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White's Directory 1853

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Wiverton Hall

Wiverton Hall, formerly a fortified place, with a demesne of 1,002 acres of fine grazing and arable land, forms an extra parochial liberty, bounded on the east by the River Smite, and on the west by Tithby parish, and distant 2½ miles south of Bingham.

After the Conquest, Wiverton, or as it is commonly called Werton, was of several fees, and gave name to a resident family who became its principal owners, and gave part of it to Welbeck and Thurgarton monasteries. The whole manor subsequently passed to the Bassets, Brets and Caltofts. The heiress of the latter carried it in marriage to Sir Wm. Chaworth, in the reign of Edward III, previous to which, Thoroton says, it had become utterly depopulated, though under the date 1257 he found "many mentions in the ledger book of Thurgarton Priory, of the church of Wiverton", but he never could discover any other document to show there ever was a church here, except what referred to the domestic chapel in the house, which was there in ruins.

In the reign of Henry VI, Sir Thomas Chaworth, by his marriage, became possessed of the estates of the ancient and wealthy families of Alesbury, Pabenham, Engulne, Basset and Kayne, "and he made a park here, in which he built a large and beautiful mansion, sufficiently in the castellated style to be a garrison for the king in the civil wars, which occasioned its ruin", since then, Thoroton says (1677), "most of it has been pulled down and removed, except the old uncovered gatehouse, which yet remains a solitary memorial of departed grandeur and ancient hospitality". Since that time, the remains of the old castellated mansion have, with some extensive additions, been converted into a comfortable gothic mansion, which is now occupied by John Fox Esq., who succeeded John Chaworth Musters Esq., the son of the then owner, John Musters Esq. of Colwick Hall, now deceased, who obtained all the extensive possessions of the Chaworths by marrying Mary Chaworth, the sole heiress of that ancient family, who died February 12th 1832. She was the lady to whom the late Lord Byron was so passionately attached, and to whom his early poems are addressed. She, however, preferred Mr Musters, to the "lame, bashful, boy lord", and perhaps one cause which swayed her in this choice was his lordship's impetuosity, and the knowledge that her paternal grandfather had been killed in a duel with William, the fifth Lord Byron. After her marriage, her husband assumed the name of Chaworth, which he continued till the death of his father, when he reassumed the name of Musters, and the name of Chaworth then became extinct in this county. The last named, John Musters Esq., and also his eldest son, the said John Chaworth Musters. are now dead, and the eldest son of the latter (who is a minor) will succeed to the family estates of Musters and Chaworths.

[Transcribed by Clive Henly]