General Notes

Farleigh was a manor of the knightly family of Montfort, from whom it was purchased, in 1369, by Thomas Hungerford, "citizen and merchant of New Sarum". He was a greater man than this modest designation would suggest as he was steward to John of Gaunt, and for a short time Speaker of the House of Commons. His father had been bailiff of Salisbury and his uncle, one of the King's Justices in Eyre. But clearly, Thomas Hungerford was a "new man" like his contemporary, Michael de la Pole, the son of a citizen and merchant of Hull, who came to be Earl of Suffolk and the King's chief minister. Thomas got himself knighted through John of Gaunt's influence and, in 1383, obtained a licence to crenellate his mansion, which was henceforth known as Farleigh Hungerford instead of Farleigh Montfort. He also purchased other manors in the neighbourhood.