RIDGWELL.

The parish of Ridgwell * is bounded eastward by Tilbury, by Stambourn on the south, and westward extends to Birdbrook. It is five miles from Clare, in Suffolk, and fifty-two miles from London.

The village is small, and the population of the whole parish inconsiderable; yet, in 1318, it had a weekly market on Tuesdays, and an annual fair, commencing on the eve of St. Lawrence's day; from which circumstance it has been supposed that formerly it was a place of greater importance than at present. It consists of a small number of houses, on either side of the road to Cambridge; and there is a dissenting meeting-house .

The river Colne has its source in this parish; and a fine spring of water rises at the east end of the church.

In the time of Edward the Confessor, the lordship belonged to a freeman named Godwin. After the Conquest, it became part of the large possessions of Eustace, earl of Boulogne; and was holden of the honour named from that noble house, by the ancient family of Ansty, as early as the reign of King Henry the Second . It belonged to Hubert de Anesty , in 1211, whose son and successor was Nicholas, and his only daughter Dionysia, ‡ by marriage, conveyed this estate to William de Montchensy, lord of Swainscamp. He died in 1285, and his widow in 1303, leaving two children, William and Dionysia.

The son being in active opposition to King John and Henry the Third, was one of the chief commanders at the battle of Lewis, where the latter of these monarchs was taken prisoner; but being himself afterwards taken, this estate was confiscated, and given to William de Valence, earl of Pembroke, who had married his aunt, Joan de Montchensy.

Afterwards, the estate was restored to him, but he lost his life at the siege of Drossellan Castle, in Wales; § on which event, leaving no offspring, his sister Dionysia inherited his estates. She was married to Hugh de Vere, second son of Robert, earl of Oxford, a man who acquired fame in military expeditions under King Edward the First. Himself and his lady died in 1313, without issue, and were succeeded in this and other possessions by Adomar de Valence, earl of Pembroke, son of William and Joan de Montchensy, who, though thrice married, || yet died without issue, in 1224. His last wife had this manor for part of her dowry , and lived a widow fifty - three years , dying in 1376. It is recorded of CHAP . V. this lady , that she was , in one day , a maid , wife , and widow ; * her husband losing his life in a tilting - match , on the day of their nuptials . She founded Pembroke Hall , in Cambridge . On her death , this estate descended to John de Hastings , lord Bergavenny and earl of Pembroke , the fifth in descent from John de Hastings , baron Bergavenny , who had married Isabel , sister of Adomar de Valence .

William de Beauchamp was the next possessor of this estate , on whose decease , in 1411 , it became part of the endowment of his widow , till her death in 1435. Richard de Beauchamp , her son , was succeeded , in 1422 , by his only daughter and heiress , Elizabeth , married to Sir Edward Neville , fourth son of Ralph , earl of Westmoreland , and in her right was baron Bergavenny . His son George was his successor in 1476 , whose son of the same name was the next possessor . In 1521 , John Fisher , bishop of Rochester , and Hugh Ashton , archdeacon of York , executors of Margaret , countess of Richmond and Derby , foundress of St. John's College , Cambridge , purchased this manor and estate , to be made part of the endow- ment of that foundation ; and the manor - house , which is a large old building , has , on account of this appropriation , received the name of the college . le Hill . Pannels le Hill is an estate on the top of a hill , not far distant from the church : a Pannels family named Pannels lived here from 1385 to 1613. One of the north windows of the church was fitted up at the expense of John Pannel , and his name was painted on the glass . In 1619 , this estate was conveyed from the Pannel family to Benjamin Fisher and Thomas Baron , and , in 1661 , it became the property of Peter Elliston , whose son , Joseph Elliston , sold it to Dorothy Barrington , widow of Robert , younger son of Sir Francis Barrington , the first baronet of that family : on the decease of this lady it was to descend to her son , Colonel John Barrington , and his heirs for ever ; but the colonel sold it , in 1676 , to Charles Ballet , M.D. who , in 1681 , disposed of it to William Guyon, Esq. of Belchamp Walter, of the family of the Guyons , of Coggeshall . William Guyon , his successor , sold it , in 1696 , to John Neville , a descendant of Thomas , younger son of Richard Neville , lord Latimer , who died in 1530. This Thomas married Mary , daughter and co - heiress of Sir Thomas Tey , of the manor of Pigots , in Ardley , where he died in 1540 , as did his widow in 1544 ; their son and successor was Thomas , the father of John Neville , of Halstead , whose son Richard of that town died in 1625. John , his younger son , was of Ridgwell , and died in 1687 :