The long line of Lords of the Manor who owned West Bridgford came to an end at the close of the nineteenth century when the Musters family started to sell off their estate. 
The title is a little misleading as the Lord of the Manor could be a woman. This was the case at the time of the Norman invasion, when West Bridgford was under the jurisdiction of Clifton manor, where Gytha was Lord of the Manor. In fact she was also Lord of the Manor for quite a lot of the surrounding district and elsewhere in the country.
She was the Countess of Hereford, also known as Gytha Thorkelsdóttir, the daughter of a Danish chieftain. Gytha married the Anglo-Saxon nobleman, Godwin of Wessex. They had a large family together but three of their sons were to die at the Battle of Hastings. One of those sons, was King Harold.
Gytha was living in Exeter at that time and it is believed that she was responsible for the city’s rebellion which resulted in William the Conqueror laying siege to Exeter for eighteen days until the city surrendered. Following that, Gytha’s lands in England were declared forfeit and passed amongst the Norman knights who had helped bring William victory. However, Gytha herself was spared.
West Bridgford is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1068, although the entry reveals it to be little more than a hamlet, and there is no mention of a church or priest. By that time William Peveril was Lord of the Manor: indeed he was well rewarded by the king for his support in the invasion and is listed as holding 162 manors. Thereafter, Clifton manor was gradually divided and passed among a succession of Norman knights. West Bridgford went from Peveril to Gerbode de Eschaud and then to Gerard de Rodes. It was in the time of de Rodes that St Giles’ church was built. After that, the Lutterell family became Lords of the Manor and held that position for nearly three hundred years.
Countess Gytha features in the stained glass of Hartland church in Devon.
Written by West Bridgford & District History Society.
The Society meets in the hall of the Musters Road Methodist Church, on the corner of Musters Road and Patrick Road. At our meeting on Monday 3rd April, Alistair Mutch will be telling us about how West Bridgford was governed in the eighteenth century in his talk “Paid for all when these accounts was given up”.
Visitors welcome.