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Vagg's Hill

On the Somerset - Wiltshire boarder, where the river Frome passes between Tellisford in Somerset and North Bradley in Wiltshire lies an area of land that bears the name of Vagg. The area, as shown on Ordanance Survey maps (co-ordinates) as Vagg's Hill, originally met the boundary of the ancient Royal Forest of Selwood until the forests boundary was changed in c.1300.

Map of Vagg Hill, near Tellisford

(First edition Ordanance Survey map of Vagg's Hill.)

In Saxon times the ancient parish of North Bradley (including the modern parishes of North Bradley and Southwick) was within the bounds of the manor of Steeple Ashton. In the Middle Ages it was for a time reckoned to be part of the parish of Edington, but from about the mid-14th century seems to have been treated as an independent parish.

(VCH Wiltshire Vol.8 P.218)

1086 - Shortly after the Norman Conquest, Tellisford was held by Moses, who in turn held it from the Bishop of Countances. North Bradley does not appear in the Domesday book, but was probably included as part of another holding.

    Moses holds Tellisford from the Bishop. Edward held it before 1066; it paid tax for 2 hides. Land for 3 ploughs. In lordship 2 ploughs; 1½ hides.
    5 cottagers and 4 smallholders with 1½ ploughs & ½ hides.
    ½ mill which pays 7s 6d; meadow, 7 acres; pasture, 10 acres;
    woodland, 1½ acres. 7 cattle; 13 pigs;100 sheep, less 5; 29 goats.
    Value 30s; when the Bishop acquired it, 20s.
    To this manor 3 hides have been added. Alfgeat held them before 1066; they paid tax for as much. Land for 4 ploughs.
    In lordship 1 plough;3 slaves; 1 hide & 3 virgates.
    3 villagers and 8 smallholders with 2 ploughs & the rest of the land.
    ½ mill which pays 9s; meadow, 11½ acres; pasture, 30 acres;
    woodland, 4 ½ acres. 12 pigs;65 sheep; 24 goats.
    The value was 60s; now 40s.
    (Roger holds from the Bishop)
    (The Bishop has these two manors as one manor)
(From Exon Domesday. Translation from Phillimores Domesday book of Somerset)

1286 - The only known link between the Vagg family and Vagg's Hill appears in a document in the Longleat Estate archives. Different transcriptions of this document have appeared in the "Wiltshire Archaelogical and Natural History Magazine" and various volumes of "Somerset and Dorest Notes and Queries".

    Reginald Kingston, keeper of Selwood, complained that Nicholas de Montford of Tellisford and Richard le Vag, both outlaws, entered the forest at La Frith near Tellisford and took with nets a stag in the water of Tellisford.
(Wiltshire Archaelogical and Natural History Magazine vol. XXIII page 294)
    In Easter week 1286 Nicholas De Montfort of Tevelsford and Richard le Vag entered the forest of Selwood at La Freth near Tevelsford and killed a stag in the water of Tevelsford for which they were both outlawed.
(Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries. vol.24 page 184)

Other references:
(Original source in the Longleat Archives, Longleat House)
(Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries. vol.24 page 226)
(Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries. vol.31 page 329)

c. 1600 - Report written in 1973 on Vagg's Hill Farmhouse, Tellisford.
* - (SRO - Vernacular Architecture Reports - Reports for Tellisford - DD\V/FRR/15/1)

1824 - Map of Vagg's Hill and Watt's, North Bradley property of Thomas Clutterbuck. John Brown, surveyor. Book of reference missing. Tithe map numbers added.
(WRO - CLUTTERBUCK FAMILY OF HARDENHUISH - 873/177)

1851 - Census of Southwick (3-21.jpg) 

Dwelling: Vaggs Hill, Southwick, Wilts
James Moore 34 Farmer 120 Acres - 4 men 2 boys North Bradley, Som.
Harriet Moore 30 Road
Harriet Moore 10 Scholar Southwick, Wilts.
James Moore 8 Scholar Southwick, Wilts.
Catherine Moore 6 Scholar Southwick, Wilts.
Edward Moore 4 Scholar Southwick, Wilts.
Emma Moore 2 Southwick, Wilts.
Charles Moore 1 week Southwick, Wilts.
Jane Dunning Nurse Widow/er 52 Southwick, Wilts.
Eliza Sainsbury Servant 18 Dairy Maid Beckington
Julia Martin Servant 14 Nurse Maid North Bradley, Som.

1851-1873 - Estate and financial correspondence including two tenders for the repairs to Hardenhuish school and lodge 1871 and specification for repairs to Vagg's Hill farm. Vouchers mainly Southwick and Rode estates 1869-1874.
(WRO - CLUTTERBUCK FAMILY OF HARDENHUISH - 873/181)

1898 - Copy letters and notes about a dispute between Henry W. Harris of Greenhill, Sutton Veny, Master of the South and West Wilts. Hounds, and W.H. Laverton of Leighton House, Westbury, about Laverton's failure to preserve foxes in his coverts at Vagg's Hill, Southwick. Some of these were published in The Field, The Warminster and Westbury Journal, and The Wiltshire Chronicle.
WRO - Papers of the Long Family - 947/2069

Notes on the de Montfort family of Wellow

William Rufus granted Farleigh, Wellow and Claverton to a Hugh de Montfort who had crossed with the Conqueror, and in Henry III's reign a Sir Henry de Montfort is described as "Lord of Wellow, Farleigh and Nunney." Descendants of this Sir Henry continued to hold these lands until at least 1336, and there were certainly Nicholas de Montforts among them.
(S&DNQ vol. 24 p. 226)

1283 - Nicholas de Montfort is mentioned in the calencdar of Close Rolls.

    2 October 1283. Acton Burnell. Order of the treasurer and barons of the exchequer to cause enrolment to be made persuant to the kings grant to the men of Nicholas de Montefort of Radestock that of the 60s. wherein they are held to the king they render 20s. a year.
(Calendar of Close Rolls 1272 - 1307)

1283 - In 1283 a commission was held touching the right to fines for breaches of the assize of bread and ale committed by men of the 4 tithings of Teleford, Inglescumbe (Coombe English), Newenton (Newton St. Loe) and Twyverton in the Hundreds of Welewe (Wellow) Somerset; the King had impleaded Nicholas de Monte Forti touching his rights to the Hundred and the fines; the matter was referred for examination of rolls at the Exchequer.
(Patent Rolls 1281-92 p. 101, 140)
(S&DNQ vol. 24 p. 184)

1286 - Nicholas de Monte Forti witnesses a grant of land to Witham charterhouse.

    26 Feb 1286. Westminster. Inspeximus and confirmation of a charter, whereby, Edmund, son of Richard, King of Almain and earl of Cornwall, gave to the prior and brethren of the charterhouse, Witham 100s. rent, due from Robert de Aumory for a close called Monkisham, which the said Robert holds of the said Edmund adjoining the close of the said house of Witham, to be held with all other rights possessed by the said Edmund over the said close in frank almoin; Witnesses, Nicholas de Monte Forti, Robert de Vernoun, John Daugyr, knights. Nicholas Braunche, Henry de Monte Forti, Nicholas de la Mare, Giles Flury, Richard Bygod, Geoffrey de la Lynde; dated at Bechomstead Thursday after the feast of the Translation of St. Thomas. 13 Edw I.
(Calendar of Charter Rolls 1257-1300 p.330)

1286 - Nicholas de Montfort and Richard le Vag are outlawed for netting a stag in the Royal forest of Selwood.

    Reginald Kingston, keeper of Selwood, complained that Nicholas de Montford of Tellisford and Richard le Vag, both outlaws, entered the forest at La Frith near Tellisford and took with nets a stag in the water of Tellisford.
(Wiltshire Archaelogical and Natural History Magazine vol. XXIII page 294)

1304 - Inquisition post mortem of Henry de Monte Forti, his father Nicholas de Monte Forti "carried the rod before the king's justices in the eyre of Somerset".

    Henry de Monte Forti
    Writ, 28 May, 32 Edw. I.
    Somerset. Inq. 31 July, 32 Edw. I.
    Welewe. The manor (full extent given with names of tenants), including a wood called the park of Farlegh, 'ferthendells' of land and 'ferdells' of land, and the hundred of Welewe, held of the earl of Gloucester in chief by service of 2 knights' fees; Nicholas de Monte Forti his father carried the rod before the king's justices in the eyre of Somerset, and claimed to have all the liberties pertaining to the said hundred, and his predecessors have had them from time immemorial; and the bailiff of the said hundred.....Somerset for carrying out (ad exequend) the kings executions.

    Pegelinch. A capital messuage &c. 300a. arable, 4.5a meadow, a several pasture and common pasture, and rents of free tenants, 'ferdellarii' &c. and pleas &c. of court, held of the earl of Gloucester by the service aforesdaid.

    Radestocke. A garden, 50a. arable, 7a. meadow, a several pasture, common pasture, and rents of free tenants and 'ferdillarii', similarly held.

    Reginald his son, aged 12, is his next heir.

    Somerset. Inq. made at Welewe, 5 June, 33 Edw. I.
    Wodebergh. Two parts of the hamlet (extent given), including a capital messuage, held of heirs of John Giffard by service of two parts of 1/4 knight's fee.

    Welewe. The manor with hamlets of Pegelyngch and Radestok, together with the hundred of Welewe, held of the earl of Gloucester by service of 2 knights' fees.

    Heir as above, aged 13.

(Calendars of Inquisition Post Mortem. Vol. IV. Page 148.)

A manor house belonging to the Montfort family stood on the site of Farleigh castle in the early 1300s, the village was then known as Farleigh Montfort. Between 1334 and 1348 the property was sold by Reginald de Montfort to de Burghersh, a soldier and diplomat under Edward III. On the death of his son in 1369 the property passed to his daughter, Elizabeth le Despenser, a childless widow, who in turn sold Farleigh to Sir Thomas de Hungerford, a Wiltshire squire from Heytesbury in 1369-1370.