Abbey Dore: Llyncoed Grange
The earliest known use of the name Linchoit is a letter from Pope Eugene III to Prior William of the church of St John in Llanthony [the Augustinian Priory] in 1146. It confirms the privileges first granted by Innocent II in 1131, including land "next to Linchoit" and other land "near St Michael" [Llanfihangel Crucorney], which allowed them "use of the forest of Linchoit". The Cistercian Dore Abbey, nearby, was founded in 1147, its mother-house being the abbey of Morimond in France. More information about the abbey is available either from this guide website or from this more academic website.
Llyncoed Grange
The basic unit of exploitation in Cistercian lands was the grange, a model farm in those days. Ideally it had an oratory, accommodation for the resident conversi (lay brethren), and the necessary barn, stable and animal sheds. The Cistercians were famed for the quality of wool that they produced, so sheep-rearing was probably an important part of their agricultural activities.
Llyncoed Grange was granted to Dore by Henry II, who died in 1189, but there is no record of this. However, the grant was confirmed by Hubert de Burgh some time between July 1201 and October 1202, soon after he was granted the lordship of Grosmont by King John. (This manuscript is now in the library of the University of Victoria, in British Columbia.) In exchange for sustaining four priest-monks who would sing masses for the souls of Henry, his predecessors and successors, and of Hubert himself, the abbey was granted land for a grange and other privileges. Witnesses include Richard de Signes, who was high sheriff of Herefordshire from 1201 to 1203, his brother Geoffrey de Signes, John de Kilpeck (1173-1205), Henry de Grosmont, Richard de Scotot and Walter de Muchelgros. (The last two also witnessed undated deeds relating to property in Hereford.) This document lays out the borders as follows: Namely, from the land of Iagouking as far as head of the Trothy brook. And from the head of the Trothy to the land of William de Braose as the Trothy runs. And in the other direction, from the land of the aforesaid Iagouking as far as the Monnow, which is below and from the Monnow as far as the land of Seysil son of Wm. And from the land of the aforesaid Seysil to the road that goes from Grosmont to Saint Michael [Llantilio Crucorney]. And from the aforesaid road to the land of William de Braose, as the land of the aforesaid William is divided from the land of the King.
There is a second manuscript held by the University of Kansas, which confirms the grant. More of the witnesses can be identified and they suggest that the document dates to around 1228. They are: (1) Walter de Clifford (d.1264), who was Lord of Clifford Castle (Herefordshire). He and his brother Roger de Clifford (c.1168 - 1232), of Tenbury, were sons of Walter de Clifford (1140 - 1222), who succeeded to his father's lands in 1199, probably on the death of his elder brother. The father of these brothers, Walter de Clifford (c.1105 - 1190), has an entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. (2) Ralph de Neville, who began his career in the royal chancery in 1213 when he received custody of the King John's great seal. He served in the same capacity for Henry III and in 1226 became chancellor. His power in the chancery increased as that of Hubert de Burgh declined. Part of the reward for his work was ecclesiastical preferment: he was bishop of Chichester from 1224 to his death in 1244. He has an entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. (3) Osbert Gifford, who may well have been an illegitimate child of King John by Hawise de Tracy. He was employed in the service of Henry III and there are a number of entries mentioning him in the Fine Rolls. (Another illegitimate child of John was Matilda, of Barking and there is mention of a sister Matilda in the Fine Rolls for 2 September 1229.) As can be seen from the Rolls, Osbert died some time between April 1228 and August 1229.
There is clear evidence that the two manuscripts were at one time aligned, presumably to ensure that the details in the first were correctly copied to the second. So, apart from some minor changes in wording, the boundaries are identical to the ones above. The Trothy brook, the Monnow river, the ridgeway road from Grosmont to Llantilio Crucorney (and onward to Abergavenny) are clear landmarks. The lands of William de Braose indicate the boundary between the lordships of Grosmont and Abergavenny, which is also the boundary between the historic parishes of Grosmont and Llangattock Lingoed. Other landowners can't be identified, but the area indicated, totalling 443 acres of tithe-free land, is almost certainly what later became Campston Grange and later still Great Campston Farm.
In addition to the lands of the grange itself, the abbey was given other valuable privileges. When the grant was again confirmed by Henry III in 1232 it referred to " grazing in the land of Grosmont, both in woodland and in level [ground], for all their flocks. And that as much food for pigs may be taken in the forest of Grosmont, and that they may keep their pigs, without [payment for right of] pasturage. And for the construction of their buildings in the grange of Linchoit, and enclosing with fencing, they may take all that is reasonably needed in the view of the forester of the aforesaid forest of Grosmont, and dead wood for their hearth."
However, Dore was not a particularly prosperous abbey. It is known that by 1488 Llyncoed was no longer used by the monks, but had been demised.
By 1545, following Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries, the Crown had demised or sold much of the former monastery lands and Llyncoed came in to the possession of John Cokkes (Bradney has this as John Cooke, of London). It was described as having been "late in the occupation of Roger ap David and Margaret his wife.
Llanfair Cilgoed Grange
Henry III's confirmation also refers to another grange: "By the gift of the same Hubert of the hermitage of saint Mary in the forest of Grosmont that is called Laneir, and the surrounding space, and six bovates of land with their appurtenances in the same forest." Llanfair Cilgoed was just outside the Llangattock Lingoed parish boundary, but it is interesting because it is still possibly to identify some of its remains. This website gives some information on what can be seen.