NEWCELLS [MANORIAL ESTATE: NEWSELLS MANOR, BARKWAY, ROYSTON, HERTFORDSHIRE] MANOR

 

NEWCELLS [MANORIAL ESTATE: NEWSELLS MANOR, BARKWAY, ROYSTON, HERTFORDSHIRE] MANOR ( Newcels, Neusela or MANORS Nieweseles, xi-xii cent.'^ ; Newesel or Neweselcs, xiii cent.) lies to the north of the village on the main road. It was held before the Conquest by a thegn of King Edward's named Aldred and by two sokemen, one of whom was Aldred's man and the other Earl Algar's man. In 1086 Eudo Dapifer held it in demesne.' Newsells evidently reverted to the Crown after his death in 1120 and was granted by Henry I to Eustace Count of Boulogne.'^ The overlordship remained in the honour of Boulogne,^* the service due being that of three halves of a knight's fee.'^

Members of the Merk family were the immediate tenants of the manor in the 12th century.

A Eustace de Merk was witness to the charter of Count Eustace confirming Barkway Church to Colchester Abbey,'' and as others of the same family were elsewhere tenants of the Counts of Boulogne it appears possible that Eustace de Merk was already tenant of Newcells [Manorial Estate: Newsells Manor, Barkway, Royston, Hertfordshire] under the count. A Sir Eustace de Merk, kt., who was living in the reign of Richard I [Richard I B:8 September 1157 – D:6 April 1199, Reigned: 1189-1199],'' was styled 'lord of Newsells ' and founded a chapel at Royston within this lordship.^" He is probably identical with the ' Eustace de Oye [d'Eu?] , son of Henry de Merk,' living in April 1190." Sir Eustace de Merk, kt., was also styled 'de Rochester ' ^ and was succeeded as tenant (apparently within his own lifetime) by his nephew Ralph de Rochester.^' This Ralph had been preceded by a ' Baldwin de Rochester,' ** presumably the Baldwin de Rochester who witnessed a charter of Henry father of Eustace de Oye" and perhaps a son of the same Henry. In this case Ralph would be son of Baldwin de Rochester. Newsells was the ' caput ' of the barony which Ralph de Rochester held of the honour of Boulogne.^^ Ralph's son and heir William de Rochester died shortly before 24 October 1249 and was succeeded by his brother Peter de Rochester,^'[aka Peter de Rossa] parson [referenced more correctly in other places as Rector or Clerk] of Rivenhall [Ruenhala ], co. Essex.^' Shortly before his death Peter took the habit of a Knight Templar.*' On the Saturday before Ascension Day, 1 25 5, as he

Baldwin MeRouec' [Rochester] gave lands in Newsells to Coggeshall Abbey in or before the time of Henry II [1154-1189](Cal. Pat, 1388-92, p. 79).

In 1275 the jurors of Edwinstree Hundred returned that the whole barony formerly held by Ralph de Rochester had been alienated since his time, that the 'caput' (Newcells [Manorial Estate: Newsells Manor, Barkway, Royston, Hertfordshire] ) was in the hands of Burnell, and that the heirs of the barony had nothing whereof they could answer to the king. In January 1279-80 Robert de Weston and his wife Hawise, who was niece of Peter de Rochester, released to the bishop all their right and that of Sir Robert Scales in Newsells Manor. In 1292 Burnell conveyed his interest to Robert Lord Scales and Isabel his wife. Isabel survived her husband and held the manor for life. About 1315 Robert son and heir of Robert and Isabel reserved Newsells in making settlement of other estates on his wife Egelina. His son Robert third Lord Scales granted a life interest in the manor to Sir Robert Thorp, kt. Upon the death of the latter, Newsells reverted to Roger Lord Scales, son of the third baron.

 

Peter de Rossa, parson [actually the Rector or Clerk] of Rivenhall [aka Ruenhala, Rewenhale] and lord of the manor, who assumed the dress of the Templars a little before his death in 1255, (fn. 2) granted to them over a hundred acres of land in Rivenhall [aka Ruenhala, Rewenhale], and in return they maintained a chaplain to pray for his soul in their free chapel at Witham. They also maintained three chaplains to pray for the souls of other benefactors in their chapel at Cressing; the first celebrating on three days of the week for John de Staundone and on four days for the founders, the counts of Boulogne, the second for Peter de Toppesfeld, and the third for Peter the clerk.

 

Writ (missing). Inq. Wednesday after St. Andrew, 40 Hen. III. [05 De 1256] He died on Ascension day [4 April 1255], 39 Hen. III.[viz: 1255]

The said Peter 3 years before his death demised to the Master of the Knights of the Temple in England the manor of Rewenhale (co. Essex) for six years for 22l. yearly, whereof the said Master gave him 66l. in hand for 3 years. On Saturday before the Ascension, 39 Hen. III. came Brother William del Estre, preceptor of Kersing and Wyham, and other brethren by the will of the Master and returned the said manor to the said Peter, who gave them about 100a. land in the said manor in frank almoign; and the same day he granted by charter to Robert de Scales (his nephew) the manor of Rewenhale, and to Alice wife of the said Robert the manor of Newesel (co. Hertford); and on the Sunday following took their homage after making them swear to find a chaplain for ever to celebrate for his soul, and that if he should recover the said Robert would give him his manor of Hoo in co. Norfolk for life, and the said Alice would give him the manor of Hecelingfeld in county Cambridge for life; and he commanded his servants, who on Monday following put the said Robert in seisin of Rewenhal manor, and on Tuesday the said Alice of Newesel manor; and so she remained until Friday in Whitsun week when the escheators ejected her. The said Peter was of good memory always until his death, and a little before his death assumed the dress of the Templars.

 

 Rivenhall [Ruenhala ], written in ancient records as Ravenhall or Ruenhala once belonged to Editha, the Queen of Edward the Confessor, and to Harold. At the time of Domesday [1086-89] it was held by four lords, three so often mentioned in this series, Eustace, Earl of Boulogne., Robert Gernon and Suene of Essex         ., and another bearing the unusual name of Roger God save our ladies. There were five manors in the parish, the capital manor came by marriage to Robert de Scalaris or Scales.