The Manor of Welbourn Hall (Welbourn cum Sapperton)

The historic Manor of Welbourn Hall is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as the smaller of the two Sapperton settlements in Lincolnshire, the one of which bordered the settlement of Welbourn (Medieval Latin: Wellebrune). Modern-day Welbourn (historically called Welbourn cum Sapperton) is both a village and a parish 12 miles south of Lincoln and 12 miles northeast of Grantham. The River Brant forms the western border, while Wellingore parish lies to the north and Leadenham to the south. The old Roman Road, Ermine Street, passes through the eastern edge of the parish. The parish covers about 3,200 acres. 

For over 400 years, the Manor of Welbourn Hall (Sapperton of Welbourn cum Sapperton) has been held by the Welby family and their descendants. Both the Lincolnshire Heritage, maintained by the Lincolnshire County Council, and Heritage Gateway, administered by Historic England, the government’s statutory adviser, affirm that the Welbys held the manor since before 1607. 

During the 16th century, Sapperton of Welbourn became known as the Manor of Welbourn Hall. The Norfolk Records Office cites that changes to the names of manors were most familiar before the 17th century, stating, "The name of a manor could change to reflect alterations or could change when a new lord took over the manor." 

The proceeding section describes the heir to the Welby Manor of Welbourn Hall in 1840 and the supporting documents package prepared for the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in 1859. 

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Millicent (Welby) Ridghill died intestate at her home, Welbourn Hall, in 1840 at 79. The widow of Rev. John Ridghill, Millicent was the daughter of Richard Welby, Esq. of Welbourn, son of Richard Welby, Esq. of Denton, sheriff of Lincolnshire.  At the time of her death, Millicent was the lady of the manor of the Welby estate at Welbourn Hall.

The Welby family of Lincolnshire were influential landed gentry, historically holding the manors of Denton, Welby, Swinstead, Stragglethorpe, Sapperton at Welbourn cum Sapperton. Millicent's first cousin was Sir William Earle Welby, 1st Baronet and member of Parliament for Grantham. 

Millicent's sister was Mary Anne de Butts (a.k.a. deButts), wife of Dr. Samuel de Butts. She preceded Millicent, dying at her home called Mount Welby, located in America in Maryland, in 1828.  A family tree and brief outline on the family published in The Baronetage of England in 1805 can be found here.

At the time of Millicent's death in 1840, her great-grandnephew in America was her closest living heir-at-law. The great-grandson of Millicent's sister Mary Anne, the 3-year-old John Peyton Dulany deButts, was then the ward of his grandfather and namesake, John Peyton Dulany of Middleburg, Virginia. The young John was born at the de Butts / Dulany family home in Middleburg, also called Welbourne in honour of the senior John's wife, Mary Ann Welby deButts, who was also born at Welbourn Hall in Lincolnshire.

As the guardian for his grandson, the senior John continued the administration of Welbourn Hall after Millicent's death. Later, in 1859, at the behest of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, which handled all matters of wills and probate, the senior John submitted several documents titled "John Peyton Dulany de Butts, Esq. Evidence in Support of Title" outlining the previous details to the court in favour of the younger John.

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The documents submitted titled "John Peyton Dulany de Butts, Esq. Evidence in Support of Title," to the Prerogative Court of Canterbury included a family tree of the Welby's to John Petyon Dulany de Butts, Esq., family births and deaths, a detailed listing of the estate, the manor and mansion of Welbourn Hall, the offices, demesne, stables, paddocks, cottages, courtyards, orchards, other messuage, a list of tenants, as well as signed affidavits from several individuals including John Dulany, Charles Burtt of Welbourn, Lincolnshire, C. H. Holdich - an official of Lincolnshire, and James P. Smith - His Britannic Majesty's Vice Consul for the District of Columbia in the United States. 

Though largely a foregone conclusion, in 1860, after a brief review, the court affirmed the estate in the favour of John Peyton Dulany de Butts, Esq., Lord of the Manor.​