The Pollards were significant land-owners in the Baldons in the 16th to 18th centuries. The family originally hailed from Devon.
Sir John Pollard (1508?-1557) was a high-achieving lawyer and politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons 1553-5. He purchased the manor of Nuneham Courtenay and acquired lands in Little Baldon in the mid-1500s. On his death it transpired that he had also acquired land in Baldon St. Lawrence (now incorporated into Toot Baldon). He died without children, leaving his estate to his wife Mary (nee Grey) for her life, with the reversion to his brother Anthony on her death.
Sir Anthony Pollard (1527–1577) was John’s younger brother. He married Philippa Sheldon. Unfortunately for Anthony he was outlived by John’s widow, therefore he never effectively inherited the Baldons properties. Nonetheless, he obviously had some attachment to the Baldons area as he was described in his will as being “of Little Baldon”.
The opening paragraph of Anthony’s will, made in 1575, reads "In the name of God Amen. The last will and Testament of me Anthony Pollarde of Little Baldon made the Twentieth Day of December in the Eighteenth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth [Queen Elizabeth I] …"
After Sir Anthony's death Philippa and her prospective heir appear to have bought more land in Little Baldon. She died aged 74.
Since neither John and Mary nor Anthony and Philippa had children, the lineage continued through cousins and extended family. In 1635, the estates passed to John Pollard (grandson of Sir John) and his wife Susan Goddard. The family's connection to the Baldon estates continued until the mid-18th century, when the manor was owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Lane (née Pollard). In 1754, Mrs. Lane leased the estate to Sir Christopher Willoughby and after her death in 1771, the Willoughby family purchased the manor, ending over 200 years of Pollard ownership.
Read about the Pollard monument, now in Nuneham Park.