The Kensington DistrictMitton, G. E. (Geraldine Edith)
History
The Kensington District
Mitton, G. E. (Geraldine Edith)
Kensington (London, England) -- Description and travel
We have now to trace the histories of the secondary manors after their
severance from the main estate. The Abbot's manor still survives in the
name of St. Mary Abbots Church. About 1260 it was discovered that Aubrey
de Vere had not obtained the consent of the Archbishop of Canterbury or
the Bishop of London before granting the manor to the Abbot. Thereupon a
great dispute arose as to the Abbot's rights over the land in question,
and it was finally decided that the Abbot was to retain half the great
tithes, but that the vicarage was to be in the gift of the Bishop of
London. The Abbot's manor was leased to William Walwyn in the beginning
of the sixteenth century. It afterwards was held by the Grenvilles, who
had obtained the reversion. In 1564 the tithes and demesne lands were
separated from the manor and rectory, which were still held by the
Grenvilles. The tithes passed through the hands of many people in
succession, as did also the manor. In 1595 one Robert Horseman was the
lessee under the Crown. The Queen sold the estate to Walter (afterwards
Sir Walter) Cope, and a special agreement was made by which Robert
Horseman still retained his right to live in the manor house. This is
important, as it led to the foundation of Holland House by Cope, who had
no suitable residence as lord of the manor.
West Town, created out of lands known as the Groves, was granted by the
fifth Earl, as we have seen, to his chaplain Simon Downham. This grant
is described by Mr. Loftie thus: "It appears to have been that piece of
land which was intercepted between the Abbot's manor and the western
border of the parish, and would answer to Addison Road and the land on
either side of it." Robins, in his "History of Paddington," mentions an
inquisition taken in 1481, in which "The Groves, formerly only three
fields, had extended themselves out of Kensington into Brompton,
Chelsea, Tybourn, and Westbourne."
The manor passed later to William Essex. It was bought from him in 1570
by the Marquis of Winchester, Lord High Treasurer of England. He sold
it to William Dodington, who resold it to Christopher Barker, printer to
Queen Elizabeth, who was responsible for the "Breeches" Bible. It was
bought from him by Walter Cope for L1,300.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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