Manor Somerton, Oxfordshire

1 manor

1.1 de greys , heirs
1.2 fermors
1.3 villiers family

manor

the domesday book of 1086 records william conqueror s step-brother odo, bishop of bayeux, held of manor of somerton.

the de greys , heirs

in 1230 manor of somerton divided between 2 heiresses. in 1245 walter de grey, archbishop of york, granted 1 of halves nephew, called walter de grey. de grey manor house seems have been on low-lying land near cherwell. 1295 had court, dovecote , fishponds. 1300 somerton had watermill. remains of fishponds survive today.

the manor passed down through de grey family, , descendants deincourts , lovells of minster lovell. in 1485 francis lovell created 1st viscount lovell. francis believed have been killed in 1487 in battle of stoke field @ end of wars of roses. thereafter crown held manor next 25 years.

the fermors

in 1512 crown granted manor william fermor of witney. william built new manor house, above village in contrast de grey manor house had been close cherwell. remained fermor home until 1625 when richard fermor made tusmore family s principal home. in 18th century of somerton manor house demolished, part of hall wall still remains.

in 16th century south aisle of st. james church converted fermor family chapel. however, after english reformation fermors recusants , had private roman catholic chapel @ manor house.

when thomas fermor died in 1580, provided founding of free school somerton boys instructed in virtue , learning . somerton s present school building dates 18th , 19th centuries, includes late 16th-century window may original building.

during english civil war of 1642–51, henry fermor stayed neutral kinsman marriage henry arundell, 3rd baron arundell of wardour, recusant, royalist fought king charles i. result, in 1646 commonwealth sequestered arundell s estates, including somerton. relative bought somerton sequestrators , in restoration of stuart monarchy in 1660 manor restored fermors.

villiers family

in 1815 william fermor sold manor george villiers, 6th earl of jersey. free school accepted boys, julia, lady jersey, opened girls school in somerton. lady jersey daughter of sir robert peel. century later george s son victor villiers, 7th earl of jersey died , somerton estate sold.