STURTON, STRETON, ESTRETON.
There was belonging to Maunsfeild in Estreton, as much as was charged to the geld at
two car. (fn. 1) The land being six car, and in King Williams time there twenty
four sochm. eleven vill. seven bord. had eight car. medow one leu. long, one qu.
broad, pasture wood one leu. long, and five qu. broad. this soc was valued at 40s. in
Oswardbec Wapentake likewise of Roger de Buslies fee, there were in Esterton two manors
which Speranoc and Archill were possess'd of before the Norman invasion; who dischared the publick taxation or Dane-geld for four bov. and an half. The land then being
known to be two car. and an half. There were two vill. two sochm. two bord. having
seven bov. in a car. or seven oxen in plow, and eight acres of meadow, pasture wood
six qu. long. and three quar. and an half broad: in the confessours time, and then also this yield two marks of silver.
(fn. 2) Thomas, son of Hugh de Stretton, gave to the church of Blyth one acre of land
in Clachescroft, which one Robert held of him, and the whole Care, which was in Neuvinge,
and an acre of meadow at Sanbrige. (fn. 3) The jury, 28. H. 3, found it not to the Kings
loss if he granted Thomas de Stretton leave to inclose his wood of Stretton, with the wong
or culture, and thereof to make a Park. John de Stretton about 15 E. 1. (fn. 4) was
hanged for felony, who held two acres and an half, and half a mess. with the appurtenances, of Walter Oliver, and half an acre of land of William, son of Adam de Stretton, and one acre of meadow of Nigellus, son of Richard de Stretton, and one rode
and an half of John Remay of Fenton, and the jury likewise found that the township of
Stretton should answer the King for his year and day.
(fn. 5) Henry le Noreys held fifteen bovats of land in Greeneley, six bovats of land in
Stretton, and one bovat in Leyrton, of the fee of Thomas de Stretton, by the service of
two gilded spurrs, which Thomas only paid, and it was of the Soc of Oswaldbek. The
jury, 30 E. 3, (fn. 6) found that Alexander, son of Henry le Norreis of Claworth, had
diverse tenants, who held of him in Stretton in the Clay by homage and fealty and 14s,
rent, and that Alexander held them of King E. 2, in capite, and that William Prat of
Stretton was cousin and heir of Walter.
(fn. 7) The jury, 7 R. 2, found that Thomas le Prat then dead, was once seized of 22s.
—d. and one pound of pepper rent of assize, issuing out of certain lands and tenements in Stretton, Fenton, South Leverton, and Wiston, together with lands in Grenly by
Retford, &c. and that Beatrix wife of John de Croftes, daughter and heir of William le
Prat (then also dead) son and heir of the said Thomas le Prat, was his cousin and heir.
(fn. 8) Philip de Baggesoore 3 E. 3. who married Hawisia, the daughter and heir of
Thomas, son of Niggellus de Stretton, who lived in the time of E. 1, claimed — in
Stretton in the Clay.
(fn. 9) Roger Smith, and Erasmus Smith, 15 Eliz. claimed against Thomas Sturton,
gent. four mess. three cotag. one dovecote, five gardens, three orchards, two hundred
acres of land, sixty-seven of meadow, one hundred of pasture, with the appurtenances
in Stourton, Fenton, and Littelborowe. (fn. 10) This Thomas Stourton was son of Thomas,
and married Frances, the daughter and heir of — Smith of Whillcots in Rutland, by
whom he had four sons, Roger, his eldest of Sturton, whose daughter Elizabeth died
unmarried, John Sturton of London his second, who had Humfr. and other children,
Edward Sturton of Norbrough in Leicest. his third, who was father of Erasmus, of whom
came, as I remember, Edward Stourton of Spalding in Lincolnshire, doctor of physick,
and Thomas Sturton of Ireland, the fourth.
(fn. 11) Rog. de Osberton is said to have held the whole town of Stretton of Alice the
countess of Ewe. Roger Monachus paid two marks for one knights fee there, in the
time of H. 3, (fn. 12) Roger de Osberton gave with Elizabeth his daughter in frankmarriage to Simon de Whitington, rent in Stretton which Galfr. de Dethek, son of
Elena, daughter of the said Simon and Elizabeth claimed 3 E. 3.
(fn. 13) There was a fine levied at Westminster that year, viz. 3 E. 3, between John
Darcy le Cusin, quer. and Raph de Boselingthorp, and Isabell his wife, deforc. of
the manor of Stretton in Le Clay, with the appurtenances; which was thereby settled
on the said Raph and Isabell for life; remainder to the said John Darcy, and his
heirs; to which John de Bolelingthorp put to his claim. (fn. 14) The jury, 30 E. 3, said
that John Darcy held the manor of Kirkeby in this county of the King in capite of
20l. value; and the manor of Stretton, of the heirs of the earl of Pembroke in socage,
by the service of 48s. per annum, and of William Prat the fifth part of a knights fee,
by the service of 3s. 2d. and that John Darcy was then his son and heir, as in Kirkeby
in Ashfeild is noted, with which this manor descended. (fn. 15) In 37 H. 6, Margaret who
had been wife of John Darcy, knight, was found to have held in dower the manor
of Stretton in the Clay, called the Upper Hall, in which there was 40s. rent of assize
issuing out of the lands of divers freeholders in Wyeston, Littilburgh, and Stretton, and in
it likewise was part of the passage over Trent, at Littilburgh, which was worth above all
reprises 5s. per annum, and in it likewise a court which besides the stewards fee yielded nothing, she was then dead, her husband died the Saturday after the feast of the
Ascension, 32 H. 6, (which cannot be 25 Mar. as in Kirkeby, but possibly of May)
William Darcy his grandchild, son of his son Richard, was fonnd to be his heir, and
then nine years old, viz. in the feast of the Epiphany, 37 H. 6, when the inquisition
was taken at Nottingham, after the death of the said Margaret.
(fn. 16) King H. 8, by his letters patents dated the first of May, 32 H. 8, granted to
George Lascells, esquire, and his heirs, the manor of Sturton, with the appurtenances;
and all mess. lands, &c. in Sturton, Wiseton, Whetley, and Littlebrough, which were late
Thomas Darcies, knight, lord Darcy attaint. His grandchild Sir George Lassells,
knight, was of great years, but left only a daughter and heir married to Sir Francis
Rodes, whose son and heir Sir Francis Rodes married Anne, one of the daughters of
Sir Gervas Clifton, mother of the present Sir Francis Rodes, baronet; and another
of his sons named Clifton Rodes, who hath some interest in this place, married Letice,
another daughter of the said Sir Gervas Clifton, but had no issue by her, he since
married Elizabeth the daughter of Mr. John Scrimshire of Cotgrave.
Here was a manor called Makarells manor, which descended to Fitz-Williams, as
in Hayton may be observed. (fn. 17) William Fitz-Williams, and George Fitz-Williams,
paid in the time of Queen Elizabeth for lands in Stretton alias, Sturton, sometime
Walter Olivers, and Philip de Sherfords, held by the service of two parts of one
knights fee, and a sixth part, 5s. 6d. 0b. dim. q.
(fn. 18) At the assizes at Nottingham 4 H. 4. John de Willughby recovered his seisin
of two mess. one tost, one hundred and sixty acrecs of land, forty of meadow, with
the appurtenances in Stretton in the Clay, and John Dogode, and Cecily his wife,
were amerced.
The priory of Matersey had also lands here, granted by King H. 8, to Sir Anthony
Nevill, knight, with the monastery, which lands after came to Sturton of Sturton, and
afterwards became the inheritance of John Millington, esquire.
(fn. 19) The vicarage of Styrton was xx mark, and the chapter of York, had the patronage: 'Tis now 5l. 7s. 3d. 0b. value in the Kings books, and the dean of York
patron.
[Pedigree] Sturton, or Streton.
The land here, at present, is open sield. Mr. Foljambe, who is lord of the manor here, owns the greatest part of the lordship; acquired, as well as other estates,
by marriage with the Hewits of Shireoaks, near Warsop.
The village contains some good houses, about fourscore in all.
The church is inferior to none in these parts; it is dedicated to St. Peter, has a
nave and side aisles, well pewed. The tower, which is handsomely pinnacled, is
light. On each side the altar is placed a tomb. On one:—"Here lieth the body
of Francis Thornhaugh, of Fenton, in the county of Nottingham, who departed this
life the XXI of April, M. D. CX, — — God. Coll: III chap: III verse."
On the other:—"Quod Relqivvm, Francisci Thornhaugh, armigeri præfecti cohortis equitum heic sitvm est cum mulies pericvlis obiectvs occvbvit Augvsti XVII,
Ann Funestissimi belli VII ætatis suæ XXXI Christi M. D. CXLVIII prolem reliquit Dilectissima conivge Elizabetha St. Andrea Johannem Elisabetham Jonam."
A large tablet here is placed to the memory of "John Hewit, esq. late of Thornhaugh, who for 27 years represented the county of Nottingham, in parliament,
and on his resignation, in 1744, received the public thanks of his fellow citizens for
his long service." After this follows a most excellent character. His name was
originally Thornhaugh; but changed his name to Hewit for a good estate. He
died in May 1787.—Arabella, his wife, daughter of the late Sir George Saville, bart.
has also a tablet to her memory.
Another monument to one of the Thornhaugh's, has a female figure as large as life.
It once had an inscription, which is now covered and fenced so that a line cannot be
made out.
Patron, dean and chapter of York. Incumbent, Rev. Thomas Hurt, vic. King's
books, 5l. 7s. 3½d. Yearly tenths, 10s. 8¾d. Archipisc. pro Syn. 2s. Archidiac pro
Prox. 7s. 6d. Val. per ann. in mans. 6s. 8d. in dec. lan. agn. porc. anc. &c.