Sunday 27 January 2013

The Leigh family of Bardon

At the end of June 2012 I was successful in two bids in Cavendish auction 752 and acquired the Dorset and Somerset lots of the Leigh family archive - a total of some 180 entires going into and out of Somerset.  I am still slowly going through the entires building up a list of dates, postal markings and who was writing to whom.
Bardon House, 1 mile SE of Washford in Somerset, the Family home

What I have found so far includes the Taunton Penny Post from 1825 onwards with Receiving House handstamps including examples of boxed No.3 from 1826 (Torre from before the Taunton Penny Post was reorganised in 1828), unboxed No.5 (Bicknoller ?), unboxed No.6 (Williton), unboxed No.7 (Washford), and unboxed No.10 (Monksilver), the Crewkerne Penny Post with boxed No.1 and boxed No.2 from Beaminster (and also Beaminster in the Bridport Penny Post), and some examples of the Minehead Penny Post handstamp (including one from Lynton and another from Lynmouth).

I think reading the contents is going to be beyond me - a few are readable but others have very difficult handwriting written across at right-angles to get as much in one one sheet as possible.

The following is a lineage of the Bardon family found on the internet - the archive relates to the William Leigh, "now of Bardon", the second son of Robert Leigh who married in 1770.


Bardon dates from the 14th century and was once a Grange of Cleeve Abbey – one mile down the Monks’ Path – a public way.  There are many legends surrounding Bardon, and there are some facts.  Probably the most interesting of these is the Bardon Papers now housed in the British Museum and associated with the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots and the Babington Plot.  The papers were discovered in 1834 when the thatching was renewed.  The Leigh family were in residence here as early as 1595 (Burkes 1864) until the beginning of the 20th Century.



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13 comments:

  1. SMathews10 January 2016 at 22:12

    I am a descendant of the Leighs of Bardon. I have undertaken a significant amount of family research and have details of family events around the dates listed above. I would be very interested to hear what you have discovered and share information with you.

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    Replies
    1. Leamphil11 January 2016 at 12:49

      I have a spreadsheet with an overview of the correspondence in it (when, who from/to, where to, postmarks) if that is of interest to you ?

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    2. Unknown6 January 2020 at 20:46

      This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    3. Unknown6 January 2020 at 20:51

      Hi, I'm Kathleen and I am a descendant of the Leigh family my Grandmother Maude Elizabeth was a Leigh. I would love your info . Regards Kathleen Chase

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    4. Unknown14 July 2020 at 02:33

      Hi,sMathews I am a Leigh Descendant Directly to a Great Grandmother Named Maude Elizabeth Leigh Born 28th December 1898 in New Brighton, Christchurch, New Zealand and passed away on the 23 Aug 1969 and I would very much like to have any information you could possibly send me as I have been putting together the Family Tree and have Found it very hard to find information .
      My Email Address is vlisette51@gmail.com and I look forward to Hearing from you and I hope you find my Message.
      Kindest Regards From Naomi

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    5. Unknown8 April 2021 at 04:41

      Hi , my grandmother was Maude Elizabeth Leigh and my daughter is doing a family tree , any info would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou

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    6. Unknown8 April 2021 at 04:42

      This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
  2. Unknown16 December 2016 at 18:25

    Hello, I live down the track (the Monk's Path) from Bardon - about a 5-7-minute walk away from the manor. I would love to know more about my house, which I think is really quite old (we found hair in a wall when knocking a door through and I have an orchard which I think belonged to the Abbey.) If it would be possible to be in touch with others who have done research I'd be very keen to learn more. Best wishes, Naomi Marley

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    Replies
    1. Leamphil19 December 2016 at 10:02

      Given where you live and your interest in the houses and local area, I would suggest that you are best off getting in touch with Roy and Geraldine Heard direct who are your neighbours living at Bardon Manor and run the manor as a guest house.

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  3. Unknown7 June 2020 at 23:37

    👋 hello Leigh descendents! I am also a Leigh! William Leigh born in 1707 was my 6th great grandfather 🙂

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  4. Unknown13 July 2020 at 22:38

    Hi All I am a Leigh Descendant Directly to a Great Grandmother Named Maude Elizabeth Leigh Born 28th December 1898 in New Brighton, Christchurch, New Zealand and passed away on the 23 Aug 1969 and I would very much like to have any information you could possibly send me as I have been putting together the Family Tree and have Found it very hard to find information .
    My Email Address is vlisette51@gmail.com and I look forward to Hearing from you.
    Kindest Regards From Naomi

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unknown31 March 2021 at 17:41

    I am a descendant of the Leigh family who emigrated to Canada in 1831 after selling their properties near Winsford , main property Upcott. Due to the proximity of Bardon it would seem likely we are descendant of the Bardon leighs. My several times great grandfather wrote his will in 1816 Leonard Leigh Gentleman, he passed in 1817 and is buried in the Winsford church grounds..
    If there is information of such i would be thrilled to receive it at d.leigh@sympatico.ca Thank you. David Leigh , Toronto Canada

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  6. DPWWestend8 July 2023 at 13:51

    I am a descendant of Margaret Leigh and Noel Herbert Georhe Prince-Wright

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