Ellen Pirot 1 2 3 4Other names for Ellen were Eleanor Pirot, Helen Pirot and Elizabeth Pyrotte.2 Research Notes: The Visitations are recognised as being frequently wrong. Was Ellen the daughter of Ralph and Cassandra or perhaps one of their sons? Events • Manorial Estate, 1294, Brooks Manor, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1, GB. 5 The manor of BROOKS (Brokes, Brokys) took its name from the family of Brok, who held land in Stevenage in the 13th century. Laurence de Brok, son of Adam de Brok, (fn. 94) died about 1275 seised of considerable possessions in Stevenage, of which 300 acres with a capital messuage were held of the Abbot of St. Albans, 200 acres with a windmill of the Abbot of Westminster, 140 acres of Ivo de Homeley and 100 acres of Robert de Graveley. (fn. 95) Some or all of these portions were probably known as 'Brooks,' for the manor is mentioned by that name in a deed of the same year by which it was conveyed to Laurence's son and heir Hugh. (fn. 96) Hugh de Brok was succeeded before 1294 by his son, another Laurence, (fn. 97) whose widow Ellen was holding his lands in 1330, with reversion to her son Ralph. (fn. 98) Ralph's heirs, who succeeded before 1346, (fn. 99) were his three daughters Joan, Ellen and Agnes, the eldest of whom died without issue. His lands were therefore divided between Ellen and Agnes. Agnes had a daughter Joan, (fn. 100) who was perhaps identical with Joan the wife of Robert Corbet, who was holding Brooks with her husband in 1400. (fn. 101) • Manorial Estate, 1309, Mordaunts Manor, Ellesborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP17, GB. 4 The reputed manor of MORDAUNTS in the parish of Ellesborough was held as a sub-manor under the Cauntlows, and so belonged to the honour of Dudley. In 1274\endash 5 Lawrence de Brok died seised of 6 marks rent, which he held of Nicholas Cauntlow. (fn. 107) His son and heir was Hugh de Brok, (fn. 108) who held the same rent in 1284\endash 6. (fn. 109) Hugh died before 1300, when his widow Isabel granted away certain lands and rents in Ellesborough for the term of her life. (fn. 110) Another Lawrence de Brok, her son, held tenements in Ellesborough, (fn. 111) the rents and services from which he granted to John de Bykton for fourteen years, and in 1309 made a settlement of 100s. rent in Ellesborough on himself and his wife Ellen. (fn. 112) His lands descended to his granddaughter Helen, (fn. 113) who married Edmund Mordaunt. (fn. 114) The latter died seised of rents in Ellesborough in 1374, (fn. 115) which were held of William Cauntlow; he was succeeded by his heir Robert, then a minor. The Mordaunts presumably held this rent in Ellesborough uninterruptedly during the 15th century, and in 1504 or 1505 Sir John Mordaunt held land in Ellesborough. (fn. 116) He was raised to the peerage as Baron Mordaunt of Turvey, and was succeeded by his son and grandson in turn. (fn. 117) In 1560 (fn. 118) their possessions in Ellesborough were described as the manor of Ellesborough, and this name was again used when Lewis the third Lord Mordaunt sold it to William Hawtrey in 1571. (fn. 119) It afterwards became known as the manor of Mordaunts, and from the time that it passed to the Hawtreys was held with the manor of Chequers (q.v.). (fn. 120) Ellen married Sir Laurence de Brok, son of Sir Hugh de Brok and Isabel.1 2 (Sir Laurence de Brok died before 1330 5.) |