Its owners and some historical connections - Lackham Countryside ...

The Manor of Alderton 3rd edition
An apparently unpublished and important manuscript on this family
[the Gore’s] is in the Library of the Victoria and Albert Museum in
its Clements Collection of Armorial Bindings (Pressmark: Clements
S.7. Inventory no. L.1376=1948) it is entitled Syntagma
Genealogicum or A genealogical treatise of the family of the Gores
of Aldrington or Alderton….Containing a true… account of their
Armes, Births, Baptizings, Marriages, Issue, Lands, Last Wills….
Deaths…. Inventories By Thomas Gore Esq The MS is undated but
appears to be after 1670 and before 1700, The Gore armorial
stamp is on the covers and the bookplate of Thomas Hedges, of
Alderton, is inside the front cover 48 .
It is interesting that the book had not, apparently, been consulted since Jackson’s use
but it still exists in the V&A collection, and it proved very helpful in compiling this
account of the Gores, up to Thomas' time 49 .
- a bibliography of works on heraldry from all over Europe. It includes sections from other
author’s works, as was customary at this time. It was printed at Oxford 1674.
Inside the front cover, in Jackson’s handwriting, is the following inscription: This copy of the
2nd edition of Thos Gore's Catalogue of Authors on Heraldry, dated Aldrington alias Alderton
1674 is presented to the Parish Register Chest of the Author’s Parish by JE Jackson Rector
of Leigh Delamere 1853.
48 Pafford isn’t totally accurate here; it has two bookplates, one for “Thomas Hedges, Esq, of
Alderton Wilts” and one of “JB Clements”. From letters preserved in the back of the
manuscript it is known that Clements (called HJB Clements in the letters) bought it in
July1906, from Bernard Quaritch “dealer in Ancient Manuscripts, London”; Clements’
collection is now held by the National Art Library at the V&A. Pafford is also incorrect when
he says that it isn’t dated – the book itself isn’t, but Thomas Gore’s Introduction is, to
January 23, 1666 to be precise.
The history of this manuscript is unclear; Jackson owned it - on the flyleaf of the manuscript
Jackson has written, in pencil as was often his habit, “JE Jackson Leigh Delamere Chippenham.
Given to me by G Poulett Scrope Esq on his selling Castle Combe and leaving Wiltshire”.
However Jackson didn’t keep it, he made efforts to buy it when it came up for sale in 1871 –
there are cuttings advertising its sale in the back of the folio, with a comment in Jackson’s
handwriting “Sold before I wrote for them”. When, why, and to whom Jackson delivered the
manuscript is unknown.
49 Thanks to the good offices of Steve Hobbs, County Archivist at W&SHC I learnt that the
History Centre holds a micro-film copy of the book W&SHC microfilm x3/87; like all
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