Stotfold Newnham Manor

Information taken from Victoria County History, Vol. II, 1908.

The origin of Stotfold Newnham manor, which by the 13th century had passed to Newnham Priory, is to be found in a knight's fee owned by Hugh de Salford in the twelfth century. In 1193 Hugh secured his title to this fee as against the claims of William Rufus, but five years later he transferred half of the fees to Simon Rufus, whose son Robert alienated it in 1244 to Newnham Priory. The other half, together with a capital messuage, which remained in the hands of Hugh de Salford, was granted by Hugh son of Nigel de Salford, probably a grandson of the former Hugh, to Newnham Priory. These two grants went to form the manor of Stotfold Newnham, which was held by the priory until the Dissolution, when the manor, then valued at a yearly rent of £14 fell to the King, by whom it was granted in 1547 to Richard Kyrke. The latter in 1551 alienated Stotfold Newnham to Edward Butler, who had also acquired the manor of Stotfold Brayes with which its history is henceforward identical.

List of sources at Bedfordshire Archives: 

• HA503: Court roll, 1565-1577
• HA508-510: Rentals of Newnham Priory, 1428 & 1488/9
• X95/411/1: Feoffment, 1617