|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
History of Morden Hall In the early part of the twelfth century the property belonged to Pain Peverel of Dover but when his son, William, died without issue the land around Guilden Morden was divided into five estates and shared between his sisters. Some of these estates were later acquired by the Crown under Edward I. Others remained in private ownership passing through the generations. In 1346 Sir William Lovell became owner of Morden Hall, following his marriage to Margaret Hereward, but he died in 1348 after mortally wounding his steward in his own hall and fleeing Guilden Morden. The original hall was destroyed in the Peasants Revolt of 1381 by which time it was owned by Thomas Haselden. Thomas Haselden was a Yorkshireman who arrived in Cambridgeshire as steward to John of Gaunt in 1370 and was controller of his household from 1372 to 1382. Morden Hall remained in the Haselden family and was largely rebuilt during the fifteenth century. The Morden manors (including Morden Hall) were sold in 1615 to William Hayes. William died in 1617 and ownership passed to his nephew Thomas who in turn died in 1628. Ownership then passed to Thomas's son William who was then aged 2, although it seems likely that the estate was then occupied by his father's creditors. William recovered possession in about 1647 until his death in 1651. His widow married Thomas Storey and ownership passed in 1675 to their son Thomas. It was on his death in 1702 that the estate was to be sold to pay his debts. The estate was eventually purchased by Sir George Downing - Secretary of the UK Treasury in 1667 ( Downing Street, official home of the United Kingdom Prime Minister, was named in honour of Sir George Downing ), and grandfather of the founder of Downing college, Cambridge. In 1806 it was sold to Lord Hardwicke and remained with the Hardwicke's Wimpole estate until the early part of this century. In 1911, part of the estate, including Morden Hall, was purchased by Cambridge County Council and remained in their ownership until the early 1980s. In today's Hall many of the features of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries can still be seen. Although not huge, the Hall is the comfortable home of Janet and Peter Garner and their family who welcome visitors to share the delights of Morden Hall and the surrounding countryside. You can still see, even stay, at Morden Hall. This website is the origin of this history and you can read more here. |
|
1381: Revolting Peasantsby Dr J SmithIn the Cambridge area the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 was a very brief episode affecting only scattered places, but our corner of the county was one of them. The causes no doubt ran considerably deeper than the poll tax, though the latter was highly unpopular, and the assistant poll tax collector was on the Cambridge rioters' wanted list; fortunately for him they did not find him. In Cambridge the revolt was one of the high spots in the "700 years war" between town and gown; one of the main points at issue was whether the university or the town court should have jurisdiction (and the right to keep the fines) over offences between members of the two communities. In fact the execution of the university bedell was one of the rioters' demands, but he too managed to be not at home. The Morden Hall riotMost of the trouble occurred in a single weekend from Saturday 15th to Monday 17th of June. Much of it took the form of seizing and burning the charters, court rolls, and other documents which underpinned the landowning classes' rights to exact boonworks, fines and taxes from the peasantry. There was plenty of violence against property, with looting and threats against individuals. Strangely the local ringleaders were landed gentlemen. Chief amongst them was John Hanchach* of Shudy Camps. Historians have not divined his motives, and he was given little opportunity to explain them before his execution. Shingay preceptoryHaving seen the revolt well and truly started in Cambridge a party rode to the Mordens on the 15th to attack Thomas Haselden's manors. Amongst them were John Giboun* junior, burgess of Cambridge and owner of property in Yorkshire, who we are told carried a lance with a pennant, John Peper of Linton, and Geoffrey Cobbe of -. Haselden was controller of the household to the highly unpopular John of Gaunt, and Steward of his manor of Bassingbourn; it is not clear whether he was otherwise personally unpopular, but it was probably as well for him that he too was away on his master's business in Scotland when the mob called. His barns were plundered of crops, including nearly two tons of barley, and his house was pulled down, and presumably looted as well. From Morden Hall the rioters went on to the plunder the Hospitallers' preceptory of Shingay; the Hospitallers were especially out of favour because the Grand Prior of the order in England was Sir Robert Hales, Richard II's Lord Treasurer and the man mainly responsible for the poll tax. Put down by Henry DespenserThe speedy end to the revolt in Cambridgeshire was due largely to one man, Henry Despenser, Bishop of Norwich, described by Sir Charles Oman as clearly the best fighting man in the whole house of peers. He was outside his diocese near Stamford on the 14th, when he heard that Peterborough Abbey was under threat. He had with him his bodyguard, six lances and some archers, but he gathered reinforcements from the local gentry and stormed into action. One man beheaded...By the 20th Hanchach had been beheaded in the market place, Cobbe was a prisoner, and the bishop was setting out for his own territory, having restored order in Peterborough, Ramsey, and Cambridge. The king's justice of assize followed, and sat from August 1st. ...one hangedJohn Giboun denied any offence, though he admitted being in the fields of Morden, but John Giboun senior gave evidence against him and he was hanged. Cobbe's case was put back for five years (in effect keeping him in prison). Peper had succeeded in making himself scarce; the sheriff was ordered to arrest him but said he was not in the county and had already been outlawed. There were very few cases of execution or outlawry however. A general pardon (not applicable to offences in Cambridge) followed in November, and Cobbe and Peper were pardoned. Morden Hall rebuilt
Morden Hall was rebuilt probably quite soon afterwards by the Haseldens. It is said to contain some
features which appear to have been part of the earlier house, but it is not open to the public. |