Blachford Farm, East Orchard, Dorset

The roof in the centre amongst the trees is that of the farm held by my 6th great grandparents and where my 5th great grandmother Susannah Blachford was born and raised. Now called Blackberry Farm at Hartgrove near East Orchard in Dorset. John Blachford, Susannah's father, held the farm from 1759 and he was grandson of Gentleman Daniel Blachford of Fordingbridge who was Lord of the Manor of Durston in Somerset. Daniel in turn was son of Gentleman Richard Blachford who was Lord of the Manor of Sandhill.

Sandhill Manor, Fordingbridge, Hampshire

I hope they don't mind but this is a picture from the 'Forres Sandle Manor School' website showing what I believe is the Elizabethan front to the old Manor House. The Manor used to be called Sandhill but is better known now as 'Sandle' or 'Sandleheath'. The Blachfords inherited the Manor through the marriage of Richard Blachford to Eleanor Waterton in about 1623. Eleanor inherited from her father Robert Waterton and he in turn held it from his wife Jane Molyns whom he married in 1602. The first mention of the Molyns family and Sndhill is the will of Nicholas Molyns in 1429. Prior to that the Molyns family held mills in Petherton and Durston in Somerset and the Hampshire Heraldian Visitations claim that they descend from a Sir Richard Molyns who died 1324.

Sir John Montacute, Salisbury Cathedral

This is believed to be the tomb of Sir John Montacute (son of William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury) at Salisbury Cathedral. He fought at crecy and Poitiers and was Steward to King Richard II. Sir John married Margaret De Monthermer who was granddaughter of Joan of Acre who was a daughter of King Edward I. This line is confirmed in Heraldian visitations and on the Blachford Coat of Arms and comes from the marriage in about 1500 of William Molyns and a daughter of the Montacute family of West Camel in Somerset who descend from the Earls of Salisbury.

Earl William de Longespee

The magnificent tomb of Earl William at Salisbury Cathedral. He is a x 24 generation great grandfather through the Waterton family line. He was 3rd Earl of Salisbury, 1st creation and a half brother of Kings John and Richard having been an illegitimate son of King Henry II. He was a brave Knight and laid one of the foundation stones of Salisbury Cathedral. He was probably murdered at Old Sarum by arsenic poisoning by a rival Knight.

Salisbury Cathedral

View of the Cathedral from the house in which I live. It is amazing to think that my family descend from people who were benefactors for the founding of this magnificent building and who were present at the laying of the foundation stones - Earl William Longespee and King Henry II. I am sure there are others further down the social scale who may have been present and worked on it but whose historial lines have not been recorded.

St Johns Church, The Soke, Winchester

Elizabeth Wright who married Richard Blachford at Rockbourne in 1647 was baptised here in 1620. Elizabeth was granddaughter of William Wright, Esquire, and his wife Elizabeth Strangeways who held alot of property in the area. Elizabeth Strangeways was a descendent of King Edward III through the Dukes of York and Anne of York who was sister of Kings Edward IV and Richard III. St Johns has another connection with the Blachfords through the Pinhorne family of Fordingbridge who married into the Pope family of Rockbourne. A great x11 grandfather, Gentleman Gilbert Pope, married a Clara Travers of Winchester and her parents John (a wealthy clothier) and Joan were buried at St Johns in 1614 and 1615.

Hymerford House, East Coker, Somerset

One of the coats of arms on the Blachford crest (1633 London Heraldian Visitations) is that of Hymerford. John Molyns of Sandhill Manor married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Hymerford in about 1540. The Hymerfords held this house from 1377.