Manor of Withycombe

The manor of Withycombe was a historic manor in Somerset, England. It was centred on the village of Withycombe, 2.5 miles (4 km) south east of Dunster, and 5 miles (8 km) from Minehead and was largely co-terminous with the parish of Withycombe. In about 1212[1] the manor was split into two separate sub-manors, which took various names over time, dependent on the family name of their lords. By the 16th century the names of the two manors were "Withycombe Wyke" (or Weeke, etc.) and "Withycombe Hadley". The former manor house of Withycombe Hadley survives as Court Place in the village of Withycombe.

Court Place, situated in the village of Withycombe, the former manor house of Withycombe Hadley

History
Arms of Hadley: Gules, on a chevron or three cross-crosslets sable
19th century stained glass in Dunster Church, showing arms of Thomas Luttrell (died 1571), showing arms of Luttrell with an inescutcheon of pretence of Hadley quartering Durborough of Withycombe (Or, on a bend cotised sable three horse's heads and necks argent bridled or)

Domesday Book

The Domesday Book of 1086 lists Withycombe as one of the vast possessions of Geoffrey de Montbray (alias Montbrai, Mowbray) (died 1093), Bishop of Coutances, whose tenant there was Edmer. His heir was Robert Mowbray, who forfeited his estates to the crown for rebelling against King William II, who regranted many of the Somerset estates to the Mohun family, henceforth feudal barons of Dunster. Thus Withycombe was held from the barons of Dunster as overlords, by the service of grand serjeanty of providing a wagon with two men and eight oxen for one day carrying hay.[2]

Hadley

The Hadley family inherited the manor of Withycombe by marriage to the heiress of the Durborough family.[3] The family also held the manor of Williton Hadley and further estates in nearby Watchet.[4] Christopher Hadley (1517-1540),[5] was the last Hadley lord of the manor. He married Anne Hill, daughter of Sir Giles Hill, who survived him and remarried to Lewes Stucley (1529–1581),[6] lord of the manor of Affeton in Devon, Standard Bearer to Queen Elizabeth I. Christopher Hadley's only son Arthur Hadley died without progeny[7] and thus his eventual sole heir was his daughter Margaret Hadley, the wife of Thomas Luttrell (died 1571), of nearby Dunster Castle in Somerset, feudal baron of Dunster, Member of Parliament for Minehead from 1563 to 1567 .[8] and Sheriff of Somerset in 1570–1. Thus the manor of Withycombe passed to the Lutterells, whom it is worth remarking, as feudal barons of Dunster had been the feudal overlords of the Hadleys at Withycome Hadley. At some time before 1777 John Fownes Luttrell acquired the other sub-manor of Withycombe Weke,[9] and thus the manor of Withycombe was unified to its pre-1212 position. The coats of arms of the Durborough and Hadley family are visible in Dunster Church and in Dunster Castle, quartered by Luttrell.

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References
  1. Victoria County History, Withycombe Manors and Estates
  2. VCH
  3. Manor of Withycombe had been inherited from the Durborough family Victoria County History, Withycombe Manors and Estates
  4. Victoria County History, Withycombe Manors and Estates
  5. Date of birth of Christopher Hadley from Collinson, Rev. John, History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset, Vol.2, Bath, 1791, pp.47-8
  6. Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.721, pedigree of Stucley
  7. Collinson
  8. See his History of Parliament biography
  9. VCH
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