Urry Homes & Manors


	HOMES & MANORS on the Isle of Wight, England and Scotland

This additional page to The URRY Family History is intended for those of you unable to visit the Island but interested in some of the homes and properties of our ancestors.

Today, none of these properties remain within our family and anyone visiting the Island should remember that the present owners of these private homes do not necessarily wish to be pestered by impertinent camera armed tourists invading their privacy in search of the past.

SEE THE HOMES WHERE OUR ANCESTORS LIVED

Precise Satellite photos on the Google Earth* website

Click here to go there now or to download the "urryhomes.kmz" file.

*Google Earth requires a fairly recent computer with an adequate graphics card.

Clicking on the small photos below will give access to bigger pictures. Photos on this page may be copied only for personal family use and if used for publication please mention this site.

Great East Standen Manor - OS Grid Ref. SZ 525881 - 1362 - Sir Robert URRY's wife Petronella (aka Parnel) GLAMORGAN inherited this Manorfrom her brother Nicholas GLAMORGON. In the Christchurch Priory Cartulary there is also reference to a certain Orri (or Urri) of Standen dated 1100 but this may refer to the greater Standen manor before it was subdivided. Although the present building is obviously more recent the chimney buttress on the northern end appears to be of much earlier construction. In 1446 the manor is passed down from William URRY to his daughter Elizabeth who was married to George BRAMSHOTT. It was later passed down to the COOKE family in a similar way. A chapel, dedicated to the honour of St. Leonard, was in existence at Standen at the end of the 13th century, belonging to the lords of the manor. The chapel at the Dissolution was said to have been founded by the ancestors of William Urry, but was probably refounded later, as in another return the foundation is ascribed to Richard Covert. The chapel appears to have been still in existence in 1780, as Mr. Sanders was then paying a fee-farm rent of £3 to the Crown for East Standen Chapel. Ruins of the chapel, which has now entirely disappeared, were to be seen in the orchard behind the house at the end of the 18th century.

Thorley Manor - OS Grid Ref. SZ 367891 - In the time of Edward the Confessor the manor of Thorley was held by the Earl Tostig. The manor is first mentioned as being held by William Urry in 1250, and in 1273 the estate had already passed to his son Robert Urry. In 1542 Robert Urry bequeaths Thorley Manor to his eldest son David. In 1604 John Urry of Thorley receives a royal pardon from James I (the original pardon is now held by Southampton University). At the death of David Urry in 1625, the manor is passed to his son Thomas who in turn, passes it to his son John in 1631. John and his wife Alice Scovell, organized a welcoming reception for Charles I on his arrival on the Island in 1647 From John the manor was passed to his daughter Elizabeth who married Richard Lucy of Charlecote. After moving with her husband to Stour Provost in Dorset, the manor was sold in 1679 to Sir Robert Holmes, Governor of the Isle of Wight. The present house was built in 1712 on the ruins of the last of the four previous ones. Thorley manor is still run as a farm and is presently owned by Anthony Blest.

Old Thorley Church - Built in the 13th century, St. Swithun's Church was founded by Amicia, Countess of Devon and was recorded as being "of good proportions and some elegance". Sometimes known as the Urry Church as it was apparently maintained by the family as a private (but consecrated) chapel in the grounds of Thorley manor house. As one may see from the photo of Thorley, all that remains is the southern entrance, or transept, of what was originally a larger structure. The position of the demolished nave can be defined by the outline of the once surrounding graves. The bells from this church, originally from Shalfleet church, remain to this day in the new Thorley Church. A hand engraved brass plate portraying the Urry family arms which used to be fixed above the door is presently in my possession, having been given to my father many years ago.

Alvington Manor - 50°41'40"N - 01°19'44"W - An estate once known as URRY'S PLACE was held from 1327 to 1362 by Robert Urry, son of William Urry and his wife Isabel. The estate was later sold to Laurence de St. Martin, lord of Alvington. From that time this land descended with Alvington, being evidently incorporated in the latter, since it is not mentioned by name after 1502.

Sheat Manor - OS Grid Ref. SZ 494845 - The present house was built in 1600 by Thomas Urry as a home for his new wife Jane Day. Ten Oak trees were donated for the building as a wedding gift from Jane's kinsman Sir William Oglander. In 1586 the property was owned by David Urry, yeoman of Afton. In 1777 Thomas Urry leaves Sheat Manor to his niece Elizabeth Browne who married Windsor Heneage. In 1970 the manor was held by Mrs.E.S.Clarke, who is believed to be a descendant of the Urry family. In 1975 Sheat Manor finally passes out of the family when it is sold to Lieut-Col. G. W. Webber MBE. TD. K.St.J.

Although Catholicism was then forbidden, the Urry's, like many islanders, apparently remained faithful to this religion and a priest's hole was incorporated into the structure of this house. Mass was said regularly at Sheat over many years and in 1750 a catholic priest, Fr. David Morgan from Havant, records that he used to travel to Sheat Manor to secretly conduct these services. On the 28th August 2002, Mass was again said at Sheat Manor for the first time in over 200 years. Peter Clarke, President of the Isle of Wight Catholic History Society arranged the event with permission from the present owners, Lieut-Col. and Mrs. G. W. Webber MBE. TD. K.St.J. The Mass was celebrated by F. Bruce Barnes, parish priest of St. Thomas', Newport, the Church that was built with a donation from Elizabeth Heneage, daughter of John Browne (of Kent) & Elizabeth Urry and the 3g-granddaughter of Thomas Urry & Jane Day. The Mass was to commemorate the recusant families like ours who risked fines and imprisonment to maintain their faith during penal times.

Great Budbridge Manor - OS Grid Ref. SZ 530835 - Great Budbridge Manor - In the reign of Henry III (1207-1272) the manor was held by John de l'Isle, Henry de Botebrigge and Walter Urry. It is recorded as being owned by William Urry in 1280. William's son, Robert Urry was convicted in 1312 accused of slaying the Constable of Carisbrooke Castle. Consequently some of his land was confiscated but it seems the manor was spared as it is recorded as still being in the family in 1450. In 1633 the manor was purchased by Sir Robert Dillington.

North Court Manor - OS Grid Ref. SZ 457832 - Originally the seat of Baldwin de Redvers, the present house was built by Sir John Leigh in 1616. Thomas Urry, son of Thomas Urry of Sheat Manor, married Penelope Leigh, Sir John's daughter, in July 1660. The manor subsequently became their home. Thomas and Penelope only had one son, who died in childbirth, and two daughters. The eldest daughter Elizabeth, married George Oglander in 1680.

Wolverton Manor - OS Grid Ref. SZ 453824 - Thomas Urry took the lease on Wolverton Manor in 1703. It later passed to David Urry.

Arreton Manor - OS Grid Ref. SZ 534868 - In1348 Sir Robert Urry died leaving his manor at Arreton to his son Robert. The URRY family were landowners of the manor of Arreton for many years. However, it seems probable that the manor had passed out of their hands before the present house was built in the late 16th century. Today Arreton Manor is open to the public and is in excellent original condition; giving an insight to how the wealthy may have lived 400 years ago.

Afton Manor - OS Grid Ref. SZ 348868 - The Domesday Book records the owner of Afton Manor as being the Saxon Earl Tostig (He who fought with the Viking King Harald "Hardrada" Sigurdsson and Eystein Orri at the battle of Stamford Bridge). Later occupants took their name from the property to become the De Affeton family. In the reign of Edward III it had passed to the Brokenford family and in the 16th century it was owned by the Bruen family.

Afton Manor originally came into the Urry family in 1591 when it was purchased by David Urry, son of David of Thorley. David's brother, Thomas, was later to build Sheat Manor. In 1779 David Urry of Afton died, apparently without sons, and left his Manors, Messuages, Farms, Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments to his daughters married to Sir John Oglander and Charles Holmes.

The present Manor House was built circa 1700 by David Urry and his wife Ursula Cheeke. The building, of early Georgian style, is now listed as being of historical interest and (as may be seen from the blue plastic sheeting) has just been extensively restored to a very high standard. The extension beyond the original roof line at the rear of the house was completed in the late 19th century.

The present owner of Afton Manor has recently complained of people invading his privacy and that these people claimed to have been enticed into doing so by this web site. Quite to the contrary, this site exists so that we may all share some of the magnificence of these properties without infringing on the privacy of somebody else's home.

Merston Manor - OS Grid Ref. SZ 521854 - Prior to the Norman conquest Merston manor was held by the Brictuin family.

The present house was built circa 1680 by Edward Cheeke (David Urry's brother in law) and his wife Eleanor Oglander. The deeds of Merston Manor passed to John Urry of Arreton in 1727 for the princely sum of £126,oo Sterling.

Weston Manor - OS Grid Ref. SZ 326861 - This seems to have come into the family at about the same time as Afton Manor i.e. circa 1590. In 1758 John Urry died leaving only two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, it was probably at this time that the Manor went out of the family. Built on the site of the earlier Urry residence, this more recent house was built by the Ward family. In 1937 it was leased to a Spanish nursing order of nuns who cared for wayward girls. In 1962 the lease was taken over by Dominican brothers to give residential help to men with learning difficulties. It is still being used for this purpose today.

Chillerton Farm - OS Grid Ref. SZ 481833 - Believed to have been the home of William Urry of Chillerton (b1674) and his descendants.

The Refuge - OS Grid Ref. SZ 356898 - In the town of Yarmouth, a "Hospital", or Place of Refuge, was founded c.1200 by William de Vernon, Lord of the Island, between what is now the High Street and the foreshore. Originally named as the Hospital of Eremue, it later became known as "The Refuge" and was rebuilt in 1711 by Capt. David Urry. After his death, the house was leased to Sir William SYMONDS Chief Constructor of the Navy. A later occupant and eminent architect, Daniel ALEXANDER (1768 - 1846) installed battlements around the top of the house and turrets on the roof. which led to the house becoming known as "The Towers".

1869

The Sand House - OS Grid Ref. SZ 351896 - at Yarmouth, built by the Urry family as a place to store and to dry sand, prior to shipping. This sand was intended for the glass industry and it is thought possible that the building may also have been used at some time for the manufacture of glass. It is known that there was a glass house on the Island during the late seventeenth century. It probably opened about 1674 and closed temporarily in about 1696 (glass tax that had been imposed a year earlier) to re-open in about 1698 for another twenty years or so.

The Isle of Wight trade in pipe-clay for making 'white' glass-making-pots centered on Freshwater and latterly was in the hands of David Urry and his descendants. In 1628 the " Fortune" and the " Hour Glass", both ships from Amsterdam, carried 160 tons of tobacco pipe clay from Southampton to London for Richard Urry. In the port books, starting from the earliest book examined (1664/5), there are references to tobacco pipe clay being exported from the Island to many places, including the glass-making centres of: London, Newcastle, Lynn, and Topsham. By 1686 David Urry often used the boat "David of Freshwater" with Richard PELL as master. During the same period there were imports of pipe clay to the Island, including in March 1685/6 a ship brought 11 tons of tobacco pipe clay from Poole. This suggests that Urry was either blending the clay or acting as a merchant. There is a possible reference to a 'working oven' in the will inventory of David Urry of Afton in 1671, which might relate to glass making. In 1795 an author states "....the latter (white shining sand) is dug out of some very valuable mines which are the property of David Urry, Esq. near Yarmouth and from there sent to London and Bristol for use of the glass manufactories".

Many thanks to the Isle of Wight Industrial Archaeology Society who kindly supplied the illustration of the Sand House and who would be very interested in hearing from anyone who may have any information about glassmaking on the Island.

Scotland

Pitfichie Castle - N 57°14'21.69" W 2°32'07.13" - Built on ancient lands owned by the family in the mid 16th century, this castle only remained in our possession until 1597 when it was sold to John Cheyne of Fortrie (MP for Aberdeen). Pitfichie remained in the Cheyne family until about 1650, when it was purchased by the Forbeses of Monymusk. In recent years the Castle has been totally refurbished and can be rented for holidays. Those of you interested should contact the 'Scottish Castles' website by clicking here or on the photo.