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110 HISTORY OF EAST GRINSTEAD.
scarcely merit. It is undoubtedly the most interesting of the old East Grinstead Manors, but the ruined 11 castle" was never the scene of the events which are so graphically described in " Brambletye House." It is referred to in Domesday Book as " Branbertie." In the time of Edward the Confessor it was possessed by one Cola, and after the Conquest was held by Ralph, of the Earl of Moreton and Cornwall, half-brother to the Conqueror. His barony subsequently became known as " The Honour of the Eagle," a corruption from the name of Gilbert de l'Aigle, to whom Henry I. gave all Earl Moreton's estates. The term " Honour" was usually applied to a lordship which possessed subsidiary lordships, though at one time no lordship was deemed an "Honour" unless it belonged to the King.
In the reign of Edward I. (1272-1307) the Manor and the right of the patronage to the chapel were vested in the Aldham or Audeham family. The first of the family was Baldwin de Aldham, who succeeded as heir to his mother, Isabella de la Haye, who was heiress of William of Montacute. About 1285 the Bishop of Chichester, John, Prior of Lewes, and Alard, parson of the church of Grenestede, granted license to John de Monte Acuto to set up a private chapel in his house of Lavertyefor the use of his mother, probably an infirm or aged woman who was unable to reach the Parish Church. For this privilege Montacute paid the incumbent of the parish a bezant yearly during the mother's lifetime, on the understanding that at her death all divine offices should cease in the chapel at Lavertye. On the death of William of Montacute his widow, Nicholaia, held the hamlet and patronage of the chapel, with knight's fees in Buckhurst and elsewhere.
In 1322 Francis Aldham forfeited his property, includ-Brambletye and Lavertye. These were granted on April loth, 1326, to Panciusde Controne, the King's physician, for life, to secure him an annuity of £100 per annum so long as he should stay in this country. Francis de Aldham was at the Battle of Boroughbridge 16th March, 1322, and was taken prisoner, and afterwards sentenced |
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