A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3 1911
CATTESHULL
CATTESHULL (Chatishull, Cateshull, xii cent.; Catteshull, xiii–xiv cent.; Catteshill, xviii cent.) is a manor and tithing in the north-east of Godalming, and included lands in Chiddingfold. (fn. 72a) Its separate existence seems to date from the reign of Henry I, who gave Catteshull to Dyvus Purcell. (fn. 73) Geoffrey Purcell, the king's usher (hostiarius), son of Dyvus, held it free of toll as it had been in his father's time, (fn. 74) and gave it to Reading Abbey on becoming a monk there. (fn. 75) This gift was confirmed both by the Empress Maud (fn. 76) and by her opponent Stephen, the latter stipulating in his grant that Ralph Purcell should hold 20s. of land in Windsor of the monks. (fn. 77) No mention is made of Catteshull in the confirmatory grants of Henry II to Reading Abbey, (fn. 78) and he seems to have regranted it to Ralph de Broc, son of Dyvus Purcell (identical with Ralph Purcell), to hold by the service of usher of the king's chamber. (fn. 79) This service or serjeanty by which the manor was held is variously stated as 'the keeping of the linen' (fn. 80) and being 'usher of the laundresses.' (fn. 81) Ralph de Broc's daughter Edelina having married Stephen de Turnham, (fn. 82) the manor passed to one of his (Stephen's) five heiresses, viz. Mabel wife of Thomas de Bavelingham, (fn. 83) who was also known as Mabel de Gatton. In 1224 she established her claim against the Bishop of Salisbury, lord of Godalming, in Artington and Catteshull. (fn. 84) She conveyed the manor to her son-in-law Robert de Manekesey in 1234, but the sale was opposed by her son Hamo de Gatton, whom Edelina de Broc had empowered to perform the service due. (fn. 85) Mabel was given the option of buying back the manor, (fn. 86) but does not seem to have done so, for in November 1234 the king confirmed the grant to Robert de Manekesey. (fn. 87) In 1254–5 Robert de Gatton was in possession of Catteshull. (fn. 88) He died c. 1264, leaving a son Hamo, (fn. 89) who was succeeded by his son Hamo de Gatton, (fn. 90) who dowered his wife Margery with Catteshull at the church door. (fn. 91) Their son, Edmund de Gatton, was an infant at his father's death, and died a manor. He had two sisters and co-heirs, Elizabeth wife of William de Dene, and Margaret wife of Simon de Northwood. (fn. 92) Of these Margaret obtained her purparty of her brother's lands in 1315, (fn. 93) although Guy de Ferre, custodian of Edmund's lands during his minority, (fn. 94) accounted for the manor in February 1319–20. (fn. 95) Margaret's portion evidently included the whole of Catteshull. Her son Sir Robert de Northwood, kt., inherited it and made good his claim to it against Robert de Dol of Loseley, who asserted that Robert de Manekesey had granted it to his grandfather Hugh de Dol and his wife Sibyl. (fn. 96) Sir Robert was in possession of Catteshull at his death in 1360, (fn. 97) and was succeeded by his son Thomas, who only survived his father a year. (fn. 98) One of his sisters and heirs, Joan wife of John Levyndale, was apportioned certain rents in Catteshull, while his other sister, Agnes, afterwards wife of William Beaufoy, received the rest of the manor, (fn. 99) and conveyed it to John Legg, or Leigh, serjeant-at-arms, who is said to have been her second husband, William Brantingham, and John West. (fn. 100) During the lifetime of John Legg land in Catteshull was leased to Elizabeth widow of Peter Stonhurst. (fn. 101) William Brantingham held a court there 25 July 1383, but almost immediately conveyed the manor to Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent, and others, probably trustees, for William Brantingham obtained in 1384 a quitclaim of the rights of Joan Weston, wife of William Weston, daughter of Agnes and heiress of John Legg or Leigh. (fn. 102)
William Brantingham was in possession in 1407 when he granted the manor to trustees, evidently for the purpose of a conveyance to his kinsman John Brantingham, which was completed in 1413. (fn. 103) John was still holding in 1421, but in 1428 Richard Brantingham was assessed in a feudal aid for the manor. In 1430 John Brantingham sold it to Thomas Wintershull senior, and others, to the use of Robert, father of Thomas, (fn. 104) who was lord of Wintershull in Bramley (q.v.). In his family it remained (fn. 105) till 1565, when John Wintershull sold it to William More of Loseley. (fn. 106) His direct descendants retained it till 1836, (fn. 107) at which date James More-Molyneux sold it to George Marshall. (fn. 108) Mr. Marshall died in 1853, having bequeathed his estate to his wife, who died 1874, leaving it to her daughter Mrs. Fairclough.
When the lord of Godalming held his yearly view of frankpledge at Catteshull the lords of that manor were wont to have the amercements. (fn. 109) They also had court baron, heriot, and relief. (fn. 110)
The chapel of St. Nicholas at Catteshull is mentioned in the Dean of Salisbury's survey of Godalming in 1220. The lady of the manor claimed suit of court from its tenants, but the chaplain and vicar were strictly prohibited from paying it. (fn. 111) The chapel was near the present manor-house, on the right-hand side of the road from Catteshull to Munstead.