Roland de Erlegh – 7th Generation

Roland de Erlegh, the brother of John(IV) [6][11,v.2,p.199], held the manor of Midgham, Berkshire after Giles de Earley (see Appendix 1C); he paid rents in 1271 [1,v.4,p.190].

In 1275, Edward I appointed Roland the custody of the religious house of Leominster, Hertfordshire (a cell of Reading Abbey) which had fallen into debt and other difficulties.

The king had to ask the abbot to remove from the abbey and its cell all serjeants and horses with their keepers and to receive no more. All that Roland was able to save at Leominster, after finding the dean and chaplains in food and clothing and poor mendicants in alms, he was to apply to the discharge of the debts [1,v.2].

In 1282 a Roland de Erleye was also involved in a complex deal involving the manor of Middleton Lillebon, hundred of Kynewardeston, Wiltshire [35,v.2,EdI,p.256].

In 1291, Sir Roland de Erlegh is mentioned in the records of Wells Cathedral, Somerset [24,n.152].

In 1294, a Rowland de Earley was the tenant of Cleets, the other half of the manor of South Denchworth, hundred of Wantage, Berkshire.

The Earley Family was still in possession of South Denchworth in 1307 when the manor passed to David Martin, Bishop of St. Davids [1,v.4,p.282].