Archive
Throckmorton of Coughton
Description
Deeds relating to the Throckmorton family of Coughton Court and their estates in Coughton, Great Alne and Spernall (Warwickshire), Chaddesley Corbett (Worcestershire), and elsewhere, including property in Devon and Somerset; and court rolls for Buckland (Berkshire) 1245-1757, Weston Underwood (Buckinghamshire) 1295-1754, Coughton, 1484-1731, Sambourn, 1472-1849, and Spernall, 1619-1731 (Warwickshire), Chaddesley Corbett, 1338-1829, and elsewhere. The Throckmorton family, minor gentry from Throckmorton and Fladbury (Worcestershire), acquired property in Coughton, near Alcester, in the early fifteenth century. Thomas Throckmorton (d. 1471) also acquired by marriage estates at Weston Underwood (Berkshire). The next marriage to bring additions to the family estates was Sir Robert's (d. 1720), whose wife was heir to the Yate lands at Buckland (Berkshire) and to Pakington lands in Belbroughton, Chaddesley Corbett and elsewhere in Worcestershire. His grandson. George, married the heiress to a substantial estate in Devon, centred on Molland, but which included property in Somerset. The family papers deposited at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust consist almost entirely of title deeds (DR 5/1-1859)and court rolls (DR 5/1920-3407)). Of the former there are some 1,900. The earliest (from 1317) relate to the ancestral estates at Throckmorton and Fladbury, in Worcestershire. Warwickshire material (some 500 deeds, DR 5/842-1347) dates from the middle of the sixteenth century. The largest section (over 800 items, DR 5/3-785, 798-841) relate to the West Country estate and is dated between 1528-1887. Amongst the court rolls, there are long runs for Chaddesley Corbett (DR 5/2734-3259), Buckland (DR 5/1920-2100), Weston Underwood (DR 5/2108-2170), Sambourn (DR 5/2357-2612), Coughton (DR 5/2191-2243) and Spernall (DR 5/2614-2260). There are a few (less than forty) estate papers (DR 5/1860-1885): they cover the period 1543-c.1900 and include some rentals.