Sir Robert Corbet of Moreton Corbet, Shropshire ^{2 3}

  Events

• Manorial Estate, 1255-1300, Lawley Manor, Lawley, Telford, Shropshire, TF4, GB. ³ There were originally two manors called LAWLEY, which had passed by 1300 into the same demesne lordship and came to be regarded as one manor. The larger manor was held in 1086 of Earl Roger by Turold of Vesly, and of Turold by Hunnit, who is likely to have held it in 1066. As with other manors, Turold's mesne lordship appears to have passed to the Chetwynds, who evidently held their fee, following the extinction of the earldom of Shrewsbury, of the FitzAlans and whose undertenants were the descendants of the AngloSaxon Toret. (fn. 1) John of Chetwynd was lord of part of Lawley in 1255. (fn. 2) By 1285, however, William of Hodnet (fl. 1300) (fn. 3) held Lawley as tenant in chief and was the immediate lord of the tenant in demesne. (fn. 4) That part of Lawley was accounted a member of Hodnet manor, (fn. 5) with which the overlordship passed to William's son-in-law William of Ludlow (d. 1316) and to John of Ludlow (d. 1398). (fn. 6) The Domesday tenant in demesne, Hunnit, appears to have been succeeded by Toret. (fn. 7) Peter FitzToret (fl. 1160-94) was lord in 1180, and his son Bartholomew Toret (fl. 1196-1229) succeeded him. Bartholomew was dead by 1235, and the estate passed, presumably through his daughter Joan or grandson Richard Corbet (III), to the Corbets of Moreton Corbet. By 1255 Robert Corbet (d. 1300) was lord, (fn. 8) and after 1283 he acquired the smaller manor too.

That smaller manor, held in 1066, by Erniet, was held of the earl by William Pantulf. (fn. 9) Pantulf's mesne lordship became a tenancy in chief, presumably in 1102, (fn. 10) and descended to the barons of Wem, (fn. 11) to whose court leet of Hinstock part of Lawley continued to owe service. (fn. 12) A mesne lordship in that part had been acquired by the Eyton family of Eyton upon the Weald Moors by 1285, (fn. 13) and in 1606 Lawley was said to be held of Eyton manor. (fn. 14) A chief rent of 5s. was paid to the lords of Eyton by the demesne lords of Lawley at least until 1686. (fn. 15) The demesne lord in 1255 was Ralph of Stanton, (fn. 16) who was named as lord in 1284 or 1285. (fn. 17) Walter of Stanton later conveyed the manor to Robert Corbet of Moreton (d. 1300), (fn. 18) who was already lord of the larger manor.

The descent of both manors seems to have followed that of Moreton Corbet until the mid 17th century. (fn. 19)

Footnotes:
1. V.C.H. Salop. i. 334; Eyton, ii. 48-9; viii. 82, 100.
2. Rot. Hund. (Rec. Com.), ii. 56.
3. Eyton, ix. 333.
4. Feud. Aids, iv. 219.
5. Eyton, viii. 100.
6. Ibid. ix. 333-5; Cat. Anct. D. vi, C 4637.
7. Eyton, ii. 48-9.
8. Ibid. viii. 100; x. 182, 185-7.
9. V.C.H. Salop. i. 332.
10. Ibid. iii. 10.
11. Feud. Aids, iv. 219.
12. Below, Local Govt. and Public Services.
13. Feud. Aids, iv. 219.
14. P.R.O., C 142/303, no. 141.
15. Cal. Inq. p.m. iii, pp. 504-5; Eyton, viii. 38 n.
16. Rot. Hund. ii. 56.
17. Feud. Aids, iv. 219.
18. Cal. Inq. p.m. iii, pp. 504-5.
19. Ibid.; Cal. Close, 1381-5, 20; Cal. Inq. p.m. Hen. VII, i, p. 476; P.R.O., C 142/187, no. 56; /205, no. 187; /303, no. 141; /399, no. 154; /554, no. 66; S.P.L., Deeds 18146. Cf. A. E. C[orbet], The Fam. of Corbet: its Life and Times, ii [1918], table facing p. 368.

• Inquisition: Post mortem, 14 Nov 1300. ² 635. ROBERT CORBET of Morton.

Writ, 14 Nov. 28 Edw. I.

SALOP. Inq. the morrow of St. Hilary, 29 Edw. I (defaced).

Watlesburgh. The manor (extent given with names of tenants) held of Peter Corbet in chief by service of a knight's fee, with its members underwritten, viz.\emdash
Bredeshull. A plot of land called Bredeshull near Watlesburgh held of William de Eyton by service of 10s. yearly.
Cardeston, a member of Watlesburgh. 56s. rent &c. (extent given).
Loghton, a member of Watlesburgh. Rents &c.
Le Hey by Watlesburgh. Rents &c.
Braginton by Watlesburgh. Rents &c. (extent given).
Morton. The manor (extent given with names of tenants) held of John de Chetewynde by service of 1/2 knight's fee, with its members, viz.\emdash Sulton ….. 5s. …
[ Kymerton, rent.] ………
Preston, a member of Morton. 1 1/2 carucate of land, rents &c. (extent given with names of tenants), held by the same service.
Boleye. Certain tenements (extent given) including a plot of land called Stertelond, held of the abbot of Salop by service of 5s. yearly.
Laueleye. 36s. rent &c. held of William de Hodenet by service of 4s. (yearly).

Inq.made before the same jurors on the following Monday.

Ivelith, a member of Morton. A capital messuage 60a. land, rents &c. (extent given), held of the aforesaid John de Chetewynde by the service aforesaid.
Hamme and Hyneton. Certain tenements (extents given) held of John de la Mare by service of 1/2 knight's fee.

Thomas his son, aged 19 at the feast of St. Luke last, is his next heir.

LEICESTER. Inq. 8 February, 29 Edw. I.

Houton. The manor (extent given with names of tenants) held of Master William de Boys in chief by service of 1/2 knight's fee.

Heir as above, aged 19 at Christmas last.

Writ of plenius certiorari on the complaint of Maud late the wife of the said Robert that the escheator had taken into the king's hand the manors of Haberleye, Besford, Halghton, Tettenshull, Underchecle (?) and a messuage, lands &c. in Balderton, Burleton, Eggebaldenham and the suburb of Shrewsbury, whereof she was enfeoffed jointly with her said husband, 15 Nov. 28 Edw. I.

SALOP. Inq. made at Morton on Sunday after St. Hilary, 29 Edw. I (defaced).

The said Robert and Maud were enfeoffed jointly of the manors &c. following, and continued their seisin until the said Robert's death, viz.\emdash
Besford. The manor (extent given) held of the king in chief by service of 1/4 knight's fee, of the gift of Roger Pryde to them, their heirs or assigns.
Schawbury. 2 nooks of land (?) similarly held with Besford by the service aforesaid; and in the last eyre of John de Berewyk in Salop both tenements were taken into the king's hand and, the said Robert's homage being received, were delivered to him.
Egebaldenham. 2 virgates of land, and rents from 2 other virgates, similarly held of Hugh le Fiz Aer' by service of a pair of white gloves, by the feoffment of John de Upton.
Bleccheleye. The township similarly held of Theobald de Verdon by service of 12s. and 1lb.……, by the feoffment of Robert de Bleccheleye.
Halughton. A messuage, 120a. land, 1a. meadow and 9s. rents, similarly held of the heirs of Philip Burnel by service of 1d., by the feoffment of Richard de Leghton.
Burleton. 1/2 virgate of land and a meadow enfeoffed by John de Burleton; an assart and a meadow by Thomas Clopsy; and an assart and a meadow by Thomas le Hopere of Shrewsbury (Salop'); all similarly held of the heir of William de Burleton, service unspecified.
Laueleye. Certain tenements similarly held of Peter de Eyton by service of 5s. yearly, by the feoffment of Walter de Staunton.
Habberleye, Tetneshull and Marebrooke. All the tenements which were of John son of John de Arundell, by his feoffment; whereof the said John holds two parts for his life of the said Robert and Maud, and the said Robert died jointly seised &c. of the third part; they are held of Peter Corbet in chief by service of a knight's fee.
Loghton. 4 bovates of land which formerly were held of the said Robert Corbet, similarly held by the feoffment of Eynon son of Griffit.
Moston. A messuage and 1 virgate of land by the feoffment of Stephen son of William le Marescal, similarly held of William de Hodenet by service of 2s. 8d. (yearly).
Cas[ (fn. 5) tilfer]igate in the suburb of Shrewsbury. Certain tenements similarly held of Thomas Pechelot of Shrewsbury by his feoffment, source unspecified.
Bredeshull. 11a. land with a meadow similarly held, by the feoffment of Howel son of Robert Pygot, of the said Howel without any service.
Petton. [*A messuage and 3]a. land similarly held, by the feoffment of Joan (?) daughter of Philip le Crump of Petton, of Robert de Petton, service unspecified.
Morton. A messuage and 6a. land similarly held, by the feoffment of John le Wrothe of Morton, of the same Robert, tenure unspecified; and a nook of land similarly held by the feoffment of John le Wrothe of Morton, which was formerly held of the same Robert.

All acquired from 10 to 26 Edw. I, days and years unknown.

C. Edw. I. File 98. (30.)

• Manorial Estate: Stirchley Manor, Stirchley, Telford, Shropshire, TF3, GB. ⁴ In the late 12th century Stirchley was held of Robert of Brimpton's widow Eve by Bartholomew son of Peter FitzToret. (fn. 5) The mesne lordship passed, presumably by Bartholomew's daughter Joan, wife of Richard Corbet (II) (fl. 1195- 1217), (fn. 6) successively to the Corbet and Burgh families of Wattlesborough.

Footnotes:
5. Eyton, viii. 114-15.
6. Ibid. x. 186-7.

Robert married Matilda FitzAlan, daughter of John FitzAlan and Matilda de Verdun.¹ (Matilda FitzAlan died before 12 Jun 1309 ².)