castle were later
found held by service of
acting as almoner at the king's
coronation. (fn. 2) Hugh de
Beauchamp has been identified as the successor
of Ralph Taillebosc, (fn. 3) and in 1086 was already
one of the largest landowners in the county;
entries of his property occur under forty-five
parishes and hamlets, embracing some 160 hides,
whilst he also owned smaller properties in the
neighbouring counties of Buckingham and Hertford. (fn. 4)
Little else is known of him, but he attested the foundation charter of Lessay Abbey at Caen on 14 July
1080 (fn. 5) and was still living c. 1091–7, about which
time he appears as a witness to a charter granted
to Ramsey Abbey. (fn. 6) His successor was Simon de
Beauchamp, in all probability his son, (fn. 7) who had
succeeded some time before 1114, about which date
he was overlord of Robert de Brienne and others in
Bedfordshire. (fn. 8) His death took place c. 1137, when
he left a daughter as heir. (fn. 9) The following year the
castle is found in the possession of Miles de Beauchamp,
described as one of the sons of Robert de Beauchamp, (fn. 10)
who is presumed to be a younger brother of Simon de
Beauchamp. Miles appears to have held in trust only,
for the king having arranged a marriage between
Simon's daughter and Hugh the Pauper, Earl of
Bedford, sent to Miles commanding him to render up
Bedford Castle to Hugh. (fn. 11) On Miles' refusal to
comply, Stephen advanced against him with a large
army, and Miles, provisioning the castle with forced
supplies from a neighbourhood which he had hitherto
treated with consideration so unusual as to call for
remark, prepared for the long blockade which formed
the usual military tactics of the period. Stephen at
first attempted an assault, but so great was the strength
of the entrenchments and ramparts that he determined
to starve the garrison into surrender. He was
strengthened in this resolution by the raids of King
David of Scotland in Northumberland, which made
his presence in the north imperative, and so he
departed, leaving Hugh le Pauper with the greater part
of his army encircling the castle. Miles and his men
were eventually obliged to surrender, but the triumph
of Hugh, 'vir laxus et effeminatus,' was short-lived, for
Miles, erstwhile humiliated and depressed, to use the
expression of the chronicler, returned elated and keen,
recovered the castle and drove out the intruders. (fn. 12)
Miles de Beauchamp, who appears to have retained
the castle, was an adherent of the Empress Maud, for
his signature is found attesting her charters in 1141
and again in 1142. (fn. 13) In 1146 the Earl of Chester
joined the king's party and took Bedford 'civitatem,' (fn. 14) and apparently proceeded to the siege of
the castle as well, for the earliest Pipe Rolls of
Henry II have an entry of 20 marks levied on the
burgesses of Bedford for being in the castle against the
king. (fn. 15) No further opposition is found to the
claims of Miles de Beauchamp to the castle and
barony, which he continued to hold till his death—
of which the date is uncertain. His heir was Payn
de Beauchamp, who is expressly so described in a
grant made by Miles of Bedford Mill to Bermondsey
Priory, (fn. 16) and who was probably the brother who in
1138 assisted in the defence of Bedford Castle. By
1155–6 both Miles and Payn were dead and Simon
de Beauchamp, son of the latter by Rohese widow of
the notorious Geoffrey de Mandeville, Earl of Essex, (fn. 17)
was under age, and his lands valued at £40 farmed
by the sheriff of the county. (fn. 18)
Beauchamp of Bedford. Quarterly or and gules a bend sable.
In 1160–1 Simon was still under the guardianship
of his mother Rohese (fn. 19) ; he is mentioned as one of
the knights of Ramsey Abbey in 1184, (fn. 20) and between
1194 and 1199 his name appears in various suits
against the Abbot of Ramsey, the Prior of Leighton
and others. (fn. 21) By 1210 he had been succeeded by
his son William, who was then declared to hold
forty-five knights' fees. (fn. 22) In 1215 after the siege of
Northampton Castle was raised the barons, representing the progressive party against John, marched
to Bedford Castle, where they were received with
respect by William de Beauchamp, who thus allied
himself with their cause. (fn. 23) On hearing of this
Falkes de Breauté, a foreign mercenary and favourite
of King John, descended on the castle during the
temporary absence of William and demanded its
surrender. The garrison held out for seven days,
when, help failing to arrive, they were obliged to
yield the castle to Falkes, to whom it was granted by
the king, together with the hand of the noble lady
Margaret Rivers in marriage. (fn. 24) During his nine
years' occupation of Bedford Castle Falkes pursued a
definite policy of rapine and plunder, and used it as
a rallying point for raids on the surrounding country.
In January 1217 he made a night attack on the
town of St. Albans, and returned to the castle with
many prisoners, men and children. For this he was
excommunicated, but, inspired by a vision and
exhorted by his wife, he professed repentance. He
obtained absolution, but characteristically enough is
stated to have returned none of his spoil. (fn. 25) His
abuse of the abbot's property at Luton and his
treatment of the thirty-two freemen there have already
been dealt with. (fn. 26) These depredations with many
others culminated in very heavy charges, more than
thirty in number, brought against him at the Assize
of the Justices Itinerant at Dunstable in June 1224.
The justices, among whom was Henry de Braybrook,
behaved with great impartiality, and, ignoring Falkes'
formidable reputation, amerced him at the rate of
£100 for each charge. (fn. 27) Falkes, who was absent at
the time, was exceedingly angry on hearing of this
sentence, and sent a message to his brother William
de Breauté, whom he had left in charge of the castle,
that he should straightway seize the justices and
carry them in chains to Bedford. (fn. 28) News of this
command coming to the justices' ears, they hastily
retired and with the exception of Henry de Braybrook succeeded in escaping. His capture aroused
great indignation, and his wife begged an audience
of the king, then at Northampton, to whom she recounted her wrongs with tears. Henry III took
counsel of those with him, and it was declared with
one accord that this seizure of a king's justice in the
execution of his office must be avenged, and that the
castle must, if necessary, be attacked.
Pacific measures were first resorted to, and messengers sent to William de Breauté demanding the
instant release of Henry de Braybrook and the surrender of the castle. William refused to yield
to any but his brother, and the king, exceedingly
wroth, prepared for hostilities by levying a special
aid. (fn. 29) The king caused unavailing search to be
made for Falkes, who meanwhile had taken refuge in
the lands of the Earl of Chester, thus arousing
momentary suspicion as to that noble's loyalty.
From thence he fled to North Wales, where
Llewellyn received him for one day, and justified his
action in the matter by claiming equally with the
King of Scots the right of receiving outlaws. (fn. 30)
Falkes subsequently returned to Northampton, but
does not reappear till after the capture of the castle.
Preparations meanwhile were carried forward with
great thoroughness, help of varying nature being
commandeered throughout the country. The Sheriff
of London was commanded to send among other
things fusees for mangonels and catapults, also a clerk
to write letters. (fn. 31) From Cambridge, Lincoln and
Windsor carpenters were to be sent with all speed
travelling by night and by day, whilst the Sheriff of
Bedfordshire was commanded to supply as many
'quarreatores' and cutters of stone as possible, with
hammers, mallets, wedges and other utensils necessary
for making catapults. Northampton was ordered
to send fifty good picks and two loads of good
Gloucester iron, and all the smiths there were to
work day and night till 4,000 quarell bolts were dispatched. Cords were supplied from many places as
far afield as Dorset, which sent £10 worth, whilst
at the later and more critical stage of the siege a
general summons was sent to Cumberland ordering
all who held there of the king in chief to come to his
army at Bedford. Almonds, spice and ginger were
ordered for the royal still-room, greyhounds were
sent for sport, whilst large quantities of wine were
requisitioned from the royal stores at London,
Northampton and from St. Ives.
The siege, which was destined to last nearly two
months, began about 22 June. The attacking party
had a petrary and two mangonels constantly battering the tower on the eastern side, two mangonels
attacked the ancient tower on the west, whilst two
more, one on the north and one on the south, continually made breaches in the walls. In addition to
these ordnance the besiegers constructed two wooden
towers, rising higher than and commanding the
whole castle and its interior, from which the bowmen
and archers let fall a constant shower of arrows. In
addition the besiegers were busy undermining the
walls, being protected in their operations by the use
of the timber-covered way known as the Cattus.
The besieged party appear to have shown as great
determination as their opponents, and early in the
siege refused to parley, whereat the king swore in
anger, by the soul of his father, that if the defenders
were taken by force they should all be hanged on
gibbets, an oath to be fulfilled later with grim
precision. Four stages mark the eventual capture of
the castle. The barbican was first taken, when four
or five were slain. Entrance was next effected by the
men of Dunstable to the outer ward of the castle.
The loss of life was now very severe, and the munition of the castle, which was kept here, fell into the
hands of the besiegers, who burned the outhouses in
which the corn and hay were stored, but retained
the horses with their harness, the arms and the live
stock which they found. Meanwhile the miners had
been working to some effect, and the wall near the
ancient tower on the west now fell down, and an
entry was forced into the inner bailey; the resistance
here was very desperate, so much so that ten men of
Dunstable were carried prisoners into the castle.
Finally on the Vigil of the Assumption (14 August)
at the hour of vespers, the miners having undermined the old tower, fired the props. The besieged
seeing smoke issue forth and cracks appear in the
walls, at last realized that their position was untenable.
Margaret, Falkes' wife, together with all the women,
Henry Braybrook and other imprisoned knights were
sent out of the castle and the royal flag hoisted in
token of submission. The defeated garrison remained
the night in the tower, but the following day were
brought before the king and his justices, and after
having received absolution from sentence of excommunication pronounced early in the siege, were
almost without exception hanged. Eighty, including
William de Breauté, suffered this fate; three were
spared at the request of the Templars to fight in the
Holy Land; whilst the chaplain of the castle, whose
fate has not been traced, was handed over to the
spiritual power. Falkes, who had been deceived by
the belief that his castle could stand a year's siege,
hearing of this unexpected disaster, threw himself on
the mercy of the king, by whom he was treated with
some clemency. Having been deprived of his lands,
he was exiled to the Continent, (fn. 32) where he died a
year later on his way to Rome. Five days after the
surrender the king issued orders for the destruction
of the castle: the sheriff was ordered to fill up the
trenches and level the surface of the outer ward,
whilst the walls of the inner ward were to be reduced to one-half their former height, and three of
the four ancient towers were to be laid low. The
stones resulting from such destruction were to be
assigned for building purposes to William de Beauchamp, to whom the site of the castle was now
restored, to Caldwell Priory and to Newnham Priory,
to the latter being assigned the larger share in
consequence of having supplied stones for shot during
the siege. (fn. 33) A few days later this order was enforced
by another directing Henry de Braybrook (who must
have taken peculiar pleasure in his duty) to see to its
prompt execution. William de Beauchamp was to
be allowed to build a dwelling-house on the site of
the castle, but it was not to be crenellated. (fn. 34)
William de Beauchamp did not submit to these
conditions without a protest, and even attempted to
evade the king's orders, but in vain, and the work of
destruction was accomplished. (fn. 35) With the close
of this memorable siege the history of Bedford Castle
ceases to be important, and it might be well to conclude it here before passing on to the later history of
the barony. On the partition of the Beauchamp
property amongst female co-heirs, the site of the
castle descended with that portion of the barony
which passed to the Moubrays. A three-weekly
court baron was held here from the 13th to the
15th century, (fn. 36) and a fishery in the Ouse and a
mill were also attached. (fn. 37) In 1361 it is described as
a void plot ' of old inclosed with walls,' (fn. 38) whilst a
few years later the castle, including the courts
and 5s. rent, amounted in value to 14s only
yearly. (fn. 39) In 1383 the value with appurtenances
had risen to 40s. (fn. 40) The site was worth 10s. in
1399, because it was neither built on nor inclosed. (fn. 41)
In 1457–8 the steward of the castle returned 53s. 4d.
from profits of herbage from the castle mound; the
fishery, then on lease, brought in 26s. yearly, whilst
the profits of fifteen courts baron amounted to
33s. 9d. (fn. 42) By Leland's time (fl. 1506–62) the
castle mill still remained, but there were no buildings;
he mentions, however, the 'great round hill' as a
burrow for foxes, and notes 'a place called Falxherbar
against the castle,' an interesting relic of Falkes de
Breauté's occupation. Camden, writing a generation
or so later, speaks of the ruins of the castle as still
overhanging the river on the east side of the town.
The site appears to have been used as a fortification
during the Civil War. In 1645 the Bedford Parliamentary Committee is found writing to the Lord
General, ' The mount is still defended with violence
by Captain Hudson and his soldiers who use it as a
refuge and a prison.' (fn. 43) It at this date belonged to
Thomas Snagge, of Marston Moretaine (cf. history
of barony), and already there was built on part of
the site the original Swan Inn, which has since
given place to a building erected in 1794 by the
Duke of Bedford. (fn. 44) In 1658 the site was purchased
from Thomas Snagge by John Hutchinson, the proprietor of the 'Swan Inn,' and after divers intermediate purchases and descents became the property
of Captain John Staines (or
Stands), from whom it was
purchased in 1787 by the
Duke of Bedford, (fn. 45) from
whose family it has recently
passed by sale to Mr. Higgins.
The foundations of the keep
can still be traced; the flat
summit of the mound was for
more than 200 years used as
a bowling-green, and within
the last year, after twenty-five
years' cessation, has again been
used as a bowling-club. The
mound stands about 25 ft. high, and is about 180 ft.
across the summit; the slopes are planted with trees,
and the middle has been excavated out to form a domed
brick ice-chamber. About 100 yards to the north,
in the garden of a private residence adjoining, is a
smaller mound partly built over.
Snagge of Marston Moretaine Argent three pheons sable
Returning to the history of the barony after the
destruction of the castle in 1224, William de Beauchamp is found restored to his former dignities, and
in 1236 claimed to act as almoner at the coronations
of the sovereigns of England as Baron of Bedford.
His claims are set forth with much detail as follows:
The cloth which was spread under the king's feet,
from the room where he assumes the regalia to the
pulpitum in Westminster Abbey, was laid down by
the almoner, who, after the ceremony, gave that
part which was in the church to the sacristan, the
remainder going to the poor. He also claimed all
right of jurisdiction over beggars in case of disputes
arising; further, he claimed the silver almsdish which
was used on this occasion, and a tun of wine. (fn. 46)
William de Beauchamp was summoned to perform
military service in Wales as knight of Ramsey Abbey
in 1245, but sent in his place Godfrey de Drivval. (fn. 47)
He and his second wife Ida appear in the Annals of
Dunstable as great oppressors of the religious houses.
In 1247 Newnham Priory suffered much damage from
the extortions of his steward. (fn. 48) Seven years later, on
the death of Prior Walter, Stephen the Canon was
installed as his successor, with the consent of the
bishop. William, to whom the advowson of the
priory belonged, marked his protest at the non-recognition of his right by driving him out of St. Paul's
Church with threats, then took him by the hand, and,
leading him to the choir, installed him as prior. (fn. 49)
The same year the Abbot of Warden brought seventeen suits against him, and, on his refusal to appear,
his barony was temporarily seized by the Crown. (fn. 50)
At this date he conveyed his castle and barony to his
son William by fine, (fn. 51) which conveyance was recognized by the king on payment of 500 marks. (fn. 52) He
died in 1260, (fn. 53) when the barony would appear to
have passed to his eldest son Simon, who must have
died very shortly after, leaving a daughter Joan. (fn. 54)
She does not appear to have survived her father long,
and the barony next passed to his brother William
de Beauchamp. He died in 1262, (fn. 55) and his brother
John de Beauchamp, the last feudal Baron of Bedford,
died in 1265 fighting against the king at Evesham. (fn. 56)
The barony was now subdivided between the three
sisters and co-heirs of the two last barons—Maud
wife of Roger de Moubray, Beatrice wife of Thomas
Fitz Otho and Ela wife of Baldwin Wake.
To Maud the eldest sister passed the site of the
castle, the manors of Hawnes, Stotfold and Willington
with lands in Wotton, Bromham and Barford in
Bedfordshire and Lincelade Manor in Buckinghamshire. (fn. 57) Roger de Moubray,
her first husband, died in
1266, when she married Roger
Lestrange, who survived her
and held this portion of the
Bedford barony until his own
death in 1311. (fn. 58) John de
Moubray, grandson of
Maud, (fn. 59) then succeeded. He,
who married Aliva daughter of
William de Braose, (fn. 60) joined
the insurrection of Thomas
Earl of Lancaster, and was
hanged after the battle of Boroughbridge in 1321–2.
He left a son and heir John, who was restored to
his father's estates in 1327, (fn. 61) and died in 1361,
when he is described as holding ' a certain lordship in
Bedford.' (fn. 62) His son, John de Moubray, died seised
of a third of Bedford barony in 1368. (fn. 63) John de
Moubray, his son, was little more than three years old
at the time of his father's death; nine years later, at
the coronation of Richard II, he was created Earl of
Nottingham, (fn. 64) and on the same occasion his claim,
together with that of Lord Latimer, to exercise the
office of almoner was admitted. (fn. 65) He died in
1382 without having attained his majority, and was
succeeded by his brother Thomas de Moubray, a
youth of sixteen, (fn. 66) who in 1397 was raised to the
title of Duke of Norfolk, and in 1399–1400, on the
death of his maternal grandmother, became Earl of
Norfolk. He died in the same year, (fn. 67) leaving a son
Thomas, aged fourteen, whose death took place in
1405, when his brother John, aged seventeen, succeeded him. (fn. 68) His widow Constance married John
son of Reginald Grey, Lord Ruthin, and in 1414,
together with her husband, she recognized the right
of John de Moubray to this part of the barony. (fn. 69)
John de Moubray died in 1461, (fn. 70) leaving a son and
heir John, who died without male heirs in 1475–6,
when his daughter Anne, aged three, succeeded him. (fn. 71)
When only five years of age a marriage was arranged
between herself and Richard Duke of York, younger
son of Edward IV, who obtained a grant of the
dignities and estates of his wife's father. (fn. 72) She died
whilst still an infant, and after the murder of the duke
in the Tower, in 1483, this part of the barony of
Bedford, together with the castle site, reverted to
William Viscount Berkely, (fn. 73) a direct descendant of
the Moubrays in the female line. (fn. 74) In 1487–8 he
received licence to alienate them to Sir Reginald Bray,
Minister of State to Henry VII. (fn. 75) Edmund Lord
Bray succeeded his uncle, and
held this barony in 1538, in
which year he made a settlement of it by fine on Sir
Thomas Audley and others. (fn. 76)
He died in 1539, (fn. 77) when this
interest passed to Sir Edward
Bray, kt., who in 1569 alienated the barony and castle
by fine to Thomas Snagge,
eldest son and heir of Thomas
Snagge of Letchworth, co.
Herts., and Thomas Snagge
the younger his son. (fn. 78) The
former, who subsequently became a serjeant-atlaw and Speaker of the House of Commons, (fn. 79)
held the castle site and the barony till his death
in 1594, (fn. 80) when Thomas his son, who was
knighted in 1603, succeeded him. He claimed to
act as almoner at the coronation of James I, when
Lord Burghley was appointed to serve the office
with a salvo jure to Sir Thomas Snagge and William
Gostwick. (fn. 81) In 1620, together with his wife Agnes
daughter of George Rotherham, (fn. 82) he made a settlement preparatory to proving his title to the castle
and one-third of the barony. (fn. 83) He died in 1626, (fn. 84)
and in 1634 his son, also Thomas, appears to have
made a settlement of this, among other property, on
his wife Anne daughter of Edmund Mordaunt, grandson of John Lord Mordaunt of Turvey. (fn. 85) This
last-named Thomas Snagge died in 1642, (fn. 86) and it
was his son Thomas who alienated the site only of
the castle by sale in 1658 as related above. This
family have, however, from time to time asserted
their claim to act as almoner. At the coronation of
James II, when the Earl of Exeter served the office,
his claim was declared to be recognized pro hac vice
with a salvo jure to Thomas Snagge and Sir George
Blundell. (fn. 87) Again at the coronation of William
and Mary in 1689 the office of almoner was
claimed by Sir Francis Blundell, bart., and by
Thomas Snagge of Marston-Moretaine (then a
minor); when Sir Francis Blundell was appointed
to perform the duties of the office with a salvo jure
to Thomas Snagge. (fn. 88) Sir Thomas Snagge, kt.,
judge of county courts for Bedfordshire and a
deputy lieutenant for Oxfordshire, tenth in male
line of descent from Serjeant Snagge the Speaker,
now represents the Snagge interest.
Moubray. Gules a lion argent.
Bray. Argent a cheveron between three eagle's legs razed sable.
To Beatrice, second sister and co-heir of the
Bedford barony, passed as her share of the inheritance
the manors of Dilewick, Wootton, Cardington, Ronhale
and Bromham, with twenty knights' fees extending
into various parishes in Bedfordshire. (fn. 89) On the death
of her first husband, Thomas Fitz Otho, she married
William de Monchensey (whom she predeceased),
who held her estates till his own death in 1286. (fn. 90)
Maud daughter and heir of Beatrice and Thomas
Fitz Otho married John Botetourt, (fn. 91) and in 1328
made a settlement on her daughter Elizabeth wife of
William Lord Latimer, to whom this moiety of the
barony now passed. (fn. 92) William Latimer died in
1335, and his widow married Robert Ufford, and
was still living in 1366. (fn. 93) William Latimer
her son claimed to act as almoner at the coronation of
Richard II in 1377, (fn. 94) and died four years later, when
his daughter Elizabeth wife of John Nevill of Raby
became his heir, (fn. 95) though she did not acquire possession till the death of her mother in 1384. (fn. 96)
John Nevill died in 1388, (fn. 97)
his wife, who subsequently
married Lord Willoughby de
Eresby, surviving till 1395. (fn. 98)
John Nevill Lord Latimer,
son of the above Elizabeth and
John, married Maud widow
of the Earl of Cambridge,
and, having no issue, in 1418
settled his Bedfordshire and
other estates on his halfbrother on his father's side,
Ralph Earl of Westmorland. (fn. 99) John Nevill's death
took place in 1430, (fn. 100) and
George Nevill, fifth son of Ralph (who had predeceased his half-brother in 1425), succeeded him,
being raised to the title of Lord Latimer in the
following year. (fn. 101) He died in 1469, when his grandson Richard son of Henry Nevill, then aged one
year, was declared to be his heir. (fn. 102) He married
Anne daughter of Sir Humphrey Stafford, and in
1500, in conjunction with his wife on the occasion of
Lord Willoughby's claim to the barony of Latimer,
is found making a settlement of all his Bedfordshire
property on the Archbishop of Canterbury and other
trustees. (fn. 103) He died in 1530, and was succeeded by
John Nevill his son. He, who was a zealous Catholic,
took part in the Pilgrimage of Grace, and was one of
the nobles selected to treat with the king's forces,
subsequently receiving pardon. His third wife was
Katherine Parr, who later became sixth and last wife
of Henry VIII. On his death in 1543 John Nevill,
his son by his second wife, acquired his titles and
estates, (fn. 104) who dying without male issue in 1577 left
four daughters as co-heirs. They were Katherine
wife of Henry Earl of Northumberland, Dorothy
wife of Thomas Cecil, Lucy wife of Sir William
Cornwallis and Elizabeth wife of Sir John Danver,
who in 1579 combined to make a settlement of this
barony on Thomas Somerset and other trustees. (fn. 105)
Various settlements of the barony were made by
these co-heirs during the next ten years, the Bedfordshire property eventually passing to Dorothy wife of
Thomas Cecil. (fn. 106) In 1603
Thomas Cecil, who had meanwhile succeeded his father as
Lord Burghley, was admitted
to act as almoner at the
coronation of James I in right
of his wife. (fn. 107) Two years
later he was created Earl of
Exeter. His wife died in
1608–9, (fn. 108) and he survived till
1622–3. He was followed by
his son William, who died in
1640, when his various dignities and estates passed to David
Cecil grandson of Thomas
and nephew of William. (fn. 109)
David Earl of Exeter was succeeded in 1643 by his son
John, then aged fourteen years. Amongst the claims
made at the coronation of Charles II his right as
seised of the barony of Bedford to be almoner was
accepted. The earl was absent at the coronation,
Sir George Carteret acting as his proxy, and it was
expressly agreed that the earl should not be prejudiced
thereby. (fn. 110) He made a settlement of the barony by
fine in 1670. (fn. 111) He died seven years later, and his
son John, together with Thomas Snagge and Sir
George Blundell as co-heirs of the Bedford barony,
preferred a claim to the office of almoner at the
coronation of James II, with the rights and privileges claimed by William de Beauchamp early in
the 13th century—viz. the silver alms basin, the
fine linen towel, the distribution of all the cloth
spread on the ground on which their majesties
walked and a tun of wine. The silver almsdish and
cloth only were allowed, and the Earl of Exeter appointed pro bac vice. (fn. 112) He died in 1700, and the
Earls of Exeter have ever since retained this interest,
though they have long ceased to hold any property in
the county. Brownlow Earl of Exeter, son of the
last-mentioned earl, suffered a recovery of the barony
in 1748. (fn. 113) In 1754 he was succeeded by his son
Brownlow, whose duties at the coronation of
George III are thus described: 'Two breadths of
blue broad cloth are spread all along the middle of
the Passage from the stone steps in the Hall to the
Foot of the Steps in the Choir, ascending the Theatre,
by order of the Lord Almoner for that day amounting in all to 1,220 yards which Cloth is strewed
with nine baskets full of sweet herbs and flowers by
the Strewer of Herbs in ordinary to his majesty
assisted by six women, two to a basket, each basket
containing two bushels.' (fn. 114) Henry Cecil, nephew of
Brownlow Earl of Exeter, suffered a recovery of the
barony in 1776 (fn. 115) and succeeded his uncle in 1793. (fn. 116)
He was created Marquess of Exeter in 1801. At the
coronation of George IV his son Brownlow acted
as almoner, receiving the accustomed perquisites of
silver alms basin and the cloth upon which the
sovereign walked. (fn. 117) At subsequent coronations this
office has not been exercised, as there has been no feast.
Nevil, Lord Latimer. Gules a saltire argent with a ring sable thereon.
Cecil, Earl of Exeter. Barry of ten pieces argent and azure six scutcheons sable with a lion argent upon each.
There now remains to be traced that third of the
barony which passed to Ela de Beauchamp wife of
Baldwin Lord Wake. She left three daughters and
co-heirs, Ida, Elizabeth and Joan. Elizabeth, the
second daughter in point of age, wife of John de
Hoobury, (fn. 118) died without direct issue in 1315, when
her ninth part reverted to the heirs of her sisters and
no further individual reference has been found to
it. (fn. 119) Ida eldest daughter of Ela married John de
Steingrave. Her ninth of the barony included Keysoe
Manor and lands in Wotton, Bromham, Lincelade
and Houghton Conquest. (fn. 120) Her daughter and heir
Isabel married first Simon de Patishull, and second
Walter de Teye. By her first husband she had a son
John de Patishull, who entered into possession of his
mother's estates in 1324–5. (fn. 121) He was summoned to
the King's Council as a baron in 1342, but this meeting
is not considered technically as a Parliament. (fn. 122) His
daughter Katherine, sister of William de Patishull,
who eventually became one of her brother's co-heirs,
married Robert de Tudenham, who died in 1361–2. (fn. 123)
She survived her husband many years, dying in
1383 seised of rights in the court of the barony
of Bedford, held every three weeks and worth
nothing beyond reprises. (fn. 124) John de Tudenham
her son died in 1392 seised of this fraction of
Bedford barony. (fn. 125) His heir was his son Robert
de Tudenham, then aged twenty-six and upwards.
On his death in 1406 he was succeeded by a
son, also Robert, then under age. (fn. 126) He died in
1418, his heir being his brother Thomas, (fn. 127) from
whom this interest passed to his sister Margaret wife
of Sir Edmund Bedingfield. She died in 1474, (fn. 128)
this interest in the barony remaining in the Bedingfield family until 1540, (fn. 129) when Sir Edmund Bedingfield, kt., combined with other members of the same
family to convey it by fine to John Gostwick and
Joan his wife. (fn. 130) William Gostwick, son of the
above, preferred a claim to the office of almoner at
the coronation of James I, the solitary instance of
the office being claimed in this line of descent, (fn. 131)
and no further mention has been found of the
Gostwicks asserting their right to the privileges
attached to this portion of the barony, from which all
the lands formerly attached had long been alienated. (fn. 132)
The ninth part of the barony of Bedford which
passed to Joan third daughter of Ela follows the
same descent as Cardington Manor (q.v.). Joan
married first Michael Pigot, and second Ralph Paynel.
By the former she had a son Baldwin, who predeceased her, and whose son John Pigot succeeded his
grandmother in 1318. (fn. 133) The descent (which has
been traced in detail under Cardington) may be
briefly summarized as follows:— By the marriage of
Dorothy granddaughter of John Pigot with James
Gascoigne this property passed to the Gascoignes, by
whom it was retained in the direct line till towards
the close of the 16th century. (fn. 134) About that time
John Gascoigne (fl. 1586) left two daughters, Dorothy
wife of Sir Gerard Harvey, kt., of Thurleigh and
Elizabeth wife of Sir George Blundell, (fn. 135) whose claim
to 'one-third' of the barony was acknowledged in
1612. (fn. 136) In 1685 Sir George Blundell, kt., a descendant
of Elizabeth, claimed to act as almoner at the coronation of James II, and though the Earl of Exeter was
awarded the privilege, a special salvo jure was allowed
to Sir George Blundell. (fn. 137) At the coronation of
George IV in 1821 William Henry Whitbread
claimed 'as being possessed of one-third of the Barony
by conveyance from William Nailour Blundell to
Samuel Whitbread, father of Petitioner.' (fn. 138) No
further trace has been found of this last remaining
part of the Bedford barony.