Arms of the Barony of Bedford

The histories of Salford Manor is given in Volume III of The Victoria County History for Bedfordshire published in 1912. Salford Manor was held by Hugh de Beauchamp at the time of the Domesday Book of 1086. Naturally, the manor formed part of Beauchamp's Barony of Bedford. The overlord was later recorded as John de Stenegreve in 1275 and William de Patishull in 1366.

The Salford family arms

No tenant of the manor is mentioned in Domesday Book but early in the Middle Ages was in the possession of the de Salford family as Lords of the Manor who owed fealty to the overlord. Nigel de Salford gave land to Newnham Priory in Bedford in the 12th century and his son Hugh was Lord of the Manor by 1199. The last member of this family recorded as Lord of the Manor was Peter de Salford in 1366.

The arms of All Souls College, Oxford

In 1428 the manor belonged to Ankareta, wife of Thomas Drakelowe. In 1438 All Souls College, Oxford was founded by Archbishop of Canterbury, Henry Chicheley. Salford Manor seems to have been one of the first to be granted to the college, which continued to own it into the 20th century. A succession of Law of Property Acts in the 1920s extinguished all manorial incidents, courts and copyhold tenure of land. This effectively abolished manors in all but name.