Brooke, Ilchester

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Pill Bridge, on the River Yeo, 2.3 km west of the town of Ilchester in Somerset, a narrow and ancient pack-horse bridge, the repair and maintenance of which in 1530 was the responsibility of the tenants of Brooke, Ilchester Pill Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 214869.jpg
Pill Bridge, on the River Yeo, 2.3 km west of the town of Ilchester in Somerset, a narrow and ancient pack-horse bridge, the repair and maintenance of which in 1530 was the responsibility of the tenants of Brooke, Ilchester

Brooke (or la Brooke, Broke, Brook, etc.) in the parish of Ilchester in Somerset, England, was an historic estate, the earliest known seat of the prominent Brooke family, Barons Cobham.

Contents

Location

The exact location of the mansion or manor house, later known as "Brooke's Court", [2] is unknown and all physical traces of it have been lost. It was said by the Somerset historian Collinson to have been situated "without the walls (i.e. of the town of Ilchester) towards Montacute", which is to the south, thus probably to the west of the ancient estate of Sock Dennis, also situated to the immediate south of the town. Most of the estate lay in "Ilchester Mead" and included land "near the meadow of Sock and Martock". [3] Possibly the name derives from the brook or stream, now known as Bearley Brook, which separates Ilchester from Sock Dennis [4] and flows into the River Yeo 600 metres below Pill Bridge. The land extended to Pill Bridge, in the west, for the maintenance of which the estate was liable. [5]

Descent

Brooke

Arms of Brooke, Baron Cobham "of Kent": Gules, on a chevron argent a lion rampant sable crowned or Brooke OfWeycroftAxminster Arms.svg
Arms of Brooke, Baron Cobham "of Kent": Gules, on a chevron argent a lion rampant sable crowned or
Monumental brass of Sir Thomas II Brooke (died 1418) of Holditch, "by far the largest landowner in Somerset" and 13 times a Member of Parliament for Somerset, and his wife Joan Hanham (died 1437), Thorncombe Church, Devon. Although a knight, he is dressed in civilian clothes rather than in armour. Both wear the Lancastrian Collar of Esses 1437Brass SirThomasBrooke Died1418 OfHolditchCastle ThorncombeDorset AndWife JoanHanham Died1437.jpg
Monumental brass of Sir Thomas II Brooke (died 1418) of Holditch, "by far the largest landowner in Somerset" and 13 times a Member of Parliament for Somerset, and his wife Joan Hanham (died 1437), Thorncombe Church, Devon. Although a knight, he is dressed in civilian clothes rather than in armour. Both wear the Lancastrian Collar of Esses

The Brooke family (anciently "de la Brook" or "At-Brook") originated at the estate of "la Brook" [6] next to (juxta) the town of Ilchester in Somerset, and later resided at Holditch in the parish of Thorncombe and at Weycroft in the parish of Axminster, both in Devon, both fortified manor houses. Following the marriage of Sir Thomas III Brooke (died 1439) of Holditch in the parish of Thorncombe, Devon to the heiress Joan Braybroke, suo jure 5th Baroness Cobham (died 1442), he moved his residence to the manor of Cobham, Kent. The descent of the estate of Brooke is given as follows by Raphael Holinshed (c. 1525–1580?) in his Chronicles of England, which is followed by the Somerset historian Collinson (d.1793): [7]

Earth

Following the attainder of the 11th Baron, the estate of Brooke was granted by the King to Joseph Earth (d. 1609) of High Holborn, London. His heir was his brother Roger Earth, from whom it passed by means unknown to Sir Henry Berkeley of Yarlington in Somerset. [31]

Berkeley

Sir Henry Berkeley of Yarlington was a Member of Parliament for Ilchester. His daughter and heiress was Dorothy Berkeley, wife of Sir Francis Godolphin (1605–1667). [32]

Godolphin

Sir Francis Godolphin (1605–1667) married Dorothy Berkeley, the heiress of Brooke. In 1759 the manor of Brooke was owned by his grandson Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin (1678–1766). The estate by then consisted of little else than the ownership of Pill Bridge. [33]

Sources

Related Research Articles

References

  1. A P Baggs, R J E Bush and Margaret Tomlinson, 'Parishes: Ilchester', in A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 3, ed. R W Dunning (London, 1974), pp. 179-203.
  2. Victoria County History
  3. Victoria County History
  4. Victoria County History
  5. Victoria County History
  6. Collinson, Rev. John, History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset, Vol.3, Bath, 1791, pp.302-4
  7. Raphael Holinshed, Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland, Volume 4, London, 1808, p.791
  8. A P Baggs, R J E Bush and Margaret Tomlinson, 'Parishes: Kingsdon', in A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 3, ed. R W Dunning (London, 1974), pp. 111-120
  9. Victoria County History
  10. Collinson
  11. Collinson
  12. Holinshed
  13. Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.113
  14. Maxwell Lyte, Sir Henry, A History of Dunster and of the Families of Mohun and Luttrell, 2 Parts, London, 1909, Part I, London, 1909 Vol.1, p.30
  15. Collinson
  16. Collinson
  17. Victoria County History
  18. Victoria County History
  19. Collinson
  20. History of Parliament biography of Brooke, Sir Thomas (c.1355-1418), of Holditch in Thorncombe, Dorset and Weycroft in Axminster, Devon, published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421, ed. J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe., 1993
  21. Biography of "Brooke, Sir Thomas (c. 1355 – 1418), of Holditch in Thorncombe, Dorset and Weycroft in Axminster, Devon", published in History of Parliament: House of Commons 1386–1421, ed. J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe., 1993
  22. History of Parliament biog of son
  23. "CHEDDAR, Richard (1379-1437), of Thorn Falcon, Som". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  24. HoP biog
  25. Victoria County History
  26. Risdon, Tristram (d.1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, p.19
  27. Pulman's Book of the Axe, p.579
  28. Victoria County History
  29. Victoria County History
  30. The attainder was removed in 1916
  31. Victoria County History
  32. Victoria County History
  33. Victoria County History