He married a daughter of Sir Thomas Wrothe of Petherton Park, who died in 1721, leaving two daughters co-heiresses. The elder of these was married to Sir Hugh Acland, of Columb-John in the county of Devon, Bart., and the younger to Mr. Thomas Palmer, who died without issue. He was succeeded by his brother Peregrine, who represented the University of Oxford in several parliaments, and died in 1762, the last survivor of his name and family. He left his estate to Arthur Acland, Esq., his next of kin, from whom it has descended to Sir Alexander Acland Hood, Baronet, the present owner of the Fairfield estate.
[46] And ðe land be westan at Fittingtúne and at Niwantúne he becwæð his sweostrum and heora bearnum. Kemble, Codex Diplomaticus, p. 719; Thorpe, Diplomatarium, p. 549; Earle, Land Charters, p. 223.
[47] ‘In this park was found the curious amulet of king Alfred, mentioned in vol. i, p. 87.’ Collinson, History of Somerset, vol. iii, p. 62.
[48] In Kemble’s Codex Diplomaticus, No. 320, there is a late and meagre abstract of a grant of land by king Alfred ‘in loco qui dicitur Norðniwtune.’ Kemble puts this place in Wiltshire, but why may it not be the North Newton by Athelney? The orthography of the name would be not that of the original grant, but of the abridger’s time. Appendix F.
[49] I am indebted for this suggestion to Sir Alexander Acland Hood.
[50] To be quite exact, its lodging for the first five years is matter of inference from the fact that in 1698 it is described as being at Fairfield, without any indication of a change of ownership. One transfer however there must have been. The place of discovery made it the property of Sir Thomas Wrothe; and as Nathaniel Palmer was his mother’s brother, it is easy to understand the gift of the nephew to his uncle, who may have been a man of antiquarian tastes. We can also understand the desire of Nathaniel Palmer that this precious relic should go to Oxford, as he, with many others of his family, had been educated at the University, of which Alfred was the reputed founder. Appendix G.
[51] Appendix A.
[52] Appendix G.