The Manor of Everton Mosbury

Volume II of the Victoria County History for Bedfordshire was published in 1908 and contains details of all the manors in Everton. The Manor of Everton Mosbury is first found in the historical record in 1284 when it was held by Stratford Langthorne Abbey [Essex]. The first mention of the overlordship is in 1322 when it was held by Richard Talbot, the last mention being in 1537 when held by the same family as Earls of Shrewsbury.

In 1322 Stratford Abbey conveyed the manor to John Morice and Agnes, his wife. In 1362 Sir John Morice enfeoffed the manor to John Colyn, Vicar of Everton as trustee for the Hospital of Saint Leonard in Bedford. In 1372 the master of the hospital transferred the manor to Thomas le Dale alias Fulthorpe. By 1428 Thomas Dale had the manor and it remained with the Dale family until 1537 when it was devised to Joan Dale, who had married William Wollascott.

The Astell family arms

The Wollascott family then held Everton Mosbury until the latter part of the 17th century - by 1689 it was in the possession of Walter Cary who alienated it to William Astell in 1714. On the death of Richard Astell in 1777 the manor passed to his nephew William Thornton, who then assumed the name Astell and his family held the manor into the 20th century. A succession of Law of Property Acts in the 1920s abolished manors in all but name.