BUDBROOKE

Acreage: 2,979.

Population: 1911, 1,104; 1921, 788; 1931, 847.

The parish of Budbrooke is divided from St. Mary's, Warwick, on the east by the Gog Brook and another small stream, and from Sherborne and Norton Lindsey on the south by another brook. The western boundary, between Budbrooke and Claverdon, runs along the road from Gannaway Gate to Nunhold and then turns north-east, a line of hedgerows dividing the parish from Hatton. The ground slopes from a height of about 350 ft. in the west near Grove Park down to 175 ft. at the Gog Brook. Except round Grove Park, there is little woodland in the parish, the greater part of which is pasture.

The road, canal, and railway between Warwick and Birmingham cross the northern part of the parish, near the church. Another road from Warwick enters the parish, about a mile south of the church, over Gog Bridge, a mile west of which it forks; the northern branch leads to Grove Park, crossing a north and south road at Hampton-on-the-Hill at a height of 300 ft. The other branch forks again, the southern road leading past Littleworth to Norton Lindsey, and the other road running west by Norton Curlew to Gannaway Gate and so to Claverdon.

The chief centre of settlement is at Hampton-on-theHill, where there is a chapel-of-ease (built in 1895), a school, and a Roman Catholic church (built in 1819). A little south of Budbrooke church are the barracks of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

Grove Park, the seat of Lord Dormer, is a large house facing approximately east. The present house dates only from about 1830. It replaced a timberframed structure, probably of 16th-century date, but subsequently plastered over. When the plaster was removed the timbers were found to be in such a rotten condition that the whole house was pulled down and rebuilt. (fn. 1) The front is of three stories, but the back has a basement story which opens on to lower ground, said to be the remains of the ancient moat. The only features of interest in the house are three chimney-pieces of the early 17th century that were brought from Eythrope near Aylesbury. One in the drawing-room has a four-centred stone fire-place with a fluted frieze and an overmantel dated 1615, with Ionic shafts and a panelled entablature. In the middle is an achievement of the Dormer arms with their supporters. Another has a square fire-place flanked by pairs of enriched Ionic shafts carrying an enriched entablature, and an overmantel with pairs of Corinthian shafts supporting a carved entablature. The third, in the dining-room, is flanked by pairs of shafts, one twisted, the other carved, and has an overmantel with a middle achievement of arms and canopied niches on either side, with Corinthian shafts. A fourth low fire-place, behind the entrance hall, came from Kenilworth and has three bays of oak panels divided by clustered shafts and having an achievement of arms in each bay.

A moulded stone Tudor doorway reset in the north revetting wall of the moat may be a relic of the earlier house on this site. It forms the entrance to an 18thcentury ice-house below ground.

A public coach road formerly ran across the park in an east-north-easterly direction from Norton Lindsey to Hatton and can easily be traced in the existing greensward.

Manors

In 1086 Ralph de Limesi held BUDBROOKE of the king in chief. It had belonged to Earl Eadwine of Mercia, and was assessed at 5 hides. (fn. 2) The overlordship descended in the family of Ralph, whose grandson Gerard left two daughters and coheirs, Eleanor, who married David de Lindsay, and Basile, who married Hugh de Oddingsels. (fn. 3) In 1235 Budbrooke was assessed as part of the fee of David's son David de Lindsay; (fn. 4) and in 1295 Hugh's son William de Oddingsels died seised of two half-fees here, held of his elder brother Sir Hugh. (fn. 5) This William left four daughters and coheirs, of whom Ida married John de Clinton; (fn. 6) he died about the end of 1315, and his grandson John de Clinton was overlord of Budbrooke and Grove in 1369. (fn. 7) But Theobald de Verdon, who died about Aug. 1316, (fn. 8) was then said to be seised of the two half-fees, which were eventually assigned to his daughter and coheir Isabel, wife of Henry de Ferrers; (fn. 9) and they were held by Sir William Ferrers of Groby in 1371, (fn. 10) and by Sir Henry in 1387. (fn. 11)

During the 12th century the lordship of Budbrooke seems to have been in the hands of Geoffrey de Clinton, the chamberlain, and of his son and namesake. (fn. 12) The latter's son Henry in 1200 sold his rights in two knights' fees here to Hugh Bardolf (who had married Mabel de Limesi), (fn. 13) and Hugh immediately enfeoffed John de Curli therein. (fn. 14) John subsequently retired to Normandy, making over to his brother William his manor of Budbrooke and other property, of which he received confirmation from King John in 1205. (fn. 15) William de Curli his son held the manor in 1251; (fn. 16) but by 1253 it had come to Peter de Neville and Alice his wife, and Robert Hastang and Joan his wife, heirs of William. (fn. 17)

The Neville moiety became the manor of Grove (q.v.); that held by Robert Hastang came to his grandson John, who settled it on himself and his wife Eve in 1314, (fn. 18) and in 1325 settled the reversion after his death on his son Thomas Hastang and Elizabeth his wife. They had a son Sir John Hastang, (fn. 19) on whose marriage in 1343 a settlement was made of the manor of Budbrooke on Sir Thomas Hastang for life, with remainder to Sir John and Blanche his wife in tail. (fn. 20) It was probably the son of this Sir John Hastang, another John, who in 1360 gave the manors of Budbrooke and Grove to Thomas, Earl of Warwick, in exchange for those of Grafton and Upton Waryn, co. Worcester. (fn. 21) Thomas, Earl of Warwick, died seised of the two former manors in 1369, held of John de Clinton of Maxstoke, (fn. 22) and the manor remained in the possession of the Earls of Warwick, for in 1394 Thomas de Beauchamp granted an annual pension from this manor to Walter Power, (fn. 23) and three years later the manor came into the king's hand by the forfeiture of the said Earl Thomas, and was granted for life with Grove Park to Sir Henry Grene. (fn. 24) In 1428 Budbrooke, 'Grenny' (? Grove), Hampton Curly (or Lucy), and Norton Curly (or Inferior) were assessed as one knight's fee. (fn. 25) Richard, Earl of Warwick, was seised of the manor at the time of his attainder, (fn. 26) as a result of which it came into the hands of the Crown and remained there during the first half of the 16th century. (fn. 27)

Hastang. Azure a chief gules with a lion or over all.

Dormer. Azure ten billets and a chief or with a demi-lion sable in the chief

In 1547 King Edward VI gave the manor to John Dudley, Earl of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland; but on his execution it again passed to the Crown, and was granted in November 1554 to Edward Sutton, Lord Dudley. (fn. 28) In 1566 Queen Elizabeth gave the reversion of the manor to Robert, Earl of Leicester, and his heirs. (fn. 29) Lord Dudley and Mary his (second) wife and Robert, Earl of Leicester, made a settlement of the manor to Sir Gilbert Gerrard and others in 1581; (fn. 30) and in 1588 Edward, 2nd Lord Dudley, granted it to Thomas Wilmer and others. (fn. 31) In 1615, on an allegation that the grant of 1566 had been obtained by fraud, James I granted the reversion of this manor to Sir Robert Dormer, later Lord Dormer, (fn. 32) who was apparently already tenant, as he had made a settlement of the manor of Budbrooke in 1608 to his own use for life, with remainder to his heirs. (fn. 33) Sir William Dormer, his son and heir, died in October 1616, a month before his father, leaving a son Robert, aged nearly 6, as heir, (fn. 34) Anthony Dormer, the 2nd son of Lord Dormer, inherited the estate, (fn. 35) which passed to his son Robert. (fn. 36) Of his family, his eldest son Richard inherited the barony from his cousin and died unmarried in 1712, when Budbrooke and Grove Park passed to his only surviving sister Ann wife of Sir John Curson. On her death in 1746 without issue the estates passed to her cousin Charles, 5th Lord Dormer, (fn. 37) and have descended with the title to the present Lord Dormer.

The first mention of GROVE PARK (la Grave Curly) as a manor distinct from Budbrooke occurs in 1284, when Theobald de Neville son of Peter (see above) conveyed it to Ralph de Rocheford, who in turn gave it to Philip de Gayton and Escholace his wife (widow of William de Curli) for life, with remainder to Saer son and heir of Ralph de Rocheford. (fn. 38) Philip de Gayton died seised of the manor in 1316, (fn. 39) as did also his brother and heir, Theobald de Gayton, who died a few days afterwards, their heirs being their sisters Juliane wife of Sir Thomas Murdak, and Escholace widow of Godfrey de Meaux. (fn. 40) Juliane was executed for the murder of her husband in January 1321, (fn. 41) and Edward II seems to have seized the manor (fn. 42) and granted it to his favourite, Hugh le Despenser, Earl of Winchester. (fn. 43) John Murdak, the son of Sir Thomas, however, had entered the manor and held it for some time before the said Hugh's decease, and John alienated it to Thomas Hastang, (fn. 44) who already held the main manor. Thomas Hastang and Elizabeth his wife in 1329 acquired the rights of the Lady Escholace, widow of Godfrey de Meaux, (fn. 45) and in 1337 those of John Hackluit and Alice his wife, (fn. 46) daughter and heir of Theobald Neville. (fn. 47) In 1343 the manor was settled on Sir Thomas Hastang for life, with remainder to Sir John Hastang and Blanche his wife in tail; (fn. 48) and in 1354 Saer son and heir of Ralph de Rocheford released all his right here to the said John. (fn. 49) By gift of John Hastang the manor passed with Budbrooke to Thomas de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, and descended with that manor. Royal officials were appointed as keepers of Grove Park during the first half of the 16th century, while it remained in the hands of the Crown, (fn. 50) and in 1565 it was granted with Budbrooke to Robert, Earl of Leicester. Soon after this time it ceased to be a distinct manor, being regarded as part of the Budbrooke inheritance.

The hamlet of HAMPTONON-THE-HILL, alias HAMPTON CURLI, was a member of Budbrooke in the Middle Ages, (fn. 51) and has descended with the same to the present time. (fn. 52) The hamlet of LOWER NORTON was a member of Budbrooke, (fn. 53) but no record of it as a distinct manor has been found, except that it was transferred under that title by Leonard Dannett to Richard Baker in 1574. (fn. 54) The hamlet of Littleworth does not appear in any records as distinct from Budbrooke.

Church

The parish church of ST. MICHAEL is a comparatively small building consisting of a chancel, nave with shallow transeptal chapels, west tower, and a modern south porch.

Evidence of the 12th century is provided by the north doorway of the nave, and probably some of the masonry of the same wall is coeval with it. The chancel was rebuilt and enlarged early in the 13th century; its east wall was again rebuilt about 1400. The west tower was added, probably a little later in the 13th century, but just above the original lowest stage is inscribed the date 1668, which refers probably to a complete reconstruction of the upper parts of the tower. A south aisle was added to the nave late in the 13th century but was afterwards destroyed. Some remains of the south arcade are visible in the external face of the present south wall of the nave. The two transepts are modern but differ in size. The southern, which is the smaller, is probably on the foundations of the eastern part of the original aisle and retains the ancient masonry of the east wall with a 15th-century window in it. There has been some modern restoration, especially in the upper parts of the side walls of the chancel and nave, which lean outwards and have had to be heavily buttressed. The roofs are modern, but those of the transepts have some re-used old timbers.

The chancel (about 28 ft. by 16 ft.) has a restored east window of three trefoiled four-centred lights and vertical tracery in a two-centred head. It can be dated by shields formerly in the glazing (fn. 55) to a few years before 1401. The whole of the east wall is of the same period; it is built of grey Arden sandstone ashlar, with a moulded plinth and gable-head: at the angles are diagonal buttresses. In the north wall are three lancet windows; the middle and western are of the early 13th century and have internal plastered splays that are continued in the pointed heads. The eastern may be a later replica and has a chamfered segmentalpointed rear-arch. All have plain chamfered external hood-moulds. Opposite the middle and western, in the south wall, are similar early lancets. Below the western is a blocked lowside window of later date, probably 14th century. There are no traces, inside, of an eastern lancet and externally the position for it is covered by a massive buttress. The two walls are of roughly squared grey sandstone rubble with wide joints and have plain chamfered string-courses below the windows, stopping short of the diagonal buttresses at the east end. The southern is also interrupted for the later 'low side'. The north wall has a deep modern buttress, less massive than the southern, between the eastern and middle lancets.

[Plan of Budbrooke church]

The chancel arch is of modern reconstruction, but the two-centred head, of two hollow-chamfered orders, has reused 13th-century voussoirs.

The nave (about 39 ft. by 19 ft.) has an archway on each side at the east end, opening into the transepts. The north arch is modern. It is built plumb vertically, but the main wall east and west of it leans outwards so that there is about 5 in. difference at the base, but it is flush with the crown of the arch. Farther west is a blocked 12th-century doorway, not visible inside. It has restored nook-shafts with original cushion capitals and grooved and chamfered abaci; the round arch is moulded and has a hood-mould enriched with triple billet ornament. The wall is of rubble, the lower part coursed and squared; the upper stones are more irregular but are approximately coursed.

The southern transeptal arch has a modern east respond with triple shafts, but the west respond has what appears to be the three eastern sides of an octagonal pillar that is mostly buried in the thicker wall west of it. The moulded head is all modern. The wall west of it shows on the outer face the remains of the other two bays of the former three-bay south arcade of late13th-century date. The voussoirs of the outer order of the two-centred eastern arch are complete, but those of the western are partly missing. The pillar between them, if still existent, is buried in the wall. In the place where its capital should be is set a damaged moulded stone with some dog-tooth ornament. Whether this is actually in situ or has been placed here from elsewhere is uncertain. If in place, the capital seems to have been of square plan. The lower part is covered by an old buttress; this and the filling-in of the arches may be work of c. 1668, the date on the tower. In the eastern bay is a modern window of three lights and tracery in a four-centred head. The south doorway, reset in the western bay, is of the early 13th century; the jambs have a filleted edge-roll which is continued in the pointed head. It is concealed from the porch outside by a deal framing containing a pair of ancient nail-studded oak doors hung with strap-hinges perhaps also of 1668.

The north transept (19 ft. wide by about 8 ft. deep) is modern, but the beginnings of the side walls were probably old nave buttresses. It is lighted by three north lancets. The south transept is about 16 ft. wide by 6½ ft. deep; the depth is probably that of the former aisle. The east wall is of 15th-century ashlar and meets the original south-east angle of the nave with a straight joint. In it is a window of the same period of two cinquefoiled lights and tracery in a square head; the jambs, head, and mullion are moulded. In the south wall are three modern lancets.

The west tower (about 10 ft. square) is of three stages with walls of fine-jointed ashlar having a moulded plinth and embattled parapet; at the angles are panelled pinnacles with crocketed finials. The lowest stage has shallow wide clasping buttresses of the 13th century, without plinths, at the west angles. The two upper stages are probably later and are divided by a 15th-century, or later, moulded string-course. On the south wall just above the buttress is the inscription: S.H. Vicar E. H. Churchwarden Xi M An Dom 1668.

The archway to the nave has square jambs with the angles treated with a hollow in a chamfer, which is continued in the two-centred head. The last appears to have been rebuilt, probably in 1668, but the jambs are undisturbed 13th-century work. In the west wall is a window of two plain pointed lights and a plain spandrel in a two-centred head. The restored masonry below it suggests a former doorway now abolished. The second and top stages have similar windows; all are probably of 1668.

The font and other furniture are modern. There is a panel of Royal Arms of George III. The monument. include a large one to Rowland Dormer, Baron of Wing, 1712, and a tablet to Samuel Hawes, Vicar, 1701. There are also inscribed slabs, now set upright, to Robert Dormer of Grove Park, 1663, Thomas Spencer, Minister, 166(7?); and others.

There are three bells, the first of 1637 by Hugh Watts of Leicester, the second of 1724 by Joseph Smith, and the tenor by Newcombe and Watts, c. 1600. (fn. 56)

The registers begin in 1539, but the early portions are in bad condition. The volumes prior to 1813 are now deposited at the Shire Hall, Warwick.

Advowson

Roger, Earl of Warwick, gave the church to the canons of the Collegiate Church of St. Mary, Warwick, at the time of their foundation in 1122–3, (fn. 57) and William de Curly remitted to them all claim to the advowson thereof in 1227. (fn. 58) In 1273 the canons successfully contested their right of presentation in the King's Bench, (fn. 59) and in 1398 they obtained licence for a fresh appropriation of this church. (fn. 60) At the Dissolution the living came into the king's hand, but was granted in 1545 to the burgesses of the town of Warwick and their successors, incorporated as trustees of the endowment known as 'Henry VIII's Charity'. (fn. 61) They are still lay rectors, but between 1850 (fn. 62) and 1859 (fn. 63) the advowson was acquired by W. E. Wood. About 1912 it came into the hands of Thomas Owen Lloyd, (fn. 64) from whom it was acquired by the present patron, the Rev. F. W. Buttle, M.A.

The church was assessed in 1341 at £10 13s. 4d., (fn. 65) at which sum the rectory was farmed in 1535 (fn. 66) ; the vicar then received £5 3s. 4d. from the Dean and Canons, (fn. 67) and this payment was continued under the grant of 1545. (fn. 68)

Charities

Job Marston, by will dated 24 May 1701, devised tenements in Hampton Curlew upon trust to distribute one-half of the rents and profits among the poor of Budbrooke. The endowment now produces £60 (approx.).

Christian Celye's Charity. It is stated on a Benefaction Table in the parish church that Christian Celye gave a parcel of land called Harveys to Rowington and Budbrooke, the Budbrooke share to be applied for the repair of the parish church or to support the poor inhabitants. The land was sold in 1920, and the moiety for this parish is now represented by stock producing £20 4s. 6d. annually.

William Knibb by will gave a house in West Street, Warwick, the rent to be distributed to the most necessitous of the parish. The house is now let at about £9.

The Hon. John Stanhope Dormer, by will proved May 1811, gave £200, and the interest from his canal shares (after the death of Robert Knight) for the benefit of the poor. The endowment now produces £29 13s. 2d. annually.

Thomas Green by will gave a little pingle or close at Budbrooke, the profits to be distributed among the poor of Hampton Curlew. The legacy produces an annual income of £2 19s. 10d.

Edward Hopkins, by will dated 1 Feb. 1681, gave to the poor of Nether Norton the sum of 8s. yearly, to be paid out of the rent of land called Copson's. The charge is received out of land known as Cop Halls.

The above-mentioned charities are now regulated by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners dated 5 May 1911 under the title of United Charities. The scheme provides for a body of 9 trustees to administer the charities and directs that one-half of the yearly income of the Charity of Christian Celeye shall be paid towards the maintenance of the fabric of the parish church of Budbrooke; and that the income of the other charities shall be applied for the benefit of the poor of the parish, Green's Charity to be confined to Hampton Curlew and Hopkins's to Norton Curlew.

Footnotes