Roger Corbet of Chaddesley Corbet, Worcestershire

  Events

• Manorial Estate: Chaddesley Corbett Manor, Chaddesley Corbett, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10, GB. ¹ Before the Conquest 'a certain woman' Eadgifu held Chaddesley, and was still holding it in 1086. At that time it seems to have been a place of considerable importance, having eight berewicks attached to it, and consisting of 25 hides, of which 10 were free from geld, the value of the whole being £12. The manor passed in the 12th century to Robert son of Payn, who was succeeded by his son and grandson, both named Richard Folliott. By the latter's daughter Hawise, who married firstly Robert son of Richard, and secondly, before 1199, Roger Corbett, the manor came to the Corbett family. William Corbett appears to have been in possession of the manor in 1235, as at that date an agreement was made between him and the Abbot of Tewkesbury as to a rent and tenement which the abbot's men held in the manor of Chaddesley. He still held it in 1261-2, but had been succeeded before 1266 by Robert Corbett. This Robert died without issue about 1270, and the manor passed to his nephew William, son of William Corbett. On his death about 1282-3 a third of the manor was assigned to his widow Ada. She outlived her son Roger, who died in 1289-90, and on her death about 1290-1 the whole manor passed to her grandson William Corbett.


The inquisition taken in 1290 after the death of Roger Corbett gives a good idea of the value and extent of the manor. It contained a capital messuage worth 10s., four vineyards worth 26s. 8d., and two water-mills worth 26s. 8d. 'if they are kept in repair'; the tenant of each virgate of land ought among other services 'to do average to the bridge of Tewksbury' twice a year, 'to get the lord's cloth within the county,' and to give the lord two hens at Christmas worth 2d. in return for which he gave them 'reasonable furze and dead wood'; twelve cotarii each paid yearly 11s. 6d. and 'ought to do lesser service to mend the lady's linen.'

William Corbett, son and heir of Roger, appears to have lived to a great age. In 1304 he obtained a grant of free warren at Chaddesley Corbett. He had been knighted before 1314-15, and appears to have been implicated in the rebellion against the Despensers, for in 1322 his estates were seized. In 1328-9 he made three separate grants of rents of £200 annually from his manor of Chaddesley Corbett. In 1330 he complained of Roger de Mortimer Earl of March and John Wyard, who enticed him to Berkeley, where they detained him for four days, took away his seal, and forced him to make a recognizance to John Wyard for 1,350 marks. In 1340 William Corbett's conduct to his wife drew down episcopal censure and he was ordered to amend under penalty of £40. He was appointed in 1340 one of the commissioners in Worcester to value the king's ninths. In 1351, when he was said to be an octogenarian, he was exempted for life from public services. Four years later, however, William Corbett of Chaddesley is mentioned as a justice of the peace, and in 1358-9 he settled the manor on himself for life with reversion to Thomas de Beauchamp Earl of Warwick.

Roger married Hawise Foliot before 1199.¹