Arborfield
Local History Society

 Families - Bullock vs. Standen

The story of the sale of the Manor of Arborfield is not without its sad interest. It would seem that in consequence of an accumulation of debts (described in state papers as partly owed “to the Queen”) Thomas Bullock found himself driven to contemplate selling the family estates. To such a course the whole family was strongly opposed, and his uncle, George Bullock of Uckfield, refused at first to hand over the title deeds, which were in his keeping. Ultimately he was obliged to part with them, but only, it would seem, after Thomas had, under family pressure, been induced to execute a deed of entail.

This deed, however, he shortly afterwards repudiated, and proceeded with the sale. Edmund Standen “of Chancery” father of the better known Sir William Standen, became the purchaser for £4000 with the proviso that Thomas Bullock should remain in occupation at an annual rent of £150. The validity of this sale was at once disputed by his brother and heir presumptive, William, on the ground of its being barred by entail. He was however unable to substantiate his claim, and after the case had been carried by Standen through the Court of Chancery and the Star Chamber, the final verdict was that the alleged entail was invalid, and that the sale must hold good.

Even then William refused to abandon what he believed to be the just rights of himself and the family. In or about the year 1595 Thomas died; and William, in defiance of the Star Chamber’s decree - aided and abetted, moreover, by the tenants on the Berkshire estates - seems to have entered into some degree of possession at Arborfield.

In “BARKHAM: A History” we read that William.....seized possession of the manor house and mill at Arborfield. When Standen’s agents attempted to take possession of the mill, William’s servants inside the building threw scalding water over them.

This action involved him in serious contempt of Court, with the result that he was thrown into Fleet Prison. While in confinement he brought further actions for the recovery of the estate, first in the Queen’s Bench, and then in the Court of Common Pleas, and followed up these by Petitions to the Queen, the Privy Council and the ‘Lord Keeper’. in these proceedings he appears to have had the sympathy and active support of “his wife, children, kinsfolk and friends” - including his cousins, William and Thomas Kingsmill, grandsons of the late Justice of the Common Pleas. But all their persistence was in vain, and, William Bullock remained for several years a prisoner. It is only from the Parish Registers of Barkham that we learn that he finally gave way, and returned to his home in that village, where in 1603 his youngest daughter was born.

Thus with the passing of the 16th century the Arborfield Estate passed from the Bullock family into the hands of the Standens, in whose possession it remained for some 150 years.

Ref. 'Memoirs of the Bullock Family 1155-1905 (of Berkshire, Essex and Other Counties)' by Ll. C. W. Bullock - Privately printed by A. J. Lawrence, Rugby;
       'Barkham: A History', by David French.
       Arborfield and Barkham Manors in Contention 1589-1662 by David French.

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