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Are we wrong, then, in our more than conjecture that Fulwood was the remains of an early wood or forest, in the clearings of which Newthorp was founded, and in either the natural or artificial openings of which the “leys” of Kimberley and Greasley were situate, especially since (as we shall later find in another part of this book) Joan the Canteloupe in a recovery which she made of the Castle of Greasley, &c., regained also not less than 1,000 acres of wood in the parish?
But we have so far only dealt with one part of the landed property in Newthorpe and with Fulwood. We must proceed to another.
In the Confessor’s reign one Aeluyns, or Aluins, had 2 bovats here, one of which was taxed to the Geld. After the Conquest this became the Earl of Moriton’s fee.
Thoroton states that it had early come to the honor of Leicester, and was held by the St. Andrews’, Lords of Gotham. We find on further research that the Lordship had come to the St. Andrews’ family by Sir Seer de St. Andrew, who had married Matilda4 the eldest of the three daughters of William de Diva, who was Lord of that Barony in the reign of Henry II.
In the 28th year of Edward III. Sir John St. Andrew gave eight shillings out of a messuage and a virgate of land at Newthorpe to the Conventual Church of Lenton on the understanding or condition, that the Convent should find for it a light in that Church as he should order it. Of other property of the St. Andrews’ at Newthorpe, Robert de Teversalt, the then Rector or Vicar of Greasley, secured for the Priory of Beauvale, to whom he conveyed it, 1 messuage, 7 tofts, 2 bovats, 60 acres of land, and twelve shillings and seven pence yearly with the appurtenances. It was obtained by Teversalt from Julian, who was the relict of Sir John de St. Andrew, of whom one John Samon was a holder for the service of two shillings per annum; but the greater part was held from her by William Ferrour of Newthorpe, who together with his son John Ferrours confirmed Julian’s gift to Teversalt, it being all the land which the Ferrours held at Newthorpe except one messuage, which was retained to dwell in, and which was not passed away at that time. Some differences subsequently arose about some little property here which led to arbitration. It was that William de Hickling, Rector of Thornore claimed a rent of six shillings and sixpence issuing out of a certain messuage with 2bovats of land and a cottage, which were held by William Ward of Kimberley, who had married Maud, the sister of the Rector of Thornore. The latter claimed it as his inheritance, and the difference was referred to Sir Nicholas Strelley, William Babington, Thomas Hunte, and William Wollaton, who ‘determined that the rent which William de Hickling claimed was due to the Priory of Beauvale, seeing that it was held of Robert de Kimerley, as of his manor, which had come to be of the right of the Priory.
A last item which we have met with to be noted here is that as early as in the 17th year of Edward II., Ralph de Annesley the elder and Agnes his wife recovered a seisin which was theirs in Newthorpe of one messuage, twenty acres of land, and two parts of a mill, against Peter de Cressy and others, but it is not shown in what way it had come to them, nor how it afterwards descended, only so much is recorded that they, i.e., the Cressys and others were in obligation of twenty marks damage, for which execution had been sought and granted.
After the dissolution of the Monasteries all that which the Priory of Beauvale had in Newthorpe was on the 8th of July, in the 33rd year of Henry VIII. granted to William Hussey, who died on the 10th of January of the 2nd year of the reign of Philip and Mary, and the property then descended to Richard Disney and Neile his wife, and Francis Columbel and Ann his wife, daughters and heirs of the said Sir William Hussey, who had held in Newthorpe and Underwood seven messuages, 20 cottages, one watermill, 200 acres of land, 30 of meadow, 150 of pasture, 13 of wood, and fourteen shillings and sixpence rent, besides divers other properties.
The Manor also and divers lands in Newthorpe which had been the property of the Prior and Convent of Lenton, was on the 13th of July in the 37th year of Henry VIII. granted to John Mylle and George Mule, who in the same year sold it to William Bolles.
Most of these properties have in process of time come to the house of Rutland and the Barons of Melbourne and others, while other minor parts have changed hands repeatedly, and have become so much broken up into small parcels, that to trace them correctly would be next to impossible, or would entail so much research and expense to find out, and to gather up the many links of the long chain of descent, that we are not able to pursue it, nor would it be of much interest, while probably it would involve indelicacies.
Charles White, much mentioned in Nottingham during the civil wars was of this township. He was in Brinsley described as an intimate companion of Gilbert Millington, who was one of those who signed the death warrant of King Charles I. Lady Hutchinson wrote of White that “he associated with the underling Gentlemen of the County.” He became captain of a parliamentary troop at Nottingham, where he was also a member of the public committee of Counsel. Eventually he turned Royalist.
The chief part of the properties of this township are now Earl Cowper’s, whose tenants are the representatives of the late F. Farnsworth, John Ball, senior; Samuel Chrich; Samuel Clifton; the representatives of the late Richard Jackson; Albert Whistler; Thomas Chambers; the representatives of the late John Woolley; Edward Alcock; Matthew Eyre Wild; the representatives of the late Robert Chrich; and the representatives of the late Richard Wilcockson Paxton, and others.
The Trustees of the West Hallam School have also an estate here of which Mr. Zachariah Shaw is a tenant and Messrs. Chr. Smith and Sons, leaseholders. The property in Newthorpe of the representatives of the late Mr. John Godber is the Newthorpe Manor Farm in the occupation of Mr. William Shaw, and some other held by Mr. Harry Farnsworth and Zachaeus Radford.
Mrs. Matthew Eyre Wild has house property in this township, and the remainder of Newthorpe is broken up into a number of small parcels, owned by the representatives of the late Robert Chrich, Messrs. Charles Smith and Sons, and Edward Alcock and others, who probably have the larger shares of it.
The Colliery called New London in Newthorpe belongs to Messrs. Thomas Bayley and Thomas Potter.
The Church of Greasley has a small school-building here, which since the establishment of the board-schools is used for mothers’ meetings and other parochial purposes.
The chief place names of Newthorpe are Wapping, Dovecot Lane, Pinfold Lane, Baker Lane, and Stamford Street, the last two of which are quite modern and in parts built upon.
The General Baptists have a chapel in the township, and the Primitives a small one in Baker Lane.
The newest part in Newthorpe are the houses in Stamford Street and Baker Lane.
The Newthorpe letter and money-order office is at Messrs. Chs. Smith and Sons.