Although it has been possible to trace the house back to the sixteenth century when it was known as “Pitts Place” the only information at present to it being earlier is in a letter Player Isaac wrote to the “Bath and County Graphic” in 1898. When he purchased the property from Thomas Heath Joyce in 1887 he must have had many of the early deeds referring to the house for he writes “ For some years the house was known as “ Freshford House”; but being in possession of numerous proofs of the fact I restored its ancient name of Manor, being myself Lord of the Manor”. He later goes on to say “ The Manor I may mention is perhaps the oldest in England, dating from the year or about the year 1080. One proof of the house being the original Manor is the private entrance to the church, a privilege accorded by the Church of that time only to rectories and manors”. He clears up the confusion over the “Old Manor House” which he says was the old farm house belonging to the Lord of the Manor and in the 19th Century… Mr Little, a solicitor, of Bath who rented it for a short time changed the name. In Domesday, under “land of the Church of Bath” the manor proper of Freshford was divided under two owners or separate lords. It records: Alric holds of Roger, Freshford. Domne held it in the time of King Edward. 2. Robert holds of Roger, Freshford. Brismar held it in the time of King Edward. These two parts of the village were later united and given in 1332 to the Carthusian monastery of Hinton, which had been founded by Ela, Countess of Salisbury a century before. The Hinton priory continued to hold Freshford manor until its surrender to Henry VIII in March 1540. Eight years later John Cheeke was given a life interest in Freshford, and finally in 1603 John Davison purchased it from Queen Elizabeth I. It would seem that there was probably a building on this site from the information Player Isaac gives but the original deeds that he refers to have been lost. Another clue to an earlier building is the reference in a deed dated 1603 when Henry Davison gives to his son his Mansion called “Pitts Place” But who are the Pitts who have given their name to this house. Few records have survived from these earlier times, but we are fortunate in that there are two references to a family with the name of “Le Peyt” which no doubt evolved into the name “Pitt”. A plea from the roll of an itinerant Judge dated 1309 refers concerns: Richard le Peyt of Freshford and his wife Alice (querents) and Robert Ashelegh ye parson of the church at Freshford (deforcient) and has reference to a house. Richard acknowledged the right of the said Robert, the parson, as by his gift, and in return Robert grants to Richard and Alice the right for life. Later in 1377 John Peyt witnesses An Indented Charter of John de Freshforde, Lord of Freshforde granting lands to Philipe de Frye including 2 acres by the Park wall of Hinton , ½ acre of of land near the Rectory. This document was one of many found under old floorboards in 1851 at Kingston House (Hall House), Bradford the former home of the Halls who were for a long time patrons of the village. But the most conclusive record of the house being owned by the Pitts is the Exchequer Subsidies of 1327 showing Richard de Peyt paying 12d. tax The House described as Pitts Place is also mentioned in subsequent deeds as a Mansion and in the 1665 Hearth Tax returns is shown as having 9 hearths showing it to be a substantial building. Later in 1715 during a dispute over the rights to fish the river an old deed is discovered behind some old wainscoting in Joseph Davisons house. This reference shows the Davisons continuing to live in Pitts Place. Parts of this earlier building still survive in internal walls, roof timbers and a curious window in the Attic and perhaps in time more will come to light of the earlier building owned by the Pitts. Another interesting fact is that John Ashes father James married Grace Pitt and and his two Aunts malso married into this family. The family tree for the Pitts shows them originating from Weymouth and at present there seems no way of linking them with the earlier family. Click on Deed for Pittes Place in 1614 and Family Tree if you wish to see these pages ,