• Part of the survey<br />describing the house
  • and the buildings on the site<br />including a garden

The Bassett Family

As a royal manor, Woking Manor was held by Edward the Confessor before the Norman Conquest and in 1086 by William I. The Crown continued to hold the manor throughout the following reigns of William II, Henry I, Stephen and Henry II. However, in 1189 Richard I granted the manor of Woking to Alan Basset of Wycombe, Buckinghamshire by which time the site of the future Palace had become established.

The manor passed down the Bassett family to Philip Bassett. His daughter Aliva married Hugh Despenser about 1260 and their son another Hugh was the notorious Elder Despenser.

When Philip Basset died in 1271, the manor descended to his daughter, Aliva and in a survey carried out at that time, there is the first mention of a house on the site.

On Aliva's death, the Manor came into the hands of Hugh Despenser, the elder Despenser until it reverted to the Crown in 1327 on his execution for treason. His son, Hugh, the younger Despenser, was also executed. Edward III eventually gave the manor to Edmund of Woodstock, and the Earls of Kent.

Read more about the Bassett family (PDF format).

Richard 1

Richard 1 grants manor to Alan Bassett

Hugh Despencer

The infamous Hugh Despencer who was executed for treason

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