17. A Threat to the Harley Estate

Twenty six years before the death of Robert de Harley in 1349 his landholdings were threatened. In 1323 a John de Bruyn of Elkstone petitioned the King, Edward 11. He requested that he and his wife should take the lands belonging to Robert de Harley.

Extracted from the Manorial Rolls, National Archives Special Collections, Date 1323, Ref SC 8/92/4577

Note:- The Petition dates to 1323 and is clearly in the aftermath of the Lancaster Rebellion. Orders were issued twice in 1323 to take Robert de Harley’s lands into the King’s hands but there is no account of any action.

As Robert de Harley continued to hold the Harley Manor until his untimely death in 1349 it is assumed that the Petition must have failed. There is no indication as to what claim, if any, the Petitioner had over the landholdings of Robert de Harley.