Greyseley

Greyseley, Griseley.

In Griseley, before the Norman Invasion, Vlsi had two Mannors, one was rated to Geld at four bovats. The Land one car. There William Peverell, whose Fee it afterward, became, had one car. five vill. two bord. having three car. (fn. 1) There was a Priest and a Church, pasture wood, nine qu. long, and six broad. In the Confessours time this was 16s. value, in the Conquerours but 10s. The other was also rated to the publick Geld or Tax at four bov. and the Land was likewise certified to be one car. but this was waste when the great survey was made in the Conquerours time, and Aylric held it of William Peverell.

(fn. 2) William de Griseley, 5 Steph. gave account of ten marks of silver for a convenant of Land between him and Raph Barrer. I suppose this William of the same family with Hugh, son of Richard, mentioned in Lenton, who gave Land in Claindon, because his next successour, which I have met with here, was Raph de Grasele, who, (fn. 3) 13 Joh. was certified to hold three Knights Fee of the honour of Peverell of Nott. one in this Grasele, and two in Clayndon in Buckinghamshire. (fn. 4) Raph de Gresele, 15 Joh. made fine with the King five hundred marks for having the Land which was Robert de Muscamps, father of Isabell, wife of the said Raph, and that he might marry Agnes his daughter to Robert Lupus; and if he should happen not to have her (as 'tis most like he had not) then he would marry her by the Kings advice and will; and there was a precept, 23 Novemb. to the Sheriff of Nott. and Derb. that when the Sheriffs of Buckinghamshire, Yorkshire, Lincolneshire, and Staffordshire, should certifie that they had taken tneir proportions of security for the payment of that money, that he should do so for the rest, and forthwith deliver full seisin to the said Raph, of all those Lands in his Bayliwick.

(fn. 5) This Raph, 17 Joh. had a son-in-law called Hugh Fitz-Raph, who was one of those great Men (or Barons) who took up arms against the King.

(fn. 6) Hugh Fitz-Raph, and Agnes his wife, daughter and heir of Raph de Gresele, 12 H. 3, gave account of 15l. for their relief, of three Knights Fees, which the said Raph held of the honour of Peverell of Nott. viz. two in Claindon, and one Fee in Gresele, with the appurtenances. Hugh Fitz-Raph, 36 H. 3, (fn. 7) 10 April, had Free Warren granted in all his demesne Lands in Gresele, and Muscamp in this County, and Elkesdon in Darbyshire, where he held also a Market and a Fair, on the eve of the Assumption of the blessed Mary. He had a son called Hugh, but Eustachia, daughter and heir of his son Raph was his heir, and Nicholas de Cantelupe (of Hartfordshire) who had to wife Eustachia, the niece and heir of Hugh Fitz-Raph, had the Knights Fee in Greseley, 49 H. 3, (fn. 8) which the said Hugh, then dead, held of the King in capite.

(fn. 9) The Jury, 2 E. 2, found that William de Cantelupe held this Mannor at his death of Sir William de Roos of Ingmanthorp, who held it by the Courtesie of England, as the inheritance of Eustachia his quondam wife, mother of the said William de Cantelupe, whose son William de Cantelup was then his heir, and of the age of sixteen years.

(fn. 10) The King, Apr. 14 E. 3, granted licence to Nicholas de Cantelupe and his heirs, to strengthen or fortify his mansion House of Grysele in the County of Nott. and to embattle it; from this time it was called a Castle. And here was likewise a Park, wherein this Nicholas de Cantelupe (fn. 11) founded the Monastery of Beauvale, whom I guess to be the brother of that William, last named under age: yet some might think of his father rather, because this Nicholas, by his son and heir William, had a grandson of his own name, who was witness to his charter of foundation of that Priory, bearing date 9 Dec. 17 E. 3, though the Book of Beauvale, in the descent printed in the Monasticon Angl. makes the said founder to be son and heir of that first (fn. 12) William de Cantelupe very positively, but how much it is mistaken in some other parts of this descent, these notes will in some sort discover to any who will take the pains to consider it.

(fn. 13) At the Assizes at Darby, 30 E. 3, Joane, who had been the wife of Nicholas de Cantelupe, impleaded William de Cantelupe, Chr. Raph Fawconberg, and others, for fifty mess. twenty tofts, one mill, and ten carucats of Lands, one hundred acres of meadow, two hundred of pasture, and two of wood, and ten marks of rent in Ilkeston: Raph Fauconberg, produced a writing of the said Joane, by the name of Joane de Kym, whereby she released the said tenements, and the Castle of Greseley in the County of Nott but she denied it to be her Deed, and recovered the Mannor of Ilkeston; as she did at the Assizes at Nottingham the same year, 30 E. 3, (fn. 14) the Castle of Greseley, thirteen mess. three carucats of Land, twenty acres of meadow, two hundred of pasture, one thousand of wood, and 10l. Rent; and William de Cantelupe, and the rest were amerced.

(fn. 15) In Trinity Term, 13 R. 2, William la Zouch of Bramfeild, son and heir of Wm. la Zouch of Haringworth, Knight, then dead, held the Mannor of Elkeston, of the Lord of Bellomonte, then within age, and in the Kings custody, as of the honour of Folkingham; and the same Term William la Zouch of Harringworth, Knight, held the Castle of Greyselegh, and a certain parcel of Land in Kymerle, &c.

(fn. 16) By an Inquisition taken in Yorkshire, 26 Feb. 14 R. 2, it appears that William de Cantelup, Chivaler, then dead, held the Mannor of Ravensthorpe, with the members, viz. Thrilly and Boltby, and divers Lands in Azerlawe and Braythwat; and that John, son and heir of John de Hastings late Earl of Pembroke, son of John, son of Laurence, son of John, son of John, son of Joane, daughter and one of the heirs of Will. de Cantelupe, brother of Nic. de Cantelupe, father of Will. father of Nic. father of Will. father of Will. de Cantelupe, who died within age, without heir of his body; and Will la Zouche, Chr. son of Eudo, son of William, son of Millecente, daughter, and another of the heirs of William de Cantelupe, brother of Nicolas, father of William, father of Nicolas, father of William, father of the said William de Cantelupe, who died without heirs of his body, were at that time found the next heirs of the said William de Cantelupe, &c. William la Zouche, about 19 R. 2, (fn. 17) died seised of this Castle and Mannor, and the Advowson of the Priory of Beauvale, and William le Zouch his son was found his heir. (fn. 18) William le Zouch, Chr. who long before his death settled the Castle of Gresseley on William Lord Roos of Hamlak Chr. and others, about 3 H. 5, left William his son and heir.

From the Lord Zouch, this Lordship came to the Crown, and was by King Henry the seventh, granted to Sir John Savage, Knight, (mentioned in Granby.) Sir John Manners, grandfather of the present Earl of Rutland, (who is now Lord of it, June 16, 1673,) purchased it of Sir John Savage, and Sir Thomas Savage Lord Savage, father of John Earl of Rivers, and grandfather of the present Earl Thomas. (fn. 19)

The Vicarage of Gresley was 8l. when the Prior of Beauvale was Patron. 'Tis now 8l. 5s. in the Kings Books, and Arthur Capell, Esquire, Patron.

[Throsby] Greyseley

Parish is very extensive. I believe that three or four noblemen have possessions in it, and Launcelot Rolleston, Esq. is a considerable proprietor here. This parish is of greater extent than any other in the county; but the living is reputed to be extremely inadequate to its duties. Some say it measures twenty miles in circumserence.

The Church is spacious, has a handsome tower embattled, four bells, and appears to be kept in due order.

An inscription here, says:—Near this place are deposited the remains of Gilbert Millington, of Felley Abby, Esq. and Sarah his wife. He died the second of April, 1703, and she departed this life the 22d of August, 1741. They had issue Gilbert, who died the 14th of May, 1694, aged 14. Elizabeth married to Thomas Holden, M. A. Rector of Aston, in the county of Derby, and Alethcia their only surviving daughter, relict of Charles Savile, of Methley, in the county of York, Esq. by whom this monument was erected to their memory, out of filial regard and gratitude, in the year 1744.

A monument is placed here to the memory of Launcelot Rolleston, of Watnall, in this county, Esq. who was of the family of Rolleston, of Rolleston, in the county of Stafford. He was Sheriff of the County in 1682, and died in 1685, aged 35. This monument retains a bust of the gentleman. Another remembers Christopher Rolleston, of Watnal, Esq. who died in 1736, aged 67. John Cooper, is remembered on brass, in the shape of a heart; he died in 1714, in the 72 year. The Rev. Mr. John Rolleston, M. A. 41 years the worthy and conscientious minister of Aston, in the County Derby, father to the present Mr. Rolleston, died in 1770, aged 64. (fn. 20)

The mansion of Nicholas de Cantelupe, which has been since his time called a castle, by reason he had liberty from Edward the third, to fortify it, is totally destroyed, except a plain old wall or two.

Patron, Viscount Melbourne, in 1776. Incumbent, Rev. John Mansell, V. K. B. 8l. 5s. Clear yearly value in Bacon, 11l. Val. in pecun. rec. per ann. de Pri. Dom. de Bello Valle. pro sal. 4l. in oblat. &c. Prior. de Bello Valle. Propr. The King presented in 1726. Sir Robert Sutton, 1728.