I DO not think your Chippenham News front page of June 2 is correct in reporting Rudloe Manor has historically been part of Hartham Park.

Rudloe Manor dates from the 13th century. In the reign of Henry III, a deed made by Bartholomew Bigod of Box gave the estate of Ryddelaw-Rudloe, including all tythes, to Monkton Farleigh Priory. The tithe barn remained in the hands of the Priory until the dissolution of the monasteries and was held separately from the Manor which was a subsidiary of the parish of Box. Records show that Courts Baron were held at Rudloe.

Rudloe Manor was first owned by the Beauplan family according to 13th century records. About 1346 John Bishop of Riglaze was the owner. He was succeeded by the Baldwins of Ridlaw who sold the Manor to Thomas Tropeneil in 1465. The Leversegge family acquired the estate in 1565 and subsequent owners were Sir Edward Hungerford of Corsham (1629) and Richard Kent of Corsham.

The two families Goddard and Duckett were occupants until it passed to Jacob Selfe of Melksham in 1700. The Selfe family inter-married with the Methuens and in 1870, Lord Methuen sold the estate and Manor to Thomas Poynder. Lord Islington bought it about 1800 and it was sold to Sir Felix Brunner for £5,600 in 1918. He sold the estate to Countess Pappenheim, the American widow of a German Count. The manor passed to her daughter, the Countess Raben and it was bought for £14,000 by the Air Ministry in 1940 to house No 10 Group Headquarters.

The present Manor House stands on the site of the earlier building of which parts were incorporated by Thomas Goddard about 1685.

SQN LDR AHE WELCH DFC TD,

Highlands Close,

Rudloe,

Corsham.