Manor Profile
Fareham, Hampshire· Fareham Hundred· 1086 – 1892
Also known as: Roche Court, Rochecourt
North Fareham, also known as Roche Court, developed from the 7.5 hides held by Ralph in 1086 under the Bishop of Winchester. By c.1225 William Fitz Roger held the manor, and Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester, held wardship of his daughter Emma, marrying her to his nephew Geoffrey des Roches. The manor took the name Roche Court from this family (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 209-216).
Martin des Roches, son of Geoffrey and Emma, died without issue c.1277, and the property passed to his brother Hugh, subject to the widow Lucy's life interest. John des Roches, Hugh's son, held for half a knight's fee and died by 1312; his widow held in dower, the manor being worth £7 17s. yearly. John's daughter Mary succeeded, and after the death of her first husband Sir John Boarhunt, she married Sir Bernard Brocas c.1381. Brocas received a grant of free warren in 1363 and died in 1395 (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 209-216).
Sir Bernard Brocas the younger, grandson of the first Sir Bernard, was beheaded in 1400 for conspiracy favouring Richard II. His lands were escheated to the Crown, but his son William obtained restitution in November 1400. The manor descended through the Brocas line to William Brocas, who died without male heirs in 1506. It passed to his daughter Edith, wife of Ralph Pexall, and then to her son Richard Pexall c.1540 (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 209-216).
Richard Pexall's will of 1571 created a complex division among his daughters as co-heiresses. Pexall Brocas came of age in 1584 and settled two-thirds on his wife Margaret, daughter of Sir Thomas Sherley. Sir Pexall died in 1630 possessing ten-twelfths of the manor; his son Thomas purchased the remaining twelfths from the Jobson and Beckett heirs. In 1661 granddaughter Jane Brocas married Sir William Gardiner, bringing the manor into the Gardiner family. Sir William Gardiner (grandson) died without children in 1779, and the baronetcy became extinct. It was revived in 1783 in Sir John Whalley Smythe Gardiner and became extinct a second time in 1868. The property passed to his daughter Mabel, who married H.F. Rawstorne in 1887; Rawstorne was lord of the manor at the time of the VCH publication (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 209-216).
| # | Name | From | To | Acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ralph | 1086 | Domesday holder | Held 7.5 hides in 1086 which developed into the manor of North Fareham. | |
| 2 | William Fitz Roger | 1225 | unknown | Held c.1225. Peter des Roches held wardship of his daughter Emma. | |
| 3 | Geoffrey des Roches | 1225 | marriage to Emma Fitz Roger | Nephew of Bishop Peter des Roches. Married Emma, daughter and heir of William Fitz Roger. Gave the manor the name Roche Court. | |
| 4 | Martin des Roches | 1277 | inheritance | Son of Geoffrey and Emma. Died without issue c.1277; property passed to his brother Hugh. | |
| 5 | Hugh des Roches | 1277 | inheritance (brother died without issue) | Subject to widow Lucy's life interest. | |
| 6 | John des Roches | 1312 | inheritance | Son of Hugh. Held for half a knight's fee. Worth £7 17s. yearly at his death. | |
| 7 | Mary des Roches | 1361 | inheritance | Daughter of John des Roches. Widow of Sir John Boarhunt. Married Sir Bernard Brocas c.1381. | |
| 8 | Sir Bernard Brocas (the elder)(Knight) | 1381 | 1395 | marriage to Mary des Roches | Received grant of free warren in demesne lands of North Fareham in 1363. His third wife Katherine held in dower after his death. |
| 9 | Sir Bernard Brocas (the younger)(Knight) | 1395 | 1400 | inheritance | Beheaded for conspiracy in favour of the deposed Richard II.Grandson of the elder Sir Bernard. Beheaded in 1400 for conspiracy favouring Richard II. Lands escheated to the Crown. |
| 10 | William Brocas | 1400 | restitution (November 1400) | Son of the attainted Sir Bernard. Obtained restitution of the family lands in November 1400. |
See of Winchester
diocese · overlord · 1086
Held of the bishop as half a knight's fee.
Bishop of Winchester held Fareham (20 hides assessed). Separate holdings of 4 hides (later Cams) and 7.5 hides (later North Fareham).
Referenced in VCH for deaths of lords holding North Fareham, including des Roches, Brocas, and Pexall families.
Principal source for the manorial descent of Fareham, North Fareham (Roche Court), and Cams (Cammes Oysell). Covers parish, borough, manors, churches, and charities.
