Somersham.info

The pulse of changing governments and revolution did much to upset the natural rythm of rural life. The Howard family had maintained a connection with Somersham Palace since Charles I came to the throne. Sir Charles Howard was royal minder for the park and palace and had set up home in the gatehouse built under James I. However his tenure was to prove far from secure as the ominous memorandum included in this survey of 1652 clearly shows. Although we do not know the precise outcome, by the time of the Restoration, the Howards had cut their links with Somersham altogether

A survey of the Mansion or Lodge House with ye appurtenances wherein Sir Charles Howard now dwelleth and as it standeth within the chace of Somersham in the County of Huntingdon aforesaid being parcel of the manor and soake of Somersham being the lands of the late king and queen and taken by us heretofore nominated and appointed surveyors for the said county and whose names subscribed ye 6th day of November 1652.

And that mansion or lodge house with the appurtenances soe situated and lying and being in Somersham in the County of Huntingdon aforesaid and as it is encompassed with and abutteth upon the lawn and parcell of the said chace on the East and with the several Hewetts of the said chace on the South and West and North thereupon abutting and adjoining consisting of a timber building and containing divers and several rooms within the same with the outhouses and gardinge and lands thereof belonging and inclosed with a pale and hedge and now in the tenure of Sir Charles Howard containing by estimation fifteen acres of pasture ground and worth per annum 30 shillings.

Memorandum
We were informed upon taking the former survey of the said manor that the premessis did belong to the Right honourable the now earl of Suffolk or sir Charles Howard, or one of the, whereupon we omitted the same out of the said survey. But since we received information that the said house and lodge and the appurtenances were built with timber taken out of the park and chace of Somersham aforesaid and that the land lying and being so within the said chace distinguished in the most part thereof with a raile only and finding noe other land lying within the said chace claimed by any other person, and that the said land might formerly be parcel of the said chace and having not seene any deedes or evidence from the said Earl or Sir Charles Howard whereby they or any of them claimeth any right or titles to the premsessis wee have therefore made this survey and returned the same unto your Honours submitting the same to further consideration,

Subscribed by us
The 6th day of November 1652

Tho Ffowle
John Ward

From the Parliamentary Survey of Somersham in 1652 transcribed by Andy Lee.