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Tithegston. Being a coheiress she may have brought a parcel of Newton into that line at a later period than 1429, when in the Beauchamp Survey, after "Comes Warwick Domin: suum de Newton Notash," we find "Gwenlliana Norris, Feod. s. de Newton Notash." She was also of "Penlline," which afterwards was held with the manor of Tithegston.

With regard to the origin of the third manor, little is preserved so as to be accessible. John and Joan Le Eyre are recorded to have held fees at "Cantleston, Newton Nottage, South Comely, and Lanmihangel" (it is supposed circa 1429). There was a Joan D'Eyre, daughter of Margaret Cantelupe. It must be acknowledged that the severance of the original grant of the Earls of Gloucester into two manors cannot be clearly traced. From some fragments of an early document relative to it, South Comely, long treated as a distinct manor, seems to have been once included in the limits of Newton. However this may have been, "the Herbert Manor," coming through the Hortons of Cantleston to Sir Mathias Cradock, was transmitted with Cornely Lower to the Herberts of Swansea. "The Lougher Manor" descended from the Turbervilles, a younger branch of the Coity stem, to the Loughers, lessees of Neath Abbey Grange at Sker, and from them to the Knights of Somersetshire and Bristol. It is now the property, by purchase, of the representatives of the late Sir J. J. Guest, Bart., M.P.

The descent of the original Demesne retained with the seigniory of Glamorgan may be traced from the Public Records. It was held by Joan of Acre, daughter of Edward I., jointly with her husband, Gilbert de Clare, (the Red Earl).--See Calendar of Inquisitions, 35 Edward I. From the same authentic source we find, in 1349, Sir Hugh Le Despencer the grandson, (23 Edward III.) and in 1375, Sir Edward, his nephew, held it. By the marriage of Isabella, daughter of the unfortunate Thomas Le Despencer, Earl of Gloucester, it came to the two Beauchamps, Earls of Warwick and of Worcester, and is thus entered upon their Relicts' death:

ARCH. CAMB., NEW SERIES, VOL. IV.

2 A

"18 H. VI. Isabella Comitiss Warwic'. "MARCH S Newton Notassh, Domin: et Maner: WALLIE.Newton Notassh 4ta pars unius feodi."—Vol.iv. p. 195.

The names of "William Wells” (23 Edward III.), and of "John Daundesey" (50 Edward III.), as well as that of " Edward, Duke of York, brother of Constantia, relict of Thomas Le Despencer," appear connected with this manor, apparently as trustees for the various purposes of dowers. From the Warwick family, through the Lady Anne Neville, it came by marriage to Richard III., and after the battle of Bosworth was granted "inter alia" to Jasper of Hatfield, Earl of Pembroke and Duke of Bedford; on his death in 1495, it reverted to the crown, until it was granted in 1550, (7th May, 4 Edward VI.) to Sir William Herbert, afterwards Earl of Pembroke, in whose family it long continued. Inquiry was made in 1630 for surrenders in the time of Jasper Tudor, without success; but two centuries later, the writer obtained one of 1490, the genuineness of which it is impossible to doubt.

In the Ecclesiastical Taxation of 1291, Newton Church

6 SURRENDER IN COURT OF JASPER TUDOR, 1490.

"NEWTON "CURIA DПi, Jasper Ducis Bedford, Com et PemNOTASSHE. brochiæ ac Dni Glamorgane et Morganie tent' ibm octavo die Septembris anno regni Regis Henrici Septim' post conquestum sexto coram Ricardo Myric tunc Seneshallo ibm.

Ingrs:

Xs.

"Ad quam cur' venerunt Ricus Loughor et Walterus Loughor et ceperunt de predict' Duci un'm mesuag' et duodecim acras terr' cum ptin' quondam Henrici Doble et Alice uxor ejus, Habend, et tenend' pd'ct mesuag' duodecim acras terr' cum ptiñs profatis Ric'o et Waltero et heredib's suis sedum consuetudine manerii, Reddendo inde annuatim prefat' Dño Duci et hered' suis redditus et servic' inde prius debit' et de jure consuet' solvend' ad ffest' ibm usual' et principal' per equales portiones sect' Cur' et heriet post mortem ten'tis cujuslibet ibm predict Ricdi et Walteri et dant Dño Duci pro ingress' inde h'end xs. Ingress' h'ent inde suum et fecer' Dño fidelitates. In cujus rei testimonium huic p'senti copiæ sigillum dicti Seneshalli p'r Ludovicum Massy locum tenent' s'est appensu'. Dat' die et anno supradict'."

L. S.

is included in "the Deanry of Kenfig," and valued at £5. William Coventry was Rector in 1410, John Kenfygge in 1467, and David Williams in 1504, in which year his will bears date. A translation is subjoined from the original probate, because few ancient wills in the diocese of Llandaff have escaped casualties by fire. Though not particularly interesting, it marks the spirit and usages of the time.

WILL OF DAVID WILLIAMS IN 1504.

"In the name of God, Amen, the 16th day of February, A.D. 1504, I, Sir David Williams, Rector of the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist of Newton Nottage, being of sound mind and whole memory, do make my testament in manner following, First I leave my soul to God the Father Almighty, to the blessed Virgin Mary & all Saints of God,-and my body to be buried with ecclesiastical sepulture in the Church of St John Baptist of Newton aforesaid.

"Item, I bequeath to the fabric of the Cathedral

Church of Llandaff,

To the Preaching Friars of the Town of
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To the Friars Minors of the sd Town,

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To the Lights of the Church of St John the
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To the fabric of the Chapel of St Margaret
of Coydffranke,7.

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"Item, I bequeath to Mathias Cradok, Esq., xl3.—To

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John Turb'vill, xx3.

To the said John Turb'vile one best bed with its appurtenances.

To William ap David, 2 Steers.-To the sd Wm 4 bushels of Wheat, 4 bushells of Barley & 4 of Oats. Item to John Cradok, x3.—To John Philip,

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7 St. Margaret's Chapel was under Neath Abbey, a well of some repute was situated there, and some ruins lately remained.

"Item, to Thomas David & Philip David all my goods
moveable & immoveable, to be divided between the said
Thomas & Philip.-The residue of my goods above not
devised, I give & bequeath to John Cradok & William
Philip, whom I make ordain and constitute my Execu-
tors, well and faithfully to order & dispose for the good
of my soul as to them may seem most expedient.
"Item, I constitute Mathias Cradok, Esq., Overseer of my
Testament.

"Witnesses St John Williams, Curate of Kenficke, Dyō Baron, & many others.

"List of Debts due to

(Endorsed Probate.)

Dated the day & year above written. me, Imprimis, Thomas Heyad vis viiid William ap Gr: ap Jankyn x3 iid

Dyō Sayer vi-Katyn Nerber viiis viiid
Jenkyn Goch iiiis-John Dyñ iiis viiid
William Thomas vis iiiid

"Litill" John Harry xiid
John Cradok vilib xiiis iiiid

"Proved before us, William Philip & John Spenser, Commissioners of Gronyth to R. R. Father in God, Milo Bishop of Llandaff, &c., the last day of February, 1504, &c., in witness whereof our seal of office is appended.

L. S.)

EXCAVATIONS AT LEOMINSTER PRIORY CHURCH. In the January Number of the Archæologia Cambrensis, I gave a full description of the state of the Priory Church of Leominster, as I found it at the visit of the Association last August, and of the views as to its original extent to which I was led by the existing phænomena.1 I have now the still more pleasing duty of recording the very important discoveries to which that visit has given rise, discoveries which afford a most conclusive testimony to the value of Associations like our own, and which reflect the highest honour on the inhabitants of Leominster and its

8 Dyo is still the local abbreviation of David.

1

Archæologia Cambrensis, 1853, p. 9.

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