The Erleigh family held considerable property in County Somerset which was their principal residence for most of the period described. These possessions included the county manors of Beckington, Durston, Babcary, Michael’s Church, the manor and hundred of North Petherton, and the manor of Somerton (also referred to as Somerton-Parva and Somerton-Erlegh) [11,v.2,p.198].

Hundred of North Petherton

The Erleighs were, soon after the Conquest, possessed of this manor, and held it till the time of Henry VI. (1422-1471), when it was transferred by an heir female (K-12) to the house of St. Maur.

To the east of Durston is the priory of Buckland-Sororum, founded about the year of our Lord 1167, by William de Erleigh (B-2), lord of the manor of Durston, for the health of his own and his wife’s soul, and for the souls of Henry II. and Eleanor, his Queen, for canons of the order of St. Augustine.

As an endowment of this priory, William de Erleigh gave the church of Petherton, with all its members, chapels, and appurtenances, viz., the church of Chedzay, member thereof, with all the right the brethren of the hospital have or ought to have thereby in the church of Pawlet; the chapel of Huntworth; the chapel of Newton-Comitis; the chapel of Thurloxton; the chapel of Shurston; the chapel of Newton-Regis; the church of Beckington, with all its appurtenances; the church of Kilmersdon; and the church of Shirston.

Collinson, vol. iii., pp. 95-98

North-Petherton, Somerset, England

From the book RALPH EARLE AND HIS DESCENDANTS:

The Earles were also Lords of North Petherton.

The manor of North-Petherton, had after the Conquest, for its possessors the ancient family of de Erlega, or Erleigh, so denominated from the lordship of Erleigh, near Reading, in the County of Berkshire.

In the time of Henry II., William de Erleia (for so was his name then written) certified to the King that, by virtue of his tenure, he had a right to be the King’s Chamberlain. This manor, after having been possessed by the Erleighs for many successive generations, passed at length from them to the family of Beaupine.” Collinson, vol. iii., p. 54.

“This church (North-Petherton), though it can now boast of few curious or ancient memorials, has been the burial-place of the Erleighs.”

Somerset, Somerset England – 1216 to 1272

This manor was very anciently held by the family of D’Erleigh or de Erlega, lords of Durston, Beckington, Michael’s-Church, and North-Petherton/’ Collinson, vol. ii., p. 60.

Newton, Taunton, Somerset England – 1216 to 1272

From the Book From the book: RALPH EARLE AND HIS DESCENDANTS:

“In the time of Henry, the Third (who reigned from AD 1216 to AD 1272) Henry de Erie was Lord of Newton, in County Somerset.

1165 – Beckington, Frome, Somerset, England

From Beckington History site: http://www.beckington.org.uk/the-village/history.htm

Beckington is mentioned in the Domesday Book as being the land of Roger Arundel. There was land for 10 ploughs and there were 9 villeins and 7 cottagers, 24 pigs, 100 sheep, and 50 she-goats. There was a mill, 12 acres of meadow, and 8 acres of pasture which would have been on the higher ground away from land liable to be flooded by the river, and 100 acres of wood.

Beckington Abbey (which never was an Abbey and was probably given this name by one of its wealthy residents), was built about 1156. In 1347 it was converted to a college for priests. It may also have been used as an Abbey Grange, connected with Wells. It had attached 185 acres of farmland, a tithe barn, malt house, corn, and cloth mills, and a fish pond. It was remodeled in the 16th and 17th centuries when the magnificent ceiling in the upper drawing-room was probably installed, indicating the prosperity of the clothiers of that time. In the 19th century it became a school, then a restaurant and dance hall, and finally, a private residence again, and is presently divided into two residences.

On the 26th April 1273, a marriage covenant was made in London between John de Earle, Knight, and Nicholas de Cheney Knight, for the marriage to take place between John de Earle and Johan, daughter of Nicholas. Nicholas was to pay John £300 in silver (a very great deal of money in those days) and John the father £30 worth of land and the rent in the manor of Beckington on 7 acres which he bought from John de Claverton along with the advowson (right of presentation of the benefice) of Beckington Church. Each party was to be kept by the parents for 3 years and then the bride handed over to her husband.

From Wikipedia:

Beckington Castle is a historic house in the village of Beckington, Somerset, England. It is a Grade II* listed building.[1]

It was built in the early 17th century on the site of a medieval building. It has been home to various nobility and local businessmen, also serving as a hotel and school. It is now used as offices.

From British History Online:

A village between Bath and Frome, ten miles from the former and three from the latter. Its most considerable possessors, after the Conquest, was the family of Erleigh or de Erlega, so-called from a lordship near Reading, in Berkshire, who had large possessions in this county, viz., the manors of Beckington, Durston, Babcary, Michael’s- church, the manor and hundred of North-Petherton, and the manor of Somerton-Parva, denominated from them, Somerton-Erle, or Erleigh.

From the book RALPH EARLE AND HIS DESCENDANTS:

In a communication from a member of the London Genea- Srlogical Society, the writer says: “The family of Earle is of ^.very ancient origin, and can be traced back, most probably, -to a Saxon ancestor, prior to the Norman conquest; but certainly I find evidence proving that, at the time of Henry the Second (who was crowned A. D. 1154), they were of Beckington, in the County of Somerset.”

This authority is confirmed by Sir Bernard Burke, who, in his account of the family in the “Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland,” says: “So far back as the seventh (year of the reign of) Henry the Second, John de Erlegh paid five marks for the scutage of his lands at Beckington.”

Pitminster, England

Smart Goodenough, Esq., Sheriff of this County (Somerset), died about the year 1720 when this estate came to William Earle, Esq., Serjeant-at-law, who married a daughter and co-heir of the said Mr. Goodenough, and who, at his death, left this manor of Blagdon, Barton, or Grange of Barton, and other estates in Pitminster, to his son, Goodenough Earle, Esq.

Collinson, vol. iii., p. 285.

Athelney, England

In process of time, this land became incorporated with the other possessions of the Erleighs, lords of Petherton and Durston. Henry de Erleigh, by his deed without date, granted to the Abbot and Convent of Athelney, all his right in the patronage of the chapel of St.

Michael’s-Church, with all his lands lying at Ridene, and other appurtenances, to hold to the said Abbot and Convent, and their successors in the said Monastery of Athelney, forever.
Collinson, vol. iii., p. 99.

Somerton, Somerset, England

From the book: RALPH EARLE AND HIS DESCENDANTS:

in the time of Edward the Second (who was crowned in 1307), they were Lords of the Manor of Somerton Parva, also called Somerton Erleigh, in the County of Somerset, which they held by grand sergeancy as King’s Chamberlain; and in the forty-fifth year of the reign of Edward the Third (who was crowned in 1327), they held lands in the same County, by service of pouring water on the King’s hands, on Easter or Christmas day.

Somerton-Erle or Erleigh, sometimes also called Somerton-Parva. was so named from its possessors and residentiary inhabitants, the family of Erleigh. They held this manor by grand serjeancy of being the King’s Chamberlain and pouring water on his hands upon his birthday. In the time of Edward III. (1327-1377, John de Erleigh sold the manor of Somer- ton-Erle, with the advowson of the chapel of the said manor, to Richard Brice/’ Collinson, vol. iii., p. 185.

The John de Erleigh referred to was probably the White Knight, who was compelled to sell a large part of his estate to procure his ransom from the Spaniards.

Mansel, England

In the time of Henry II., William de Erleigh (B-2) granted it (Mansel) to Philip Arbalistarius, in free marriage with Mabil, his daughter, to be held by the payment of two young pigs every Whitsuntide, at his court of Durston; which grant Ancilia, widow of the said William de Erleigh, confirmed to Philip de Maunsel, son of the above-mentioned Philip, who was the first of this family that assumed
the name of Maunsel or Mansel.” Collinson, vol. iii., p. 72.

This is an example of the derivation of the family name from the name of an estate.

West Harptree | Tilley Manor House

William Earle, sergeant-at-law, by his will, dated May 17, 1739, gave 50 pounds to the parish of West-Harptree.

Another ancient house, the property of Goodenough Earle, Esq., who inherits the manor of West-Harptree-Tilly.

At the east end of the fourth aisle (of the West-Harptree Church) is a handsome mural monument of stone, and on the tablet this inscription:

“Hie juxta jacent Henrietta, uxor Willielmi Earle, arm. filia Smart Goodenough. arm. de Barton prope Taunton; nata 6 Martij, anno 1676. denata 31 Januarij, 1703. Robertus Earle, gent., filius natu tertius Wilhelmi Earle, arm. natus 22 Januarii; denatus 7 Februarij, 1703. Willielmus Hall Earle, gent., filius Natu secun- dus Willielmi Earle, servient ad legem, natus 6 Julii, 1700;denatus28Julii,1721.WillielmusEarle,serviens ad legem, filius natu quartus. Tho. Earle equitis aurati de Crudwell in agro Wilton, obiit 10 die Martii, anno aetatis 78, Dom. 39.”