ASHTEAD
Stede (xi cent.), Akestede (xiii cent.), Ashstede
(xiv cent.), Asshested (xv cent.).
Ashtead is a village 2 miles south-west from
Epsom, a mile and a half north-east of Letherhead.
The parish measures 3 miles from north-west to
south-east, and rather under 2 miles from south-west
to north-east, and contains 2,645 acres.
The parish lies in the normal way for parishes on
the north side of the chalk downs, with one end upon
the chalk, the village and church upon the narrow
belt of the Woolwich and Thanet beds, and the
other extremity reaching on to the London Clay,
which rises in Ashtead Common to a height of 270 ft.
On the common is a spring of the nature of the
Epsom well. Here there is a large extent of open
common and wood, but the open fields and open
chalk land pastures at the south-eastern part of the
parish have been inclosed.
The parish is mainly agricultural, but there are
brickfields and special brick and tile manufactories at
the Ashtead Brick Works in Barnett Lane. Messrs.
Peto & Radford have electrical accumulator works,
and Messrs. Cadett & Neall photographic dry-plate
and paper works.
The road from Epsom to Letherhead passes through
Ashtead, and the joint London and South Western
Railway and London, Brighton, and South Coast
Railway Companies' line has a station at Ashtead
opened by the London and South Western Railway
Company in 1859.
On the top of Ashtead Common is a camp, or
inclosure. Coarse hand-made pottery, calcined flints,
and flint flakes occur in and near it. Round the
church is a well-defined rectangular inclosure. In
1830, when the church was restored, a considerable
number of Roman tiles and part of a hypocaust were
found in the inclosure, with fragments of tile ornamented with a raised pattern, and in one case figures
of animals. The last is figured by Brayley. (fn. 1) The
trackway or road across the downs, described under
Mickleham, is about half a mile to the north-east.
The rectangular inclosure, with these Roman remains,
is worth comparison with the rectangular inclosure at
Pachevesham described under Letherhead. The fields
immediately outside it are called the Upper and the
Lower Bury Fields.
Samuel Pepys records in his diary a visit to Ashtead,
his 'old place of delight,' where he was obliged to
stay owing to Epsom being too full to accommodate
any more visitors. He found a lodging with a
Farmer Page in a little room in which he could not
stand upright. The house of a cousin of his, who
had formerly lived in Ashtead, was then occupied by
Mr. Rouse, called the Queen's Tailor.
In a map of the late 18th century, (fn. 2) Ashtead Common Field is marked south of the church and southeast of the village. It was inclosed before the Tithe
Commutation of 1836, but no Act or Award is known.
Ashtead Park, the seat of Mr. Pantia Ralli, is a
house built late in the 18th century in place of the
old house which stood rather nearer the church.
Ashtead Grange is the seat of Mr. W. T. Birts;
Forest Lodge of Mr. Augustus Meyers; Caen Wood
of Captain Warner. Many new houses are springing
up about Ashtead.
Near the station is an extensive recreation ground,
which is a favourite resort of schools and other parties
from London during six months of the year. There
is an institute and a working-men's club in the village.
The parish is supplied with gas by the Epsom
Company, and with water by the Letherhead
Company.
The chapel of ease of St. George, near the station,
was built in 1905. It is a red brick building in the
13th-century style. There is also a Baptist chapel,
which was built in 1895.
The old Rectory House at Lower Ashtead was
replaced by the present house, the gift of Colonel
Howard, in 1823. The rectory was enlarged in
1845.
In 1725 Mr. David White, who had been a bricklayer of Ewell, left South Sea Annuities for the
education of 8 poor children. A school was then
started, the first in the parish. (fn. 3) The present school
was built in 1853, at the cost of the Hon. Mrs.
Howard, and enlarged in 1861, 1895, and 1900.
Another school was built in 1906. They are both
under the County Council.
MANORS
A manor of ASHTEAD is mentioned
in Domesday: it had been held by
Turgis of Earl Harold, and after the
Conquest it became the property of the Bishop of
Bayeux, who granted it to his canons of Bayeux. (fn. 4–6)
If this was the manor of Great Ashtead, the canons
must have lost it before the end of the 13th century, (fn. 7)
for it is then found as part of the honour of Reigate,
being held of the Earls of Surrey in socage by the
service of 1 mark. (fn. 8) It so continued for a century, (fn. 9)
until in 1397 Richard Earl of Surrey and Arundel,
grandson of Edmund Earl of Arundel (who married
Alice heiress of the Warennes Earls of Surrey), was
attainted and beheaded, (fn. 10) and his estates passed to
the Crown. (fn. 11) Thomas son of the Earl of Arundel
was restored to the title, but dying in 1415 without
issue, his Warenne estates passed to his sisters and
co-heirs. One of these, Elizabeth, had married
Thomas Mowbray, created first Duke of Norfolk.
Ashtead ultimately remained with the Mowbray
family, until John fourth Earl of Norfolk dying
(1475) without male issue, his estates passed to his
only daughter Anne: she died childless in 1481, and
her co-heirs were the representatives of her two greataunts, the daughters of Thomas Mowbray, first Duke
of Norfolk, and Elizabeth Arundel. (fn. 12) The estates
were divided, and the chief rent payable by the
manor of Ashtead came to the Howards, Dukes of
Norfolk. (fn. 13) Thomas the eighth Duke of Norfolk was
attainted in 1546, and although he was restored on
the accession of Queen Mary, his moiety of the
honour was retained by the Crown, and after this the
manor was held of the Crown in chief.
At the beginning of the 13th century the manor
was held in sub-fee by Henry de Mara, who, dying
before 1260, left a daughter or granddaughter
Matilda. (fn. 14) In 1260 Peter son of Peter de Montfort
forcibly took possession, ejecting Walter de la Hyde
and his wife Joan from a moiety of the same, which
Walter and Joan held by virtue of the wardship of
Matilda. Possibly Peter the younger was already at
this date the husband of Matilda. (fn. 15) In 1286 Peter
settled the manor on his son John and the heirs of
John by his wife Alice de la Plaunche (fn. 16) : this John
obtained a grant of free warren in 1292. (fn. 17) He
leased the manor to his brother William, and died in
1296, before the lease had expired, so that at his death
the manor was in the hands of Robert Winchelsey,
Archbishop of Canterbury, and the co-executors of
William's wil. (fn. 18) His son John was five years old when
he succeeded to the property: he joined in the murder
of Piers de Gaveston, but was pardoned and summoned
to Parliament, 1313. (fn. 19) The following year he was
killed at Bannockburn, and, leaving no issue, was
succeeded by his brother Peter, who was in holy
orders, but who obtained a dispensation, and was
knighted. (fn. 20) Peter's only son Guy married Margaret
daughter of Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, (fn. 21)
a marriage arranged to put an end to many suits
which were constantly taking place between the two
families, who were related, and whose estates in many
places adjoined. (fn. 22) Peter settled the manor of Ashtead
on Guy and Margaret in tail, with reversion to the
Earl of Warwick. Guy died before his father, and
his widow took the veil at Shouldham, co. Norfolk, (fn. 23)
upon which the earl entered into possession, and
obtained in 1352 a grant of free warren. (fn. 24) He died
in 1369, and his son Thomas Beauchamp conveyed
the estates to Sir Baldwin Freville and Sir Thomas
Boteler, heirs of Peter de Montfort. (fn. 25) Freville was
son of Peter's sister Elizabeth, who had married Sir
Baldwin Freville, and Sir Thomas Boteler was
husband of Joan granddaughter of Maud, the other
sister, who had married Bartholomew de Sudeley. (fn. 26)
These two made a partition of the Montfort estates, and
the manor of Ashtead fell to the share of Sir Baldwin
Freville (1382). (fn. 27) He was twice married, and left a
son, who died in 1400, leaving a son (fn. 28) (two years old)
and three daughters. The son died a minor and without issue, and the Freville estates were divided among
the daughters, (fn. 29) Ashtead remaining ultimately with
Joyce wife of Sir Roger Aston. (fn. 30) Their son Robert
held a court as lord of the manor in 1442, (fn. 31) and died
seised of the manor 1464–5 (fn. 32) ; he was succeeded by his
son John, who died in 1483, (fn. 33) and whose son, John
Aston, (fn. 34) was made a Knight of the Bath on the
marriage of Arthur, Prince of Wales, 1501. (fn. 35) He died
in 1522, leaving a son and heir Edward, (fn. 36) who granted
the site of the manor to Thomas Frank and his wife
Agnes for their lives, for a yearly payment of
23 marks: in this grant mention is made of the
commons and warrens as belonging to the site. (fn. 37) In
1543 Aston granted to the king in exchange for
other lands the manor of Ashtead: he discharged
the king of all rents except 13s. 4d. yearly payable
to the Duke of Norfolk as chief lord. (fn. 38)
Freville. Or a cross paty gules.
Aston. Party cheveronwise sable and argent.
The following year the king granted the reversion
of the manor for 21 years after the death of Thomas
Frank and his wife to William Tanner of Nonsuch,
rendering yearly £15 9s. 4d. (fn. 39) In the same year the
manor was augmented by the purchase of lands in
Ashtead from Nicholas Leigh, 'the king's servant.' (fn. 40)
Philip and Mary (1556) granted to Anne widow
of Edward, Duke of Somerset, in full satisfaction
of her dower, the reversion of the site of the
manor, and also the manor itself, which by an
error is described as 'parcel of the lands and possessions lately purchased of the Abbot of Bermondsey.' (fn. 41) In 1563 Elizabeth granted to Henry, Earl
of Arundel, for the sum of £725 8s., the reversion of the site and manor to hold by the service of
one-fortieth of a knight's fee. (fn. 42) His son died before
him, without issue, and he divided his estates
between his two daughters—Joan wife of John.
Lord Lumley, and Mary wife of Thomas Howard,
Duke of Norfolk. He settled Ashtead on himself, with remainder to the Duke of Norfolk, (fn. 43) but
the duke being attainted and beheaded in 1572 (fn. 44)
the remainder escheated to the Crown. Philip, Earl
of Arundel, son of the duke, prayed the queen to
grant him the remainder that he might sell the
manor to pay his debts; (fn. 45) she granted the site and
demesne lands to William Dixe in trust for him, (fn. 46) and
in 1582 Philip conveyed these to Lord Henry Seymour, second son of Edward, Duke of Somerset, for
£1,390. (fn. 47) He sold them to John Ballett, (fn. 48) who,
according to the plea of Edward Darcy in a suit
which took place in 1601, conveyed them in 1593 to
Edward Darcy and his wife Elizabeth. (fn. 49)
In 1601 Henry Newdigate laid claim to the site
and demesnes of the manor on the ground that Philip,
late Earl of Arundel, and William Dixe had sold them
to Francis Newdigate, second husband of the late
Duchess of Somerset. Francis dying without issue
was succeeded by his nephew John; this John conveyed the premises to his son Henry, the plaintiff,
and his heirs after him. He affirmed that the deed
of conveyance had come into the hands of Edward
Darcy, who took possession of the premises; (fn. 50) Edward
Darcy evidently proved his title, for he still had the
site of the manor in 1605. (fn. 51) In 1639 it was in the
possession of Christopher Fitzgerald and his wife
Mary, who in that year conveyed it to Henry, Lord
Maltravers. (fn. 52)
Meanwhile the queen in 1595 granted the manor
to Elizabeth Darcy and her sons Robert and Christopher for their lives, (fn. 53) but James I soon after his
accession restored Thomas son of the attainted Philip,
Earl of Arundel, to his blood and the title of Earl
of Arundel and Surrey, (fn. 54) and granted the manor to
him, (fn. 55) and he probably acquired the site and demesne
lands. His mother and he exhibited their bill in
Chancery against Richard Turner, Augustine Otway,
and others, tenants of the manor, to ascertain the customs
depending upon view of the Court Rolls of the manor
of Ashtead; (fn. 56) the matter was referred to the Attorney-General Coventry, who settled it as follows:—
1. That the copyholders' estates should be reduced
to be estates of inheritance in fee simple, and that in
regard thereof the lord of the manor should have
two years' value of the copyhold tenements according to a moderate valuation.
2. That all the fines ought to be arbitrable.
3. That heriots ought to be paid for copyholds
that have no messuages upon them in the same way
as for messuages and lands.
4. That copyholders might take timber upon their
customary tenements (except the coppices of which
the lords used to have the woods) for reparation of
their houses, and for ploughbote, firebote, and other
botes incident by law and custom, without assignment by the lord's officers, as long as they committed
no waste or needless consumption of the timber and
woods growing upon their lands.
This opinion was, by the consent of all parties,
ratified and confirmed on 20 November 1622 by
John, Lord Bishop of Lincoln, Lord Keeper of the
Great Seal, and by a decree in Chancery the defendants and their heirs and assigns were bound to
carry out the decision. (fn. 57)
Thomas, who in 1644 was created Earl of
Norfolk, was succeeded by his son Henry whose
son Thomas (1652) settled the manor on Henry,
Earl of Kingston, and others in trust for his wife. (fn. 58)
Charles II restored this Thomas to the title of
Duke of Norfolk; he died unmarried (1677),
and was succeeded by his brother Henry. (fn. 59) In
1679 a bill was brought before the House of
Lords for vesting this manor among other of his
estates in trustees for the payment of certain mortgages and debts, with power to sell for that purpose.
The bill appears to have dropped; (fn. 60) but in 1680
the duke sold Ashtead Manor to Sir Robert
Howard, kt., (fn. 61) son of the first Earl of Berkshire, who
the following year received licence to inclose a common-way leading from Epsom to Ashtead, and to
hold the same so inclosed to himself and heirs on condition that he provided a similar road elsewhere or on
his own land. (fn. 62) Sir Robert immediately built a new
house, which Evelyn visited in 1684. (fn. 63) His only son
and heir died in 1701, leaving the manor to his widow
Diana, daughter of the Earl of Bradford; she married
William Fielding, and after the death of the son of
her first marriage, Thomas Howard, restored the
manor, with the site, free fishery, and free warren, to
the Howard family, settling it on Henry Bowes, Earl
of Berkshire, (fn. 64) with remainder to his fifth son,
Thomas Howard, in tail male. This Thomas, who
eventually succeeded to the earldom of Berkshire, left
no son, and the manor of Ashtead passed to the
daughter of an elder brother; she married (1783)
Richard Bagot, who assumed the name of Howard
and held Ashtead in right of his wife. He rebuilt
the manor-house almost completely in 1790. Their
only daughter and heir married the Hon. Colonel Fulk
Greville Upton, who also took the name of Howard. (fn. 65)
She survived till 1877. The manor then passed to
her cousin, Lieut.-Colonel Ponsonby Bagot. He sold
it in 1880 to Mr., afterwards Sir Thomas, Lucas,
who sold it in 1889 to Mr. Pantia Ralli, the present
lord of the manor.
A park was inclosed before 1650, when it was
included in a conveyance of the manor. (fn. 66) It is
mentioned also in a settlement of 1693. (fn. 67) In a
survey of Great Ashtead (fn. 68) of the reign of Edward VI
it is mentioned that the farmers of the site of the
manor rendered the equivalent of 12 couple of
rabbits and 12 pairs of pigeons, probably in respect
of the warren of Ashtead.
By the custom of the manor the copyholds descend
to the youngest son, (fn. 69) and daughters of copyholders
are co-heirs. (fn. 70)
LITTLE ASHTEAD, or PRIOR'S FARM
LITTLE ASHTEAD, or PRIOR'S FARM, a
reputed manor, was in the possession of the Prior and
canons of Merton before 1291, as in the Taxation
of Pope Nicholas they were rated 13s. 4d. in respect
of it. (fn. 71) In the 14th century
reference is found to the Prior
of Merton's lands and tenements in Ashtead. (fn. 72) The
Commissioners of Henry VIII
valued the farm at £6 per
annum. (fn. 73) At the dissolution
of the monastery in 1538 it
passed to the Crown, (fn. 74) and
Queen Mary gave it to Anne
Duchess of Somerset for life. (fn. 75)
Merton Priory. Or fretty azure with eagles argent at the crossings of the fret.
In 1578 Elizabeth granted it to Robert Newdigate
and Arthur Fountain, (fn. 76) who
afterwards conveyed it to
Francis Newdigate, husband of the late Duchess of
Somerset. He died without issue, having devised it to
Henry grandson of his eldest brother. Henry granted
the manor to George Cole (1604), (fn. 77) who is mentioned
as holding it of the king as of his manor of East
Greenwich, and leaving it by will to his second son
Thomas. (fn. 78) In 1650 Thomas conveyed it to John
Wall in trust for Peter Evans, (fn. 79) who died 1661, leaving a son and heir Peter. This Peter conveyed the
estate to Leonard Wessell, (fn. 80) and it was sold by him
to Robert Knightley (afterwards knighted), whose
grandson John (1713) suffered a recovery of the
manor, and probably sold it to Aquila Wyke, (fn. 81) who
settled it on his daughter on her marriage with
Charles Brown; she died childless, and it descended
to Aquila Dackambe as heir-at-law of Aquila Wyke.
His grandson of the same name held it. It is now
part of the Ashtead Park estate.
There was a customary messuage in Ashtead called
'le Howse' alias Talworth, and also a tenement
called 'Dicks,' which were the subject of a lawsuit in
the reign of Queen Elizabeth. (fn. 82)
CHURCH
The church of ST. GILES has a
chancel 29 ft. 3 in. by 13 ft. 4 in. inside,
north vestry, north chapel (now organchamber); nave, 53 ft. 2 in. by 18 ft. 9 in.; north
transept, 34 ft. 2 in. deep by 15 ft. 10 in. wide, and a
short aisle, 17 ft. 9 in. wide, connecting it with the
organ-chamber; south porch, and west tower 11 ft. 5 in.
by 10 ft. 3 in.
A number of Roman bricks mixed with the flint
and stone of the south wall of the nave, and a
window on the north side with Roman bricks in the
head (as at Fetcham), removed in 1862, suggest an
early origin for the building, and there is a slight
change in the walling west of the south doorway and
porch, pointing to the lengthening of the nave before
the tower was added. The chancel is not set square
with the nave, but bends southward, and was probably
rebuilt in the 13th century, a lancet window formerly
in its walls having been removed, it is said, to the
modern vestry.
The arch in the north wall of the chancel appears
to be old, and probably opened into a 15th-century
chapel; but Cracklow's plan (1829) shows the church
as consisting only of chancel, nave, north porch, and
west tower, the last having been built in the early
part of the 16th century. The north transept dates
from 1862, and in 1891 a general restoration took
place, when the vestry was added, and all the windows
which had not previously been modernized were replaced by new work.
The chancel has an east window of three trefoiled
lights under a pointed segmental arch, a south-east
window of two trefoiled lights, and a square-headed
south-west window of three cinquefoiled lights, all the
tracery being modern. The chancel arch is also
modern, with square jambs and a pointed twochamfered arch, and the axial line of the chancel is to
the south of that of the nave and also deflects to the
south.
The nave retains no ancient features beyond the
south wall already mentioned, and the south doorway,
which is of the 15th century, with moulded jambs and
two-centred arch. The jambs inside retain the old
draw-bar holes.
The tower is of three stages, and is coated with
cement; its two western angle-buttresses and the
south-east stair-turret are of brick; the west doorway
is of two hollow-chamfered orders, and has a threecentred arch in a square head with a modern label;
the door is also old, and has vertical ribs studded
with square-headed nails. The window over it is a
modern one of three plain lights under a square head,
and in the second stage are two modern lancets piercing
the west wall. The third stage is lighted on each side
by similar lancets, and the parapet is of flint and
stone, and is embattled.
The cedarwood of the roofs came from Woodcote
Park, and the design is intended to reproduce 15th-century work; the chancel has arched and foiled
trusses and a panelled ceiling with moulded ribs and
carved bosses. The nave has traceried trusses with
angels at the wall-plates, and is likewise panelled, and
the transept has a similar roof; the faint aromatic
smell of the wood is exceedingly pleasant.
The 18th-century altar-table was brought from
Woodcote Hall, and has shaped, curved legs, and
the octagonal font is of the 15th century, with
quatrefoiled panels on the bowl inclosing roses and
shields; on the chamfer beneath are carved faces and
shields alternately; the stem is also panelled and
the base moulded, and over it is a tall, modern oak
canopy.
The glass in the east window of the chancel comes
from Herck near Maestricht, and appears to date from
c. 1550; the main subject is the Crucifixion, with the
figures of St. Mary and St. John; at the foot are panels
with (1) St. George and the Dragon, (2) St Anne, the
Virgin and Child, (3) an abbess kneeling, behind her
a Cistercian abbot with a small dog by his side; and
a shield charged quarterly (1) sable (?) a lion gules;
(2) quarterly 1 and 4 argent a lion sable, 2 sable
a lion or, 3 barry of six, over all a lion sable;
(3) gules five fusils in fesse argent; (4) gules ten
bezants, in dexter chief a canton argent with two
embattled bars sable.
In the chancel floor are two small brass inscriptions,
the first reading:
BODLÆI CONJUX, FROMOUNDI FILIA, CHRISTI
SERVA SUB HIS SAXIS ELIZABETHA JACET.
UNDER THIS STONE LIES ELIZABETH BEREFTE OF MORTALL
LIFE,
CHRIST'S FAITHFULL SERVAUNT FROMOUND'S CHILD AND
BODLEY'S LOVING WYFE.
DIED THE 2ND MARCH ANNO DNI 1591.
The other brass is inscribed: HERE LYETH BURYED
THE BODYE OF JOHN BROWNE ESQUIER LATE SARGEANT
OF HER MAJESTIES WOOD YEARD AND EDITH HIS LATE
WIFE WCH EDITH DECEASED THE . . . OF JULY 1590.
There are several 18th-century and later gravestones.
On the north wall of the chancel is a brass plate to
Dorothy wife of Robert Quennell, 'Pastor of this
church,' 1640; and there are other monuments to
Henry Newdigate, second son of John Newdigate of
Harefield, Middlesex, 1629; William Duncomb,
rector, 1698–9, and Philadelphia his wife, 1724–5;
Lady Diana Fielding, daughter of the Earl of Bradford,
1733, and others.
There are eight bells by Mears and Stainbank,
1874.
None of the pieces of the Communion plate are of
great age, the earliest being a standing paten of 1710;
there are also a cup of 1847, a flagon of 1889, an
almsdish of 1847, and a Victorian stand-paten with
an illegible hallmark.
Ashtead Church from the South-east
The first book of the registers contains baptisms
from 1662 to 1698, and marriages and burials, 1662
to 1699; the second book has baptisms 1699 to 1784,
marriages 1691 to 1754, and burials 1699 to 1783;
the third contains the printed forms of marriages
from 1754 to 1812; and the fourth continues the
baptisms and burials from 1782 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The church of Ashtead is mentioned in the Taxation of Pope
Nicholas, where it is valued at
£13 6s. 8d. (fn. 83) The advowson of the church belonged
to the lord of the manor. From 1302, and probably
before then, a vicar was presented by the rector, whose
benefice in 1331 was endowed by the bishop with
the small tithes. The last institution of a vicar
appears to have taken place in 1482. (fn. 84) In 1291 the
tithes were held by the executors of the will of William
de Montfort, (fn. 85) to whom John de Montfort, his
nephew and lord of the manor, had leased the manor
of Ashtead. (fn. 86)
In 1543 Sir Edward Aston conveyed to the king
the advowson of the church with the manor, (fn. 87) and in
the various grants of the manor in this and the three
following reigns the Crown always reserved the
advowson; (fn. 88) but when James I granted to Thomas
Earl of Arundel the manor of Ashtead he must have
included the advowson, for the earl held it in 1624. (fn. 89)
In 1619 Peter Quennell presented and again in
1647, (fn. 90) the lord of the manor having the alternate
presentation in 1639. (fn. 91) The MSS. of the House of
Lords contain an application for an order for William
King to be instituted and inducted to the rectory of
Ashtead in 1647. (fn. 92) He was a Puritan minister ejected
for nonconformity in 1662, (fn. 93) when Elkanah Downes
was presented to the living by — Downes, merchant. (fn. 94)
He died in 1683, and the next presentation was by
Sir Robert Howard, kt., who had bought the advowson from Henry Duke of Norfolk. (fn. 95)
For nearly a century more it remained with the
Howard family, as lords of the manor. In 1782 and
1826 the bishop presented, and in 1822 the Hon. F.
Grenville. (fn. 96) The living is now in the gift of the
Rev. F. G. L. Lucas, the present incumbent.
King Edward VI granted to Sir Anthony Archer
one acre of land called 'Cotton Acre' in the common
field, formerly applied to maintaining a lamp in Ashtead Church. (fn. 97)
There was in the parish church a perpetual
chantry of the value of 5 marks. (fn. 98) This was evidently
the chantry established in 1261, when the Prior of
Newark undertook to maintain three chaplains in the
'chapel of Estede,' to pray for the soul of Henry de
Mara, his ancestors and heirs. (fn. 99) The keeping up of
the chantry was the occasion for continual litigation,
which went on from 1364 till 1493, between the
heirs of De Mara and successive Priors of Newark.
The dispute began on account of the original endowment of a sum of 250 marks, which presumably
the Prior of Newark spent, so that the endowment for chaplains was not forthcoming. (fn. 100) It would
seem that before 1364 there had been continual
irregularity in providing chantry priests, for Bishop
Edington had to ordain two in 1346 and two in
1347, which looks as if his predecessor had neglected
to fill up vacancies. (fn. 101) In 1493 the complainants,
John Aston and others, obtained a writ compelling
the prior to provide an endowment. (fn. 102) No chantry,
however, seems to have existed in Ashtead Church at
the time of the suppression of the chantries. (fn. 103)
CHARITIES
Smith's Charity is distributed as in
other Surrey parishes.
In 1712 Mrs. Sarah Bond left £500
for the relief of the poor.
In 1733 Lady Diana Fielding left money for the
support of six poor widows, for whom a house was
built on the Epsom road. It has since been rebuilt
for the accommodation of eight poor widows.