The Manor of Higham Gobion

Barony of Bedford

Volume II of The Victoria County History for Bedfordshire, published in 1908 outlines the history of all the manors in the Flitt Hundred. The manor of Higham Gobion was held by William de Loucelles from Hugh de Beauchamp at the time of the Domesday Book of 1086. Hugh was later created Baron of Bedford and the manor was held of the Barony as overlord.

 
Arms of the Gobion family

The next known tenant of the Barony was Richard Gobion, from whose family the parish took its name, in 1158. The manor remained in the Gobion family until the death of Richard Gobion. He died in 1300 and left two daughters, the elder of whom, Hawise, received the manor on the death of her mother in 1311. She married Ralph Butler. In 1303 and 1316 the manor lands were augmented by purchases from Thomas Paynel and Elizabeth, his wife, Elizabeth being Hawise's sister.

Arms of the Butler family

The Butler family held the manor into the 17th century. In 1621 Sir Robert Burler settled the manor on his infant daughter Jane who married John Bellasis. In 1637 Jane's guardian Godfrey Maidwell sold the manor on her behalf to pay her parents' debts.

 
Arms of the Langley family

The purchaser was William Langley who was made a baronet in 1641. In 1657 his son Roger sold the manor to Amabel, Countess of Kent and the manor remained in the ownership of the Grey family of Wrest Park and their heirs, the Barons Lucas of Crudwell into the 20th century. A succession of Law of Property Acts in the 1920s abolished manors in all but name.