OVER KELLET MANOR

Descent of manor

The manor of Over Kellet was split into two moieties. One moiety descended through a branch of the Kellet family. Between 1269 and 1279 it passed to William de Burgh, who appears to have alienated the manor to the Dacres. The Dacres lost the manor after Towton in 1461, and the manor was granted to Sir Richard Fiennes. Soon afterwards this moiety was held by the Harringtons of Hornby and in 1489 came into the possession of Sir Edward Stanley. In 1597 it was conveyed to George Middleton of Leighton, who already held part of the other moiety of the manor. In 1669 Sir George Middleton conveyed it to John Otway. The manor was then sold to Oliver Martin or Marton early in the 18th century. It remained with the family, George Henry Powys Marton being lord in 1912.

The second moiety of the manor was initially held in two or three portions, one part descended to William de Kellet who died without issue in 1242. The entire moiety eventually passed to the Croft family. On the partition of the Croft estates in 1489, their part of Over Kellet passed to the Middletons, and so descended to George Middleton who in 1597 purchased the other moiety of the manor.

Nature of jurisdiction

Courts had ceased to be held by 1912.

Sources

A History of the County of Lancaster, Volume 8 (1914), pp.140-151.