Histories

The real facts of the case in the transference of the Horton property from Clement Paston, Esq., to Mr Brooke, of Chipping Sodbury, are to be found in a statement in writing, made in 1832, in a note-book, once belonging to Mr John REED, formerly estate agent at Horton. He says: "In the year 1782, Mr Brooke entered into an agreement with Clement Paston, Esq., for the purchase of the Manor of Horton, and Maria Isabella Paston, his wife, by paying unto them the yearly sum of Three Hundred Pounds, in half-yearly payments, during their lives, and to pay off the mortgage, viz., £6000, owed by them to Mr Dawbany and Mr Wilshire of Shockerwick, near Bath, for which he was to receive all rents, quit rents, .r.iotts, and all profits accruing from, or out of the Manor and Parish of Horton, during their lives, only from that time all receipts and all things relating to the Manor was to be carried on in their names during their lives, and then the whole to be his and his heirs and assigns for ever. Clement Paston died in about five years, and Mrs Paston in about ten years, so that the whole of the Manor and parish of Horton did not cost Mr Brooke ten thousand pounds, which sum with timber was paid out of the estate. The whole of the deeds have been through my hands, wherein you find Clement Paston apologising for his conduct to his own family. The advowson was sold with the Manor to Mr Brooke in the same agreement. A fine has been passed by Mr Brooke upon it, and all deeds regularly executed. I have read them this sixth day of December, 1832. JOHN REED.

The Manor of Horton was first granted to Clement Paston in the year 1553 by King Edward the Sixth.
John Paston granted a lease to Henry Watts to search for coal in Horton Common in the year 1720.
I enter this to shew that Mr Paston could not be of sound mind to do so, as at that time it was worth £90,000; this day it is worth £180,000, but everything is very regularly executed, and deeds well drawn.
JOHN REED.
December 7th, 1832. BY the time of the death of Mrs Paston."

Note: The above statement was copied, by permission from a note-book
now in the possession of Mr H.J. Slade of Horse Shoe Farm, Horton. Mr John Reed was Mr Slade's great-uncle, and estate agent at one time for Mr Paston.