Manorial Lordship of Caldecote facts for kids
The Manorial Lordship of Caldecote is a special kind of ownership title. It means owning the Caldecote Manor and its land. This land is found in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, England. This type of ownership began in England after the Norman Invasion. Urian Brereton was one of the first people to hold this title. Today, Paul G. Guppy legally holds the rights to this title. He acquired it on October 13, 2016.
A Look Back in Time
Before the Battle of Hastings in 1066, a woman named Edeva the Fair owned Caldecote. After the Norman Invasion, William the Conqueror ordered a huge survey. This survey was called the Domesday Book, and it was finished in 1086. It listed all the lands in England, dividing them into many manors. Each manor had a "Lord of the Manor."
At that time, the Bishop of Chester owned Caldecote. Later, around 1166, the Caldecote Manor was given to Herbert Ruffus of Walsall. It then passed to William Rufus. After William, his daughter Margaret inherited the ownership.
Later, King Henry I gave the Lordship of Houghton Regis and other manors to Dunstable Priory. This was a church group. King John supported this decision. However, this led to some trouble. A lord named Eudo la Zouche attacked the Priory's gallows. He also broke open the Priory's jail at Caldecote.
What is a Manorial Lordship?
A Manorial Lordship is not a title of nobility. It is not like being a Duke or a Baron in the modern British system. Instead, it is about owning property. Think of it as a very old form of land ownership.
This ownership title can be bought, sold, or given to someone else. It can also be passed down to a child after the current Lord or Lady passes away. In law, this title is sometimes called an "incorporeal hereditament." This means it's a right or a thing you can own that isn't a physical object.
Important Dates for Caldecote Manor
| Year(s) | Events |
|---|---|
| 1100-1199 | King Henry I gained ownership of Caldecote and its Manor. |
| 1327-1537 | During King Edward III's rule, a system called "frankpledge" was used. The abbey kept rights to Caldecote until this system ended in 1537. |
| 1541 | King Henry VIII gave the Manorial Lordship of Caldecote to Urian Brereton and his wife, Joan. |
| 1558-1603 | Queen Elizabeth I tried to give the rights of Caldecote to Thomas Reve and George Evelyn. This didn't happen. So, in 1579, the rights went to Edward Downing and John Walker. In 1590, John Pare received the lordship. He then passed it to Francis Bevell. |
| 1613-1639 | Joseph and Thomas Medgate owned the lordship of Caldecote. They had to pay a fine related to it. Thomas later transferred the title to John Smith in 1639. |
| 1654-1666 | After the English Civil War, John Smith gave the title to his son in 1654. His son then sold it to John Lawrence in 1661. Andrew Campion received the title from John Lawrence. It then went to John Hockley. |
| 1667-2019 | For a long time, no one officially claimed the title. In 1723, Justus and Ann Gerhard took over the land. But they did not claim the official title. After the Industrial Revolution, Richard Gilpin took the land of Caldecote in 1822. |
| 2020 | Captain Sir Paul G. Guppy of Canada claimed the title of Manorial Lordship of Caldecote. He is a descendant of Edward Downing. His claim was confirmed by official UK documents on October 13, 2016. |
