John, his son, was succeeded by

between Easton and the Priory. Sir Peter de Eston: he, by his daughter Joan, mentioned as Lady of the Manor in 1332: Edmund de Easton, clerk, occurs in 1345, (the seal to his Deed dated at Oxford, bearing a cross engrailed, with an illegible inscription); and Walter Eston in 1483. In the Kalendar of Obits kept at St. Mary's Priory (printed above), several benefactors of this family are registered: as, January 17, Mary late Lady of Eston; May 7, Dame Johan of Eston, and others. Who they were might have been discovered in a MS. volume (had it been forthcoming), referred to by Aubrey, "The Leiger Book of Tropenell at Col. Wm. Eyre's at Neston: where mention is made of Pierse and his coat, azure 5 milpecks or fusils. This MS." he adds "is the best key to open the knowledge of the old and lost families, which is my search."

Piers was succeeded by De Yeovilton of Somersetshire. In a Deed of about 1300, Wm. Seward of Easton grants his tenements, &c., to John de Yeovilton and Joan his wife and in 1306 the Manor suffered a recovery to Philip de Paunton and his wife, who was probably of the Yeovilton family. In 1361 Peter de Yeovilton being about to go into foreign parts, conveys his Estate at Eston, with Speckington and others in Somersetshire and Devon, to Nicholas de Yeovilton and Richard his son, upon condition that if he returns home safe, he is to have possession again. In 1396 Sir Robert de Yeovilton was owner of Easton.3 Margaret, heiress of the family, married Thomas Pain of Painshay, Co. Devon. Katharine Pain married John Sturton of Preston, and their daughter Alice Sturton was wife of William Daubeney (ancestor of Henry Earl of Bridgewater). The estate thus came to his son Sir Giles,

1 Coll. for N. Wilts, p. 68.

2 Of Dorsetshire. In 1299 Philip Paunton was of Charborough. In 1337 Juliana Paunton; the reversion to Nicholas de Ivelton (Yeovilton). In 1389 Richard Yeovilton. (IIutchins. II. 184. 186.)

3 Probably the Easton Knight, of whom an exploit is preserved in the parish annals of Castle Combe. (Mr. P. Scrope's Hist., p. 249.) "Roger Young, junior, dwelt in Castle Combe as a clothier in the time of King Edw. III., and a certain Knight, Sir Robert Yevolton, in the time of K. Rich. II., came by force of arms to beat Robert Young then dwelling in C. Combe: and the said Knight fled into the Church of that place for safety of his body."

afterwards Lord Daubeney of Petherton, Co. Som., and his wife Elizabeth (Arundel). Having been one of the opponents to the designs of Richard Duke of Gloucester, Lord Daubeney was deprived of his lands, and in 1483 (1 Richard III.) Easton was granted to Ralph Willoughby, but was afterwards restored. Lord Daubeney before his death in 1507, sold it to Thomas Essex; in whose family it remained about 57 years.

The Pedigree and Arms of Essex are given by Aubrey (Coll. I. 86) as follows:

WM. ESSEX, Lord Treasurer and

of the Privy Council: about
Hen. VIII.

SIR THOMAS ESSEX Kt.-Daughter of the Lord Sands.

THOS. ESSEX Esq., called Daughter of Sir Robert Browne
Black Tom.

of Northamptonshire.

THOMAS ESSEX ESQ.

=(Joan) Daughter of Mr. Harrison,
|a Jeweller.

SIR WM. ESSEX Kt. =(Jane) Daughter of Sir Walter Harcourt

SIR THOS. ESSEX Kt. and Bart. He was Governor of Bristowe
for the Parliament, under the Earl of Essex. A Bachelor.

Arms. 1. Azure a chevron engrailed ermine between 3 eagles displayed argent. (ESSEX.) 2. Sable, a chevron argent between 3 crescents ermine. 3. Gules, a fleur de lys argent. 4. Per fess dancetteè argent and gules. 5. Ermine.1

In 1564 Edward Essex and Anne his wife sold Easton to Sir Robert Sackville, Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations in the reign of Hen. VIII. Sir Robert Sackville the purchaser, was the father of Thomas Sackville Lord Buckhurst, first Earl of Dorset, a statesman and poet in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King

1 Aubrey gives no authority for the Pedigree and Arms above described. The Arms do not correspond with those assigned to Essex of Bewcot in Berks, [Extinct Bart.] but the Pedigree is nearly the same.

2 Chap. House Fines.

77

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death

t sister

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orna

1630,

all the

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(John is still

cribed

James I. In Nov. 1574, Lord Buckhurst sold Easton to John and Thomas Lyte, then tenants under lease: and in January 1575, they sold the Manor House and Farm to John Snell Esq., father of Sir Thomas, of Kington St. Michael's. After an interval of 48 years Sir Charles Snell, son of Sir Thomas, in the year 1623 sold1 the Manor Farm and House to John Langton of Bristol, merchant, in whose family it remained until the year 1704. A Pedigree of the Langtons, deduced chiefly from the Title Deeds, is annexed. On the 28th March 1704, the Manor was again sold, (with lands in Kington and Yatton,) by Robert Langton and Anna his wife, to Walter White Esq., of Grittleton, for £3325: on whose death without issue in 1705 it passed, by marriage of his youngest sister and coheiress Elizabeth, to Richard Salwey Esq., of the Moor, Co. Salop. He died in 1712. In 1796 this Estate, the Priory of Kington and the Down Farm, all being then the property of Wm. Hale Esq., were sold by auction, when the Manor Farm was bought by Mr. Collett, then tenant, whose son is the present owner and occupier.

The Manor House is very large and well built, in the old Wiltshire style so common in this neighbourhood, with bold gables, ornamented freestone chimneys, and casement windows. In 1630, soon after it had passed from the Snells to the Langtons, all the older house then standing was taken down and rebuilt, except the Hall and some smaller portions. The parts rebuilt by the Langtons are distinguished by dates and initials. On one chimney "I L. A L. 1630." (John and Alice Langton): on another "T L. 1664." (Thomas Langton): and on the west front "I L. 1631." (John Langton). The older part which they did not take down, is still left, and forms a north wing. Its principal window, described by Aubrey as of "peculiar old fashion," is of six lights, divided by stone mullions and crossed by one transom. Above it is another, once of like size, but now partly blocked up. The two stand out in bold projection under a sloping tiled roof. The other windows in this more ancient portion, being of ecclesiastical style with cinquefo

1 Sir Charles's reason for selling is mentioned above p. 45. The succeeding link in the history are taken from the original documents in the author's possession.