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Chapter VII.
The Manor
In the Domesday Book of A.D. 1084 Sutton is stated to be a Berewic of Mansfield and Thoroton in his History of Nottinghamshire states that "This Sutone with Hockenhale Houthweit and Skegby were Bernes of the Sok of Mansfield which was Edward the Confessor's Land, and afterwards King William the Conqueror's. Quoting from the Testa de Nevill of 1307-27 he states that Sutton-in-Ashfield and Hucknall were a whole Villa and not Gildable being of the ancient Demesne of the Crown, except the fuorth part which Jordan of the same held of the King with the Advowson of the Church. The great privilege of being freed from the payment of taxes was due to the fact of its being the personal property of the King as lord of the Manor. It causes some slight regret today as there being no resident over lord of the Manor no memorials are to be found in the Parish Church. After the family of the Suttons who owned a fourth part of the Manor took up its residence in Lincoln no family of importance is found to leave any marks. In a.d. 1153 William Peveril had a Grant of the whole Forest made to him, he being a natural son of the Conqueror, and Sutton was one of the 55 Manors granted. About 1170 or earlier Walter de Sutton had acquired the Manor, for in the Pipe Rolls I, Rich. I it states that "Walt de Sutton paid 20/- for the right to cut green wood in his bailiwick." In the Charter of King Edward III, given in Dugdale's 'Monasticon" relating to Thurgarton Priory it recites that Gerard son of Walter de Sutton gave the Church and two bovates of land in the same town to the Priory. And that this Grant was confirmed by Ranulph the Sheriff 1181-89, from which it is clear that Walter died in that year.
In the Fine Rolls a.d. 1234 it states that the King receives the homage of Gerard son of Gilbert de Sutton for land which the said Gilbert held of the King in chief, Gerard being of an age to hold land at Gilbert's death. This Gerard died in 1271 and particulars of this family will be found under that heading later on. In the Exchequer Rolls of 1305 it states that John de Sutton held the whole Manor while in 1322 a John de Sutton was allowed to part two thirds of his Manor of Sutton and the reversion of the other third held by Ralph de Belesby and Isabel his wife as the dower of the said Isabel to John, son of John de Sutton and Avice his wife. In 1468 Hamo de Sutton of Lincoln died possessed of six Manors and of land at Sutton-in-Ashfield from which it appears that the family had parted with the Manor. In 1515 the Manor of Mansfield was granted to Thomas Duke of Norfolk and in 1528 to Jasper Duke of Bedford, but it is clear that this did not include the Manorial lands of the Berewics of the Great Court of Mansfield, for at that date Roger Greenhalgh was lord of Sutton, as well as of Teversal where he resided, and on his death in 21 January, 1563, the Manorial lands passed to Gervase Neville who had married his grand daughter, Anne Greenhalgh. Neville did not long retain possession passing them on to James Hardwick and in 1574 a Recovery by Nicholas Hardwick and Richard Eckingfield was made by Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, of the Manor of Sutton-in-Ashfield. It is an unaccountable trait in human nature that James Hardwick was allowed to die in the Fleet Prison for debt, although his sister Bess of Hardwick, Countess of Shrewsbury, was the wealthiest woman in England. The Countess passed the Manor on to her daughter Mary, who had married her son-in-law and who succeeded to the title on the death of his father. Among the Archives in Welbeck Abbey is the following deed:— Manor of Sutton-in-Ashfield, Mansfield and Mansfield Woodhouse. Deed of Bargain and Sale dated 2 September 16 James I (a.d. 1619) Mary Countess Dowager of Shrewsbury in consideration of the sum of two thousand pounds of lawful money of England gives, grants enfeoffs and confirms to John Gifford, esquier, Doctor in Physique his heirs and assigns the manors of Sutton-in-Ashfield, Mauncefield and Mauncefield Woodhouse in the County of Nottingham, to have and to hold to the said John Gifford his heirs and assigns for ever.
Signed : Ma : Shrewsbury.
No record appears of the manner in which Gifford disposed of his purchase but in 1677 William Lord Cavendish the brother of Mary and eldest son of Elizabeth is stated to be in possession, and remained in his family till an exchange of lands between the Dukes of Devonshire and Portland took place about the year 1800.
It should be noted that at an Inquisition Post Mortem taken on the death of Alianora late the wife of Nicholai Dagworth, chivaler 2 Hen. VI (1424) a descendant of that John de Sutton whose daughter Alianora married Robert of Henoure 1333, was found by the Jury to have held the Manor, for her life, of Mansfield, Mansfield Woodhouse, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Hokenall Hotwayt and the Hay of Fulwood. On her death it reverted to the family.
| Lords. | |
| A.D. 1042 | King Edward the Confessor. |
| 1066 | William the Conqueror. |
| 1153 | William Peveril The whole Forest. |
| 1170 | Walter de Sutton. ¼ part ? all the cultivated |
| portion. | |
| 1189 | Gerard son of Walter. Gave Church to Thurgarton. |
| Gilbert. | |
| 1234 | Gerard s. of Gilbert, d. 1270. |
| 1270 | Jordan de Sutton. |
| 1293 | John s. & heir of Jordan. |
| 1305 | John. |
| 1322 | c. John. |
| 1352 | John de Sutton. Knight of the Diocese of York. |
| A.D. 1424 | Alianora wife of N. Dagworth. For her life. |
| 1468 Hamo de Sutton of Lincoln had lands | |
| 1515 Thomas Duke of Norfolk. | |
| 1528 Jasper Duke of Bedford. | |
| 1529 Leased to Sir John Markham for | |
| 21 years. | |
| 1503 | Ralph Greenhalgh of Teversal. |
| 1508 | Roger Greenhalgh. |
| 1563 | Gervase Neville. |
| 1572 | James Hardwick. |
| 1574 | Elizabeth Countess of Shrewsbury. |
| 1608 | Mary Countess of Shrewsbury. |
| 1620 | John Gifford Doctor in Physique |
| 1677 | William Lord Cavendish. |
| 17... | Duke of Portland. |