Devon Notes and Queries. 131 under him by Rolf. Two centuries later the larger of the two was held by Robert Beaupel as tenant under John le Brit, who himself held under John de Maundevil, the successor in title to Walter de Dowai. After him it was called Knowstone Beaupel. The other is stated to have borne the name of Knowstone Bottraux, but I find no notice of it in the fee lists. The third large estate in Knowstone was Wadham with an area of some 416 acres. This was held in Saxon times by Ulf, who seems to have changed his allegiance at the Conquest and continued in possession as a king's thane after it, but it is not found in the fee lists. There were likewise two smaller estates in Knowstone held in Saxon times by Algar and Alfhille respectively, one of 276, the other of 98 acres. Both of these tenants continued to hold them after the Conquest as " king's thanes." I suggest that Algar's estate may be Harpson alias Aspen Farm, because Dean Milles' MS. in the Bodleian, containing the answers supplied by the Incumbent more than a century ago, says : In Knowstone three manors, Knowstone Churchtown, East Knowstone and Harpson. Mr. Lancefield would be doing a great service if he would identify the contents of each of the five Domesday estates. MoUand includes two Domesday estates, not three, for Molland Sarazin, which Tetbald Berner*s son held, is in North Molton according to the fee list unearthed by Mr. Whale. The larger of the two Molland Botreaux had an area of 3,587 acres, and was one of the royal estates assigned for the support of some members of the royal family. Harold held it before the Conquest, and it was the capital barton of the Hundred of Molland or North Molton to which the Hundreds of Bampton and Braunton also paid their third penny. Testa de Nevil, p. 194b, states that the Conqueror gave it to the ancestors of William de Beaumeis, of whom William de Boterellis (or Botreaux) bought it, and that in 1217 Roger de Mortimer was tenant as guardian of William de Botreaux, then under age. The other estate, Molland Champeaux or Champeston, containing some 351 acres, was held by the Saxon Ulwena before the Conquest. He was dispossessed and the property given to the Bishop of Coutanees, Geofifrey de Mowbray, under whom it was held by Drogo. It took the name of Champeston from Ralf Champeaux, who held it in 1285 o^ ^^^ barony of Barnstaple. Oswald J. Rbichbl.
