held by the Camville family. Under Henry II Walter de Camville held land (later known as Camville Fee) at Pickwell which had apparently been in the possession of the Camville family before he inherited it. Walter was succeeded by his son Roger. By 1279 the Camville fee at Pickwell and Leesthorpe was being held as 3 knights' fees by Andrew of Astley, or Eastley, before being leased to the Morwic and Sproxton families. In 1299 the Morwic lands were co-held by de Bulmer, de Lumley, and de Waterville heirs. Later names of heirs were de Kelleby, Bek. and le Brabazon, and by 1346 William Curzon whose family thereafter appears as the only considerable landowners at Pickwell itself and the family continued to hold the manor which appears to be the main estate, until 1532, when Thomas Curzon sold his lands in the parish, then described as the manors of Pickwell and Leesthorpe, to Richard Cave. The manor was held by the Caves until sold in 1638 by William Cave to Elizabeth Hicks, Viscountess Camden. From her the lands, generally described subsequently simply as the manor of Pickwell, passed to her descendants, the Noel family, Earls of Gainsborough who were still in possession in 1936. Until 1 April 1936 it was in the civil parish of Pickwell with Leesthorpe. Leesthorpe Manor After being granted to and then forfeited by the anti-Protestant execution of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, (throughout 1544-1553), a series of sales arrived, first to Thomas Farnham of Quorndon, then Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, then Sir Anthony Mildmay. Then in 1658 was a family sale to Edmund Arnold. Later owners appear to have ceded much land with John Suffield Brown, Ayscough Smith and Rev. A. T. Smith at different later periods being the latter owners of the manor. Notes External links Villages in Leicestershire Somerby, Leicestershire