passed to their heirs,
the Fitzalans, Earls of Arundel. The Berkeleys, Nevilles and Howards
divided three-quarters of it later, and one quarter went to Henry V. as
heir of the Earls of Derby.

About the end of the fifteenth century Thomas Hobson bought up the
greater part of the manor, and in 1544 his son Thomas exchanged it with
Henry VIII. in consideration of lands elsewhere.

The manor remained with the Crown until James I. sold it to one Edward
Forset, who had previously held it at a fixed rental under Elizabeth.
James reserved to the Crown the tract of land then known as Marylebone,
now Regent's, Park. Sir John Austen, Forset's grandson, sold the estate
to John Holles, Duke of Newcastle, for L17,500. The Duke of Newcastle's
only child, Henrietta, married Edward Harley, who succeeded his father
as Earl of Oxford and Mortimer. He carried on his father's collection of
books and MSS., and formed what was afterwards known as the Harleian
Collection, which was bought by the trustees of the British Museum for
L10,000. Henrietta's only daughter, Margaret, married William Bentinck,
second Earl of Portland, and thus the estates passed to the Portland
family.

In the west was another manor, that of Lyllestone, a name still
preserved in the corruption, "Lisson" Grove. This manor is mentioned in
Domesday Book among the lands in the hundred of Ossulston. In 1338 it
was in the hands of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. Sir William
de Clyf held it from the knights. In 1512 the then Lord Prior granted a
parcel of land out of the manor to John and Johan Blennerhasset on a
fifty years' lease. On their decease Chief Justice Portman acquired
their interest, afterwards obtaining the land in fee simple, and thus
creating the Portman estate. This estate comprised 270 acres. The
remainder of Lyllestone Manor included several estates of importance.
The St. John's Wood estate was granted by Charles II. to Lord Wotton in
discharge of a debt. In 1732 it was bought by Samuel Eyre, after whom it
was known as the Eyre Estate.

Another estate lying along the Edgware Road was bequeathed to Harrow
School by John Lyon. A third was known as City Conduit Estate. The
borough at present embraces the Eyre estate at St. John's Wood, the
Baker estate, comprising the poor district to the west of Lisson Grove,
the Portman estate, the Portland estate, and other land, including the
park held by the Crown.

Beginning our ramble at St. John's Wood Stati