BABWORTH.
CHAP. XlI.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION, ETC.
BEFORE the Norman invasion, the greatest part of Babworth (then pronounced Babvrde) was the property of Earl Tosti, and belonged to the king’s manor of Bodmeschell, paying the tax for six and a half bovats of land. Ulmer also held here two and a half borate, but Roger de Busli procured the whole of it from the Norman Conqueror, and delivered it by feudal tenure to Goisfrid; in Doomsday book it is certified to be one carucate and a half, with a boarder; pasture wood two quarents long, and one broad, which in the Confessor’s time was valued at 40s. but in the Conqueror’s, only at 10s. The following is the entry referred to
For what period Goisfrid held it we are not informed, but in 1316, (according to Nomina Villarum,) the Earl of Lancaster, and Robert de Saundeby, are certified to have been the lords of it, and possessed the greatest part of the parish; but the portion of the Saundbys had been in their family for several years previous: some time after the old feeoffment belonging to the Earl of Lancaster was purchased by Sir William de Grendon, who also held other property, about thirty-five acres of land, &c. in this parish, of Robert de St. George, of Bothamsall, and for which he paid the sum of 3s. 4d. annually. In 1355, nearly the whole of Babworth became the property of Sir Thomas de Grendon, who sold it in 1868 to Sir William Trusbutt, at whose death it descended to Sir Robert, his son, but, who within two years of coming into possession, sold the manor with its appurtenances unto Sir Richard de Willoughby, of Wollaton; afterwards it became the property of the Earl of Shrewsbury and Lord Cavendish, and in the 18th century it was purchased by Sir Gervas Elwes, and lastly by John Simpson, Esq. in whose descendants the estate is vested.
The parish, which contains the hamlets of Great, and Little Morton, Morton Grange, and Ranby, contains nearly 6000 acres, of excellent forest land, mostly inclosed. The whole of the land in Babworth is the property of the Hon. J. B. Simpson, which he has in his own occupation, and upon which he has erected a steward’s house, and farming buildings, upon a large scale.
Babworth Hall, the seat of the Hon. John Bridgeman Simpson, (brother to the late Earl of Bradford,) is pleasantly situated on an eminence, a short distance from the Retford and Worksop road, about a mile and a quarter from the former place. Its vicinity contains some of the finest scenery in this part of the county, for which, it is, in a great measure, indebted to its present possessor, who, has lately increased the beauty and interest of the place by a fine piece of water, a swiss cottage, &c.
Near the church, is the charming little sequestered residence of the Rev. Archdeacon Eyre, the rector, in which, comfort and elegance are blended; and to whose worthy possessor, added to the kind patronage of the Simpson’s family, the parish is much indebted for its internal prosperity.
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