Embedded Files
A little inland from Mounts Bay in Cornwall is Pengersick Castle.
Built for refuge and defence, its four-storey tower dates back to c.1550 and was part of extensive fortified Tudor mansion. The top floors were domestic and the ground floor was defensive. Above the main doorway is the drop-slot through which burning oil and other noxious substances were poured on unwelcome guests.
Today it is regarded by Ghost Hunters as one of the most haunted places in England.
The families that lived here were among the most celebrated in Cornwall with important marriages connecting them to other dynasties such as the Bevills, the Killigrews & the Godolphins.
Pengersick Castle developed a reputation for black magic, sorcery and wickedness - perhaps rumours were spread by wreckers and smugglers to discourage visitors. The bedroom in the tower is said to be Britain's most haunted room and is still regularly visited by ghost hunters.
The history of the site goes back before the Tudor mansion and a mediaeval Apothocarian Garden is believed to have existed here; this and has been recreated using contemporary plants listed in a C10th herbal.
One of the inhabitants is said to have tried to poison his wife , unfortunately for him his wife succeeded where he failed.
MILLYTON William late of Pengirsick, esq
John Milliton claimed to be an alchemist and to practice in the black arts in the castle tower and Pengersick Castle has a reputation for magic, mystery, sorcery and particularly, ghosts.
The first John Milliton was succeeded by his son, also called John: he became involved with William Godolphin & an unnamed neighbour and together they looted of the King of Portugal's ship , the St. Anthony, which was wrecked at Gunwalloe in 1526, the rich cargo disappeared without any trace.
The matter was the subject of a Royal Commission?s investigation; despite this the cargo was never seen again. The place is now sometimes called Dollar Cove.
Around 1535 William Milliton married Honor Godolphin and the marriage celebrations included the refurbishment of Pengersick House.
Dollar Cove, where just occasionally a gold coin can still be found when the tide and the wind send the seas in the right direction.
After William their only son was lost at sea, with his father's death shortly after, the property was divided between his 7 sisters. The estate fell into disuse and over the following hundred years much of the estate came under the control of the Godolphins.
John Milliton managed to restore his name and in 1548 he became High Sheriff of Cornwall. At the time of; the Reformation, after the execution of Sir Humphrey Arundel for his part in the Prayerbook rebellion of 1549, Milliton became the Captain of St. Michael's Mount.
The alliance between the Millitons and the Godolphins was cemented by the marriage of William's daughter, Honor, to John?s son and heir. Much refurbishment of Pengersick appears to have taken place in celebration the event. It is said that the two loathed each other. Marriage for the gentry of that time was a dynastic affair, love rarely came into it.
John died in 1549 but his family continued to prosper. William succeeded his father as Captain of the Mount.
The Muster Roll for 1569 indicates that Milliton must have taken precedence over Francis Godolphin from the list of contributions which the size of his property caused him to furnish.
One gelding with his furniture for a light horseman, corslet, pike, haquebut, morion, long bow and sheaf of arrows.
Daughter of John Beville & Elizabeth Milliton born 1552 Mary Beville married William Pomeroy of Collaton Manor in Newton Ferrers Devon
Elizabeth Milliton married John Bevill of Killigarth in 1558 Sheriff of Cornwall at Killigarth and their children were
1. 1544 Elizabeth, married Henry Meggs
2. 1546 Agnes, married Walter Kendall
3. 1548 William Bevill married Jane Arundell
4. 1550 Joan married Humphrey Prideaux
5. 1591 Peter Bevill married Grace Viel. 9-Sep 1591
Their daughter Elizabeth married Sir Barnard Greville one son Sir Bevil Grenvile was a hero of the English Civil War in Cornwall; the other 2nd son Sir Richard Grenvile became a career soldier, made Kings General in the West, he was loved by his men.
6. Bb 1552 Mary Beville married William Pomeroy of Collaton Manor in Newton Ferrers Devon
7 1556 Phillip Bevill 1558 John, married Joan Killowe
John Milliton (son of Thomas Milliton and Jane Dymock) died date unknown in Pengersick, Cornwall
He married Elizabeth Worth, daughter of Thomas Worth Esq and Isabella Bevill.
Children of John Milliton and Elizabeth Worth are:
John Myliton (son of John Milliton and Elizabeth Worth) was born Abt. 1483 in Of Breage, Cornwall ,High Sheriff of Cornwall. Governor of St Michael's Mount. Aft. 1521, Captain of St Michael's Mount & receiver of its revenues. His seat was Pengersick, Cornwall, and Mevey, Devon ; he married Alice Dennis, daughter of Thomas Dennis and Joane Lovedaye & died 6 December 1549 in Pengersick, Cornwall.
Children of John Myliton and Alice Dennis are:
William Myliton Esq (son of John Myliton and Alice Dennis) was born Abt. 1515 in of Pengersick Castle, Breage. He married Honor Godolphin b: 1519 Burial: 25 Sep 1579 daughter of Sir William Godolphin and Margaret Glynn; and they loathed each other He died 18 March 1570/71 at Pengersick Castle Breage
Children
Avis Or Alice MILLITON Born 1536 Married Richard ERISAY & Sir Nicholas PARKER Marriage: 1600 Place: Grade Church
Elizabeth MILLITON Born 1538/1539 married 1 Thomas TRENWITH 1571 & 3 Robert ARUNDELL 16 Apr 1583 Cambourne, 3 Thomas HERLE
Grace MILLITON B 1540 died 1603 Married Nicholas TREFUSIS &: Nicholas TREGODICKE
Anne MILLITON Born 1544/1545 married William ABBOT 23 Nov 1563 P Hartland, Devon died buried 18 Oct 1610 Place: Hartland, Devon
Eleanor MILLITON born 1546/1547 married John BONYTHON 21 June 1562 at Breage died: 1628 Shrewsbury
Phillippa Or Phelype MILLITON born 1547/1548 married : John LANION Esq Marriage: 18 Jan 1562/1563 Breage died 1578 Place: Breage, Cornwall Residence: Pengersick Castle, Cornwall
Mary MILLITON Born 1548/1549 married William PENHELACKE OR PENHELLICK died 1571
SON William MILLITON Born 1553/1554 died at sea 31 May 1571 buried 1 Jun 1571 at Hartland
Margaret MILLITON Burial: 9 Apr 1570 Breage, Cornwall
BOOK OF HARTLAND Chapter XV Monuments and Epitaphs page 141
"...Anne Abbots father ( Milliton) is the subject of several Cornish legends. His seat was at Pengersick Castle, near Germoe, but he had been Captain of St Michael's Mount, and was Sheriff of Cornwall in 1565. His wife Honor, daughter of Sir William Godolphin, died in 1570, and he himself died at Hartland and was buried on 1 June 1571. "
However the Breage Burial Register shows he was buried at Breage 20 March 1570/1 - "1570/1 Milynton William armigero 20 Mar"
Notes:
"William married Margaret, daughter of John Glynn of Morval. A daughter of this marriage, Honor, married William Milliton of Pengersick in 1535. This seems to have been an important event and was commemorated at Pengersick with some magnificent panelling, long since vanished, but sufficiently preserved for William Borlase to make a copy when he visited the decaying castle in 1735.
The Book of Hartland says she died in 1570, which other sources contradict.
BREAGE REGISTER
Marriages - "Willm Herres Esq and Enor Milenton" 15 Dec 1571.
Burials - "1579 Herrys Honor Herry wife of William 25 Sep"
Devon. Delivered into court 3 Nov by Richard Calmady, gent.
Inquisition Post Mortem taken before Robert Carye, esq., & John Eveleigh, esq., at Exeter Castle, 4 Oct 13 Eliz [1571], after the death of William Myllyton, esq.,
Jury of William Harris, John Wray, John Crocker, John Dynham, esquires, John Cruse, John Norrye, John Heale of Heale, John Elford, William Battishill, Roger Tolsloe, gentlemen, Peter Ebbiswourthie, John Newcombe, sen., William Nobell, John Quicke, Hugh Wikes, and Simon Hole:
……Who say that William Myllyton was seised of the advowson of the vicarage of St Hilary, co. Cornwall, held of the Queen's manor of Est Grenewich, in socage, by fealty: - 2 messuages of lands (1) in Rosagan and Treuals, (roseagen and trerules) Cornwall, held of the Queen's manor of Helston in Keryer, Kerrier in the duchy of Cornwall, by fealty 3s 4d rent, in socage; worth by the year, clear, 10s.:-
7 messuages in Treglistan Wartha, Treglistan Woolas, Treglistan Meadowe, Bondower, Nansevall Leytre, Cornwall, held of the manor of Luddisvan, by fealty, in socage; worth £2:- one messuage in Carverie, Cornwall, held of John Stawell, esq.,the manor of Lamskeye, by 1d rent, worth , 20s.John Myllyton, father of said William was seised of the manor of Pengirsicke, Cornwall,
Also the said John held the manors of Mewe, Walkehampton Knolle, Devon, The said John made his will, dated at Pengersicke, 27 Nov 3 Edw VI [1549], and bequeathed to his son William Mylliton esq., and Honor his wife, all his goods lands, and made them his executors. He died at Pengarsicke 1 Nov (3) 4 Edw VI [1550]
Honor yet holds the premises.
There follows an interesting collection of names, many of whom have connections of some sort with the Pomeroy family.
Pengarsicke, held of Joan Antron, widow:- Trewoervas Veor, John Stawell, esq.,
Rynsye (Rinsey) now held of Martin Trewynnard, esq.,
Drenycke of the lords of the manor of Luddisvan:- Mulvera, Chyenryves,;
Enys Wartha, Enys Woolas, held of St Abyn esq., worth 26s 8d.:-
Marshasyowe Trenthno of the same:- St Just held of the Earl Routlande, of his manor of Alwarton.
John Myllyton also held 2/3 and 1/3 of 2 messuages, in Trebowlans and 2/3 and 1/3 of 1 messuage, in Burlowena or St Hilary:-
Trebolans held of Francis Godolphyn, esq., of the manor of Godolphen; worth 12s.
Burlowena or St Hillarie held of John Trevylian, esq., of his manor of Peran Uthno, by fealty & rent of a red rose, in socage;
worth, 10s:- also 2/3 of 2 messuages, in Boswene Tredawa, Cornwall, held of John Levelis, esq., of his manor of Castellhornecke; worth 16 shillings /2.
Note . If you read aloud any of the names above they become recognisable enough to find on a map of the Cornwall.
William, the; only son of William and Honor was lost at sea in 1571. His father died almost immediately afterwards. The property was divided between the surviving daughters and with none of them having sufficient of the property to preserve it as a home, it fell into disuse and was dissipated amongst their successors, finally reverting to the Godolphins.
Those sisters of William Milliton the son were
Avis Eresye, widow, aged 34;
Elizabeth wife of Thomas Trevuwith, aged 32 ( b about 1539) married three times.(see below)
Grace wife of Nicholas Tregodicke aged 31;
Anne wife of William Abbot, esq., of Hartland Abbey, aged 26;
Eleanor wife of John Bonython, aged 24;
Philippa wife of John Lanyon, aged 23;
Mary wife of William Penhelacke, aged 22.
Their mother Honor married again by the end of that year - see side panel
Medieval language
Socage= a feudal tenure indicating a service provided distinct from military tenure or villeinage.
Messuage = a dwelling with adjacent building with curtilage for the use of the household.
Curtilage = a piece of ground belonging to the dwelling.
The widowed Honor soon remarried . In Breage Church on 15th December 1571 she was married to William Harris of Hayne.
He succeeded; William Milliton as Governor of the Mount. (St Micheals Mount)
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse