Elvaston St. Bartholomew
Elvaston(Page 195)
The three hamlets of Elvaston, Ambaston, and Thurlston, which conjointly form the parish of Elvaston, were held, when the Domesday Survey was taken, by Geoffrey Alselin or Hanselyn. At that time there was a church and a priest on the manor. Large possessions were made over to Geoffrey by the Conqueror; his principal residence being at Shelford, in Nottinghamshire. From him descended Ralph Hanselyn, who played an important part in the baronial wars of the time of Stephen. Ralph Hanselyn was the founder of the Augustine Priory of Shelford, and amongst the considerable endowments that he bestowed upon it was the advowson of his church at Elvaston.* This gift did not remain undisputed; for William Fitz-Ralph, seneschal of Normandy,and founder of Dale Abbey, held much land in Elvaston proper, and in the other subordinate manors within the parish; so much so, that for a time the alternate presentation to the rectory was held to be in his hands, and he presented in the reign of John. One of his daughters, Edelina, married Hubert Fitz-Ralph, of Crich. Their daughter and heiress, Juliana, married Anker de Frecheville ; and Amicia, widow of Anker de Frecheville (grandson of the last-named Anker) laid claim to the advowson of Elvaston as a descendant of William Fitz-Ralph, and summoned the prior of Shelford to the King's Bench in the year 1276; but she was not able to substantiate her claim.† In the first instance the priory merely presented to the rectory, which was valued in 1291, under Pope Nicholas' Taxation Roll, at £20 per annum; but within a very few years the great
* Dugdale's Monasticon, vol. iii., p. 65 ; Abbrev. Placit., 14 Edw. IT., Rot. 150.
†Nichols' Collectanea, vol. iv., p. 26
