Corscombe & Beaminster
in DORSET
Lady Elizabeth Pomeroy widow of Sir Richard died 20 Mar 1508 in Devon 11 years after her husband.
Their youngest son Thomas Pomeroy Esq of Corscombe when he died , age 30, in August in 1508.
Thomas held lands in Corscombe , which is about 3 miles from Beaminster, in Dorset , from which he received an income. Whether or not he lived there is uncertain. The family held lands & properties in Somerset & Dorset at Corscombe, Dynum Nunney , Prestley, Shepton Malet, Barton, & Glastonbury
Corscombe is 20 miles away from Shaftbury was part of the Dorset landed holdings of the Pomeroy family .
Corscombe Court consists of house, barn and moat. The late 13th century to early 14th century house is a rubble-walled two storey building with stone slate roofs. Formerly the grange of Sherborne Abbey, supplying the monastery kitchens with food . This now forms the north wing of the building and contains an original lancet window, now blocked. It was remodelled in the 17th century. It also has a modern addition to the north. The south cross wing is early 18th century with a stone mullioned three-light window.
The barn is 15th century with buttressed rubble walls and a South porch. The moat which formerly surrounded the house is largely filled in on the South side.
- source Heritage Gateway
The Manor of Corscombe in Somerset, and 44 messuages ( farms & cottage with land attached ) , 7 mills, 1000 acres . land 12 acres, meadow 8 acres. wood 300 acres, with furze and heath, value in rents 26s.3 1/2d.( 3 & half pence) and rents of spices 11/2 lb. pepper and 2 lb. cummin in Corscomb, Dynum Nunney, Prestley, Shepton Malet, Barton and Glastonbury, worth £ 20. held of ( from) Henry, prince of Wales,( Henry VIII ) as of his manor of Cory Malet.
C. Series II. Vol. 22. (65.) E. Series II. File 897d. (21.
NUNNY is about 28 miles from Corscombe and 3 miles from Frome .The name varied with its different proprietors, appears to have derived its permanent appellation from the foundation of a nunnery there . It has a castle . In 1373, Sir John Delamar obtained a licence to crenellate from Edward III & built the castle on the site of his existing, unfortified manor house . The resulting Nunney Castle is a small, French-style castle surrounded by a deep moat
Inquisitions Post Mortem were 12 AUG 1508 & 30 Nov 1508 -
His WILL 25 AUG 1508, Will proved 9 Sept 1508 - PROBATE 24 JAN 1509.
His brother Edward the Baron Pomeroy was his heir ; his mother Elizabeth had a Fortescue heir, her grandson Bartholomew Fortescue who died on 12 September 1557 at Corscombe, Somerset
Bartholomew, born circa 1490 , inherited from his grandmothers properties when he was about 18 when he inherited the manors of Filleigh, Wear Gifford, Combe in Holbeton, & East Buckland, Devonshire and apparently Corscombe in Dorset
1509 Writ 13 November, Inquisition Post Mortem 30 November, 24 Henry VII. ( Henry Tudor 1485-1509 )
Elizabeth Pomerey nee Densill widow Fortescue, 2nd wife and widow of Sir Richard Pomerey, knight; Lady Elizabeth Pomeroy was seised in fee of the under-mentioned manor &c., and suffered a recovery thereof in Hilary term, 15 Henry VII (rot. 142), to John Shepcote, knight, John Kyrkeham, esquire, Thomas Appelforde, clerk, and George Vyall, who by their charter granted the same to her for life, with remainders successively to Thomas Pomerey, named in the writ, and the heirs male of his body, to Edward Pomerey, knight, and the heirs male of his body, and to the right heirs of Elizabeth ( their mother )
After the death of Elizabeth her son Thomas Pomeroy entered into the premises and died seised ( Holding or benefiting from) thereof in fee tail without heir of his body. After his death the said Edward ( his brother ) entered, and is still seised thereof in fee tail.
Thomas died 12 August 9 (1508 ) last. The said Edward Pomerey, knight, aged 30 years and more, is his brother and heir.
DEVON. 1544- 1551 C 1/1511/47-48 Edmund QUARR of Croscombe (Corscombe), clothier, v. Thomas, son of Edward POMEREY, knight, deceased (1508) .: Reversion of a messuage, lands and fulling-mills in defendant's manor of Croscombe.
This Thomas Pomeroy married Joanna Edgecumbe & became Baron in 1538 selling the Barony and all its estates in 1547 to Edward Seymour Duke of Somerset.
His will can be found here Translated from the Latin thanks to AML
From the Parliamentary history
Quote Through his marriage to Joan Chudleigh Sir Thomas Pomeroy had acquired a number of properties in the West Country. These included his wife’s dower lands in Somerset, namely one third of the manor and hundred of Frome Branche and the manors of Batheaston and Shockerwick (all demised for an annual rent of £24) which, along with Allerton, fell to her by marriage to Sir Philip Bryan (a younger son of Guy, Lord Bryan), together with the manor of Combe Raleigh in Devon, which had belonged to her first husband, Sir John St. Aubyn.
I found some more mentions of Pomeroy in Dorset - with dates !
Thomas Bylford and his wife Margery v Sir Edward Pomeray, knight, lord of Corscombe manor, Dorset: tenements in Corscombe. 4 marks
The tithe Barn at Corscombe Court
Early records of POMEROY in BEAMINSTER Hundred in Dorset :
John Pomeroy, Gent: Of Stoke Abbot and Bowode, Netherbury.
John Pomeroy, gent, in Dorset had "the lease of the Barton...at StokeAbbot was recorded in the 1523 Muster Roll. Evidently he was wealthy enough to own a War Horse and weas be expected to provide an array of equipment.
1. Lay Subsidy, Dorset, 103, on the holders of land of the annual value of £20. M.3d.
Parish of Stoke Abbot. "John Pomerey in goods, (annual income value) xx1', subsidy tax xxs ."(1525) (Leased the farming of the vicarage of Stoke Abbot from Thomas Chylde c 1524.)
No. 104-130; dated 2 Sept. xxvii. Henry VIII. (1537) Assessment of 1st payment of a subsidy granted 26 Henry VIII. Hundred de Bemyster: (1) John Pom'y de Netherbury (first name), xf. (2) John Horsford eadem xs. Richard Strowde de eadem xvis iiiid.
3 Powley: “Other Pomeroys” p 102:
John Pomerey ( -1539-) Gentleman, was in 1539 of the muster rolls, Dorsetshire-Bowode tithing, Bemyster Hundred. (Letters and Papers of Henry VIII, v. under date, p. 268.
4. Lay Subsidy Roll 104-216. Granted 10 Feb. 1 Eliz. Roll dated 2 Eliz. (1559)
The tithinge of Stooke Abot and Bowoode: Johane Keleway, widoe, in lands, viii1i. . . Xs viiid. She is the only one taxed on lands; the 13 others are taxed on goods.
LATER - 18th century records - 1787 Settlement Examination of James Pomeroy, labourer (PE/BE/OV 4/3/57)
file 27 Oct 1787 Reference PE/BE/OV 4/3/57
PE/BE/OV 4/3/58 Title Order to the constables for the conveyance of James Pomeroy, labourer, from St Petrock, Exeter [Originally attached to PE/BE/OV 4/3/57]
Date 27 Oct 1787
This would indicate that this man originated in St Petrock Exeter - working as a labourer & living in Beaminster Parish- unemployed and requesting support from the parish resulted in 'removal' back to the place from whence he came. This shifted the expense from that parish onto the place he was born in or had some previous connection to!
Eltweed / Elywyd Religious Dissenters BMDS file attached in footnote
Dorset Pomeroys
DC/BTB/S110 N.D at Dorset History Centre - no dates
Contents: Tenement on south side of house on south of St Mary's church (Lovestone, Pomeroy)
Thomas Pomeroy was sheriff of Dorset married to Joanna Chudleigh daughter of James Chudleigh & Joan Pomeroy. Joanna was widow of Sit John St Aubyn and Sir Phillip de Bryan & married to Pomeroy in 1388 without the consent of the king Richard II. For which he and the vicar were censured then forgiven.He was knighted in 1400.
Sheriff of Devon 24 Nov. 1400-8 Nov. 1401, 29 Nov. 1410-10 Dec. 1411, 6 Nov. 1413-19 May 1414, Som. and Dorset 22 Nov. 1404-5.
Medieval Records
Covering dates Between 1492 and 1547 C 131 Chancery:
Extents for Debts, Series I Debtor:
Thomas Pomeroy, esquire, of Devon. Creditor: Peter [Pountfreit]. citizen and skinner of London. Amount: £83 10s. 8d Before whom: Nicholas Exton, Mayor of the Staple of Westminster. When taken: 26/09/1388 First term: 16/03/1389 Last term: 16/03/1389 Writ to: Sheriff of Dorset Sent by: Chancery Endorsement: John Moygne, Sheriff, replies that Thomas Pomeray was not found in the bailiwick and had no goods and chattels in Dorset. Covering dates 1389 Mar 29 Note , C 131/36/6, C 131/41/14. Date given for return to Chancery: [illegible] Cp. No. 6. M.2: Extent of the goods of Thomas Pomeray in Dorset, made in Dorchester before John Moigne, Sheriff, Sat. 22/05/1389. Thomas has no lands or chattels in Dorset. Statute Merchant and Statute Staple
Debtor: Thomas Pomeroy, esquire, of Devon [held part of a fee in Goodameavy, Roborough Hundred, Devon]
Creditor: Peter Pounfrett, citizen and skinner [merchant] of London.
Amount: £83 10s. 8d.
Before whom: Nicholas Exton, Mayor of the Staple of Westminster.
When taken: 26/09/1388 First term: 16/03/1389 Last term: 16/03/1389
Writ to: Sheriff of Devon., Dorset., Somerset., Oxon
Sent by: Nicholas Exton, Mayor of the Staple of Westminster.
Endorsement: Devon' Dors' Somers' Oxon'. Crastino ascensionis.
Covering dates 1389 Mar 18
there is this much earlier entry too which is fascinating when you read what Powley has to say.
Certificates of Statute Merchant and Statute Staple
Debtor: Ralph de Gorges, knight [held Ludton, Uggescombe Hundred, Dorset]
Creditor: John de Titynges [citizen and merchant of Winchester, Hants]
Amount: £46.
Before whom: Roger de Inkpen; Adam Pomeroy, the Elder, Clerk; at Winchester.
First term: 11/11/1304 Last term: 06/01/1305
Writ to: Sheriff of Dorset
Sent by: John de Titynges, Mayor; Adam Pomeroy, Clerk; at Winchester.
Covering dates 1305
Clerk referred to man who had taken holy orders - this man -who seems to 'have lapsed from rectitude' and issued forged certificates and falsified rolls, was arrested but pardoned by intervention of Roger Mortimer no less ! Mortimer was famous for being the lover of Isabella Queen to Edward II-
Adam was pardoned with a fine of 100 shillings
A DORSET green lane into Beaminster Corfe Castle near Swanage The Wessex Ridgeway
