This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IV THE MANOR HOUSE From the middle of the twelfth century, when Gervas, Abbot of Westminster, parted with the beneficial interest in the Manor of Chelsea for a fee farm rent of DEGREES4, down to the close of the fifteenth, when it was granted to Sir Reginald Bray, its owners have left no trace in Chelsea except the bare records of a few conveyances, most of which are preserved amongst the "Feet of Fines," of which a calendar was published by the Middlesex Record Society in 1892. In 1196 Ralph de Septem Fontibus sold a virgate of land in Chelchud to Richard son of Edward; while nearly a century later, namely in 1280, another Ralph de Septem Fontibus conveyed the Manor of Chilcheth to Laurence de Septem Fontibus. In 1315, Cecilia, wife of Richard de Heyle, daughter of Ralph and co-heiress of her brother Thomas de Septem Fontibus, deceased, was awarded in a partition of his lands the Manor [of Chelsea] and lands there called Kingsholt. Richard de Heyle died in the same year, when Cecilia his widow levied a fine on her son Richard for the Manor of Chilchethe. In 1345 Richard de Heyle was still "Lord of Chelchith " (Esch. 18 Ed. III.). In 1368 Robert de Heyle leased the whole Manor, except Westbourne and Kingsholt, to the Abbey of Westminster, for the term of his life, for which they were to allow him a certain house within the convent for his residence, two white loaves and two flagons of convent ale a day, and a robe of esquire's silk and DEGREES20 every year. (Claus. 41 Ed. III. m. 16.) The next conveyance of the Manor recorded in the "Feet of Fines" is in 1449, the vendors being John Shordych the elder and his wife Matilda. And in 1485 another fine was levied by Sir Reginald Bray and others on Robert Shordych, Esq., and his wife Margaret, and...