Much of this history comes from the Victoria County History of Cambridgeshire

Merton Manor

Much of this history comes from the Victoria County History of Cambridgeshire.

Before about 1178 the tenant of the eastern part of Gamlingay was Roger, son of Remphrey. On his death in 1196 it passed to his son, Remphrey, who died in 1208. (Book of Fees, I, pp. 239, 243; Feet of Fines, (Rec. Com), p.319; Chanc. R. 1196 (P.R.S. N.S. vii), p.118) Four years later, records show the rent was being paid by his brother, Ralph de Bruera who was still in possession in 1227. (Red Bk. Exch. (Rolls Ser.), ii, p.530; Cur. Reg. R. iv. p.42; v. pp.188-9; Cat. Anct. D. ii. D 118; Farrer, Honors and Knights’ Fees, iii. p.286)

Before 1235, Robert FitzWalter’s land was held by Adam of Hatfield, son of Simon, and by 1242, by his son Simon, who died after 1254. (Rot. Hund. (Rec. Com.) ii. p.532; Cal. Pat. 1247 – 58, p.88; Farrer, op. cit. p. 294) In 1279 the Valognes family, supporters of the Empress, were tenants of the Gamlingay estate. (Round, J. H. Geoffrey de Mandeville pp. 172, 264, 286) Simon’s son, known as John FitzSimon, held the manor at this time who passed it to his son John. When John died in 1304 it passed to his eldest son Edward, who died in 1328. It then passed to his younger brother Hugh FitzSimon. (Rot. Hund. (Rec. Com.) ii. p.532; Cal. Inq. p.m. iv. pp.149-50; vii. p.129; C 143/286/9)

Adam of Hatfield had allowed William of Leicester the tenancy of Gamlingay Manor by 1235 for half a fee. (Liber de Bernewelle, p.244; Rot. Hund. (Rec. Com.) ii. p.532; B.M. Cott. MS. Faust. A. iv. ff. 99 and v. 101, 108; Bk of Fees, ii. p.902) In 1260 the rent was being paid by Richard of Leicester, bailiff of Bedford, who over the next two years borrowed money using Gamlingay manor as his security. (C.P. 25(1)/24/21 no.30; C.P. 25(1)/24/24 no.21; Merton Mun. Liber Ruber, f. p.18; Oxoniensia (1957), pp.76-7) In 1265 the King removed him from this tenancy as a punishment for joining some dissident barons. (VCH. Cambs. ii. p.391; Cal. Misc. i. p.194; Cal. Pat. 1266-72, pp.16-17) Three years later, in 1268, the manor was mortgaged by Walter of Merton, who later became the Bishop of Rochester. Perhaps for religious reasons, William of Leicester then gave Walter the whole of the Gamlingay estate and half the church lands. The rest was given to Walter’s house of scholars at Merton in Surrey, later to become Merton College, Oxford. Walter immediately made the estate over to his scholars with him receiving the rent until his death. (Oxoniensia (1957), pp.76-7; C.P. 25(1)/25/32 no.6; C.P. 25(1)/283/17 no.482) Until 1347 the college paid half a knight’s service to the King but after that their rent was to give alms to the poor. (Feud. Aids. i. pp.149, 157, 169, 174, 188; v. p.411; C 143/286/9)

College records show that, apart for the years 1302 – 1314 and 1352 – 1355, their bailiff administered the manor until 1362. Ever since it was leased to a tenant and it remained in college hands until 1967. It had a number of residential, farm and administrative buildings. The farm servants had their own house. A new kitchen was built in 1280. The bailiff’s house or camera was built in 1328. A solar, sun room, and a porch were added later. Around a courtyard the farm buildings included a dairy, a buttery, a brick kiln, a dove-cot, a steeping house, stock sheds, sheepfold and vegetable garden. It had at least two barns, one for the lord’s grain, another for the villagers’ tithes. The whole complex was surrounded by a moat and a wall with one large and several small gates. (Lowry, Estates of Merton, pp.43, 174, 189, 191-2)

A survey in 1807 showed it had a brewhouse, a dovehouse, boarded and thatched stables, a granary of brick, board and thatch, separate barns for wheat, barley and rye, other ‘hovels’ and houses for grain and stock (Merton Mun. 5/24). Merton Manor farm house comprised a timber framed central range, thought to be open to the roof, and a west cross-wing, both built in the late 15^th or early 16^th century. The east cross-wing is of the late 16^th century. It had a brick 17^th or 18^th century dovecot and a thatched, aisled barn. The inscription TB 1600 is found on one post. (R.C.H.M. Cambs. i. pp.104, 110)

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