Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/331

 THE ALIEN PRIOKV OF ANDWELL. 255 founders and principal benefactors of this })riory, as tlicy Avcrc also of the neighbouring House of Shirebourne, or Plonks' Shirebournc, which they gave to the l^encdictine Abbey of Cerasie, in Normandy. This is now the property of Queen's College, Oxford. The only information which we have of the earlier members of this once wealthy family, beside Domesday Book, and a grant by the Conqueror to the Abbey of "Westminster, is contained in one short extract from the register of the Abbey of Gloucester, and the three charters,^ by which they gave 8hirebourne to the monks, all of which have been printed in the Monasticon. Yet their blood is still flowing untainted in the veins of the Premier Marquis of England, who is also Jiaron St. John of Basing, and of other noble and distinguished families ; whilst Old Basing itself, the head of their barony, is in the possession of another nobleman, also descended from the de Ports." Hugh de Port, or Portu, the founder of the family, who, it may be assumed, was one of the followers of the Conqueror, was possessed, at the Domesday Survey, of not less than fifty-five lordships, of which Basing was the chief. Of him very little is known. That he was at times employed about the person of the Conqueror may be inferred from his name appearing in three documents relating to the grant by that king to the Abbey of Westminster of two churches of Roteland, Uppingham, and Warley, wuth the church of Belton.^ In the following document he appears as the only witness. — " Willelmus rex Angl. Francis et Anglis salutem : Sciatis me dedisse S. Petro Westm., et Abbati Gilleberto, ecclesias de Roteland, et terras pertinentes ad easdem ecclesias, sicut Albertus Lotharingius de me tenebat ipsas ecclesias, cum omnimodis pertinentibus ad ipsas. T. Ilugone de Portu." ^ He was also directed to give seisin of the same to the abbey. — " Willelmus, rex Angl. Hugoni de Portu, et omnibus fidelibus suis Francigenis et Anglicis, salutem : Sciatis me dedisse S. Petro de Westmonastcrio decimam de Roteland, et tu, Hugo de Portu, inde eum saisias."^ All else that is known of him is contained in the following ' The originals are probably preserved cum terris omnibus et deeimis et capellis in the archives of Queen's College. els {lertiiientibus. Mon. Angl., vol. ii. = Lord Bolton. pp. -W], .'lOi. ^ Duas eeclesias de Roteland, Yppinge- ■* n)idem. ham et Wcrleiam cum eeclesia de lielton, ^ Ibidem,