CHARLECOTE
Acreage: 2,130.
Population: 1911, 224; 1921, 199; 1931, 188.
The main part of the parish is bounded on the north
by the Thelsford Brook, which flows west and southwest into the River Avon. It is crossed at Thelsford
Bridge by the road from Kineton, running through the
parish northwards to Warwick, a little above the point
where this road is joined by another from Charlecote
village. Between the road junction and the bridge is
the site of the priory of Thelsford; of the buildings
there are no remains above ground, but there is at
Wasperton Manor House a stone coffin found on the
adjacent Thelsford Farm. This farm-house has some
remains of 17th-century timber-framing. On the Avon,
slightly below the point where the Thelsford Brook
enters it, is Charlecote Corn Mill, presumably on the
site of one, if not of both, of the two mills belonging to
the manor in 1086. (fn. 1) Here the Avon flows due south
through Charlecote Park, where it turns at a right
angle, flowing west and dividing Hunscote, the southwestern portion of the parish, from Hampton Lucy. (fn. 2)
The country is flat, lying mostly between 130 ft.
and 150 ft. above Ordnance Datum, open, and crossed
by two streams, which join the Avon within the park,
where one of them is dammed to form a lake. The soil
is a rich loam, lying on gravel and sand, and much of
the land is under grass. In the park is a noteworthy
avenue of lime trees.
Charlecote Hall, the earliest of the great Elizabethan
houses, was rebuilt by Sir Thomas Lucy in 1558 on the
site, it is said, of an earlier building. It is of the typical
Elizabethan plan, a half-H with the wings extending
to the east. The east front of the main block has a twostoried porch-wing set rather south of the middle to
give direct access to the south end of the great hall that
occupies about two-thirds of the main block and rises
two stories.
A large parallel wing covering about three-quarters
of the original west front was added in 1833, containing
the dining-room, library, &c., and there is another
modern wing extending to the south containing the
servants' quarters. The walls are of brick with stone
dressings to the windows and at the angles. At the four
corners of the original building are three-quarter
octagonal turrets with leaded ogee cupolas and weather
vanes. There are moulded stone plinths and moulded
string-courses marking the two upper floor-levels.
There are gable-heads on all faces—three to the east
front of the main block, two to the inner face of each
wing, three to the outer faces, as well as at the ends.
There have been repairs and alterations at many
different periods so that little of the original diapered
brickwork of 1558 is seen except on the sides of the
porch-wing and the north elevation of the south main
wing. All the gables have plain copings and short
diagonal pinnacles at the apices, and between the gables
are pierced stone parapets of lattice and other patterns
with panelled standards. The stone windows are
mullioned and transomed in the two lower stories: the
shorter three-light windows in the gable-heads have
moulded labels.
The great hall has a modern tall bay window with a
pierced parapet, flanked by two-light flat windows, all
rising higher than the other ground-floor windows, and
there are modern two-storied bays dated 1852 at the
east ends of the wings. The fire-places are all set in
the outer walls of the three main ranges and the
chimney-stacks have tall and slender octagonal stone
shafts, all restored.
In the front of the porch wing there is much more
elaboration then in the rest of the building. It is stonefaced and has an open balustrade on which are two
figures of beasts (bears) (fn. 3) squatting upright on their
haunches and holding tall staves. The round-arched
entrance has enriched spandrels with the initials T.L. and
has on both sides of it pairs of Ionic pilasters supporting
an entablature. Flanking the window of the upper story
are pairs of Corinthian shafts supported on enriched
consoles and carrying an entablature. The window, of
two lights with a transom, has a moulded architrave
with carved brackets below the sill. Above it is an
enriched frieze and below it between the consoles is an
achievement of the Elizabethan royal arms with lion
and dragon supporters. On the south wing is a later
sundial.
The parts of the original west front that are not
covered by the modern range show brickwork of the
late 17th century and later periods and the windows,
&c., are of modern stone-work. The interior is apparently all of 18th- and 19th-century remodelling and
decoration, probably chiefly of 1852–3. The great
hall has a coloured fire-place of Classic design, with
Doric pilasters carrying an entablature, and an oak dado
painted with coats of arms. In the windows is a good
deal of heraldic glass, some of the shields being dated
1558. The ceiling is a four-centred barrel-vault carried
on corbels and having moulded ribs and carved bosses
at the ridge.
West of the house is a terraced garden with a
balustraded flight of steps leading down to a small lake.
About 80 yds. east of the porch is the gatehouse, also
built of brickwork with stone dressings. It is probably
a little later than the original house; the bricks are of a
lighter tint and are slightly larger than those of the south
wing and there is no diaper patterning. Its general
design follows that of the house: it has similar angle
turrets on the east front, of three stories, the main part
being of two, with a pierced parapet having oval
radiating patterns and enriched carved posts dividing
it into bays. The lower story has middle round-headed
archways with moulded imposts and key-stones. Above
the eastern is a three-sided oriel window with an
achievement of arms in an enriched panel below the
sill, and on either side of it and the lower archway are
two-light windows. All the windows have stone jambs,
mullions, and transoms. The turrets have small twolight windows and the southern is provided with a
clock in the top story. The carriage-way between the
two archways is vaulted in two quadripartite bays, the
ribs springing from corbels and having pendants at the
intersections. The side-walls of the passage have each
an elliptical-headed doorway (with a nail-studded door)
between two half-round recesses that have shell-heads.
The side rooms have each three windows in the outer
walls, that to the west of three lights; in the west angles
are splayed fire-places. Cut off from the north room is
a staircase. The upper story has a large chamber, lighted
by the bay and other windows, and a small north
chamber. The doorway to the latter has a late-16thcentury panelled door in an original frame. The roof
is covered with lead. The low garden wall flanking the
gatehouse is pierced in a pattern similar to that of the
parapet. The solid walls on either side of the garden
between the house and gatehouse are surmounted by
urns, and against the house are gateways with posts
with moulded caps and pierced pinnacles.
The stables south-east of the house are of L-shaped
plan. The north arm, running east and west, has
original diapered brickwork; the other arm, running
southward and pierced by a carriage archway, is of later
undiapered brickwork.
The pillars of the entrance to the drive on the
village-road side are of stone and brick and are surmounted by modern figures of boars. The entrance
is a little way south of the parish church, which is on
the west side of the road.
Charlecote Hall was presented to the National Trust
by Sir Henry Fairfax-Lucy in 1945.
The village is small, lying on the road to the north
of the church. On the east side opposite the park are
three buildings of the farm-house type with remains of
timber framing of c. 1600 with repairs and alterations
of later brickwork. The northernmost, containing the
estate offices, is a long low building, mostly brickfronted, but preserving a little framing in the front
and back walls and in the gabled ends. In the front
is an original porch with stop-moulded posts and lintel
to the entrance and open sides with pierced shaped
flat balusters. At the south end is a heavy projecting
chimney-stack of brick with two diagonal shafts.
The next is also a long building with a slightly projecting gabled wing in front at the north end, of late16th-century framing, and some later 17th-century
framing. The third is of nearly similar framing with
plain chimneys and it has an outbuilding on the roadside of 17th-century framing.
Manors
CHARLECOTE was held under Edward the Confessor by one Saxi, as 3 hides,
and was included in 1086 amongst the
possessions of the Count of Meulan. (fn. 4) It passed to the
count's brother, Henry de Newburgh, Earl of Warwick,
and the Earls of Warwick held the overlordship of
half a knight's fee in Charlecote until at least 1407. (fn. 5)
After that date there is no further reference to their
overlordship. Some time before 1186 Henry de Newburgh enfeoffed Thurstan de Montfort of Beaudesert
and of 'divers other fair Lordships' including Charlecote. (fn. 6) The mesne lordship descended in this family
with Beaudesert (q.v.) and passed to the Botelers of
Sudeley, of whom the manor was held in 1415 by
service unknown. (fn. 7) In 1492 it was held of the Botelers'
coheirs John Norbury and Edward Belknap; at this
time the manor was worth £10 and was held by service
of fealty and 4d. rent at Michaelmas. (fn. 8) This mesne
lordship is last mentioned in 1525, when the manor
was said to be held of the heirs of Sir John Norbury
and Sir Edward Belknap. (fn. 9)
Lucy. Gules crusilly three luces argent.
Walter son of Thurstan de Charlecote in 1203
obtained a charter confirming to him and his heirs all
his lands, rents, and tenements, including the vill of
Charlecote which he had acquired by grant of Henry
de Montfort and of Alice de Harcourt widow of Robert
de Montfort, (elder) brother of Henry. (fn. 10) Dugdale
asserts that this Thurstan was a younger son of Thurstan
de Montfort. Walter married Cicely, (fn. 11) who was
probably a member of the great baronial family of Lucy
of Cumberland, as their son was
Sir William de Lucy. (fn. 12) This
William farmed the hundred of
Kington at 40s. in 1220, (fn. 13) and in
1222 had a confirmation of his
right thereto, then said to have
been granted to him by Henry II
and confirmed by John. (fn. 14) In a
renewal of the grant made in
1225 William is styled brother of
Master Stephen de Lucy. (fn. 15) He
founded the Trinitarian Friary
at Thelsford, (fn. 16) and in 1235 held ½ knight's fee in Charlecote of the Earl of Warwick, (fn. 17) or rather, as is more
accurately stated in 1242, of Peter de Montfort under
the earl. (fn. 18) He married Maud, one sister and coheir of
John Cotele of Broughton (Hants), (fn. 19) and was succeeded
in 1250 by his son William. (fn. 20) This William married
Amice daughter and heir of William de Fourches (fn. 21) and
was succeeded about 1260 by their son Fulk, (fn. 22) who
forfeited his estates for opposing the king in 1264, but
recovered them under the Dict of Kenilworth. (fn. 23) He
also paid Peter de Montfort 200 marks to commute the
rent of £10 by which the manor had been held to an
annual render of a pair of gilt spurs or 4d. (fn. 24) Fulk in
1279 held the whole manor of Charlecote, except 6
virgates called Hullelond, (fn. 25) and in 1285 he asserted
his right to various liberties set forth at length in the
charter of 1203 granted to his great-grandfather
Walter, under which, however, view of frankpledge
could be held in his court but only in the presence of
the king's bailiff. (fn. 26) He died in 1302 seised of the
manor and leaving a son William, aged 26, (fn. 27) who in
1312 settled one half of the manor on himself and the
other half on himself jointly with his wife Elizabeth,
with remainder in each instance to his son William. (fn. 28)
It was probably the elder William who was lord of the
manor in 1316, (fn. 29) but the younger who was the largest
taxpayer in Charlecote in 1332. (fn. 30) The latter Sir
William, who took part in the battle of Crécy in 1346, (fn. 31)
died about 1360, his widow Elizabeth dying in 1361,
when their eldest son Thomas was only 9. (fn. 32) Thomas
died in or before 1370 and was succeeded by his brother
William, (fn. 33) who came of age in 1374. (fn. 34) Sir William
Lucy died in 1401, (fn. 35) and his son Sir Thomas, who was
in bad health and had to be excused from fasting in
1414, (fn. 36) died in 1415, leaving a son William, aged 13,
and a widow Alice (Hugford) who shortly afterwards
married Richard Archer of Tamworth. (fn. 37) William died
seised of the manor in 1466, (fn. 38) as did his son Sir William
in 1492. (fn. 39) The latter's son Edmund died some four or
five years later and was buried beside his mother
Margaret Lucy in the Lady Chapel of the monastery
of Thelsford, (fn. 40) where he was joined in 1514 by his
widow Joan, then widow of Richard Hungerford. (fn. 41)
Their son Thomas, knighted in 1512, (fn. 42) married
Elizabeth (Empson) widow of George Catesby, (fn. 43) who
subsequently married as her third husband Richard
Verney of London. (fn. 44) Sir Thomas died in 1525 and
was in turn succeeded by William Lucy. (fn. 45) During the
lifetime of this William Lucy, John Foxe the martyrologist visited Charlecote and subsequently told a friend
that he had derived much satisfaction from his visit to
that family. After resigning his fellowship in 1545
Foxe was given temporary employment by William
Lucy as tutor to his son Thomas, (fn. 46) who succeeded in
1551. (fn. 47) Thomas Lucy rebuilt the manor-house in
1558. He was knighted in 1565, being 'dubbed in his
own house', and sat in the Parliaments of 1571 and
1584 as Knight of the Shire of Warwick. (fn. 48) It was this
Sir Thomas Lucy whose deer Shakespeare is often said
to have stolen in 1585 and whom the dramatist is sometimes supposed to have caricatured in the character of
Justice Shallow. Sir Thomas died on 7 July 1600, and
was succeeded by his son Thomas, (fn. 49) who died in 1603.
His son Sir Thomas married Alice Spenser and died
in 1640. His eldest son Spencer (fn. 50) in 1646 compounded
with the Parliamentary Committee of the Commonwealth for the possession of his lands, (fn. 51) but died without
issue, and Charlecote passed successively to his two
brothers Robert and Richard and to Richard's son
Thomas. Thomas was succeeded by Davenport Lucy,
son of another brother Fulk, and he died unmarried in
1690. (fn. 52) Davenport's two brothers George and William, and George and Thomas the two sons of their
brother Fulk, were in turn seised of the manor, and all
died either unmarried or without issue. (fn. 53) On the death
of the last of these in 1787 it passed to the Rev. John
Hammond a grandson of Alice Lucy, who was a
daughter of Fulk the younger brother of Spencer
Lucy. The Rev. John Hammond assumed the name
and arms of Lucy on 9 February 1787. He died in
1823 and was succeeded by his son George, who died
in 1845, and who in turn was succeeded by his son
William. It then passed to William's brother Henry
Spencer Lucy, who died in 1890, and then to the latter's
daughter Ada Lucy who married in 1892 Sir Henry
Ramsay Fairfax, who assumed by royal licence the
name of Lucy, so that she became Lady Ramsay
Fairfax-Lucy. (fn. 54)
The overlordship of ½ knight's fee in HUNSCOTE
was held by the Earl of Warwick in 1235, (fn. 55) and it
continued to be so held until 1400. (fn. 56) In 1279 it was
held of the earl by Theobald de Verdon and of Theobald by Margery de Cantilupe. (fn. 57) Of Margery it was
held in two portions: ⅓ fee by William de Stafford,
consisting of 1 carucate of land held by Henry de
Erdinton; and another ⅓ fee held directly of her by the
same Henry and William de Bladintone, who are
called lords of Hunscote. (fn. 58) In 1316 Theobald's son
Theobald de Verdon held it as ¼ fee, (fn. 59) and as such it
was assigned in 1344 to his daughter and coheir
Margery and her husband Mark Husee, (fn. 60) after which
no more is heard of this mesne lordship. Margery de
Cantilupe's rights, here and in Avon Dassett (q.v.),
passed to her son Walter, who was lord of both vills in
1316. (fn. 61) He probably sold to Michael de la More, who
held the ¼ fee in 1337 (fn. 62) and had been the largest taxpayer in Hunscote in 1332. (fn. 63)
Part of Hunscote had been held in the 12th century
by one Ralph and Margery his wife (probably in her
right); their eldest son Richard dying without issue it
passed to his brother Hugh, to his son Thomas, and to
Thomas's son William de Ludington. (fn. 64) William
carried on a prolonged suit against Walter fitzRalph
for 2 virgates in Hunscote, which ended in 1230 in
favour of Walter, (fn. 65) who had previously sold the land
to Thomas de Erdinton (fn. 66) (d. 1218). Apparently
Thomas subinfeudated William de Norfolk therein,
and he leased it to Gervase de Wauton. (fn. 67) In 1262 the
2 virgates which had belonged to William were held
by Nicholas de Norfolk and Isabel his wife. (fn. 68) This
estate, or part of it, perhaps passed to Isabel, wife of
John de Wauton (who died in 1277), (fn. 69) and subsequently of Henry le Foun, and became attached to the
manor of Walton Deyvill. (fn. 70) In 1279, however, one
of the lords of Hunscote was
William de Bladintone; (fn. 71) in
1332 William and Ralph de
Bladynton were taxpayers, but
the smallest, in Hunscote; (fn. 72) and
in 1368 John de Bladynton
claimed ½ virgate there as heir
to his brother William, but his
legitimacy was in doubt. (fn. 73)
Erdinton. Azure two lions passant or.
In 1279, as already stated, (fn. 74)
Henry de Erdinton held ⅓ fee
of William de Stafford. In 1307
his son Henry settled a messuage
and 5 virgates in Hunscote on himself and his wife
Joan, with remainder to their son Giles. (fn. 75) The estate
descended in the family, and in 1405. Margaret
widow of Sir Thomas de Erdinton was said to hold
from Sir John Stafford (fn. 76) of Bromshill ⅓ of the 'manor'
of Hunscote in dower; (fn. 77) when, however, her son
Thomas died in 1433, the property was described as
a messuage and lands held of Humphrey Stafford of
Hook, (fn. 78) as it was on the death of Thomas's wife Sibyl
in the following year. (fn. 79)
Thomas Moston is said to have been styled lord of
Hunscote about 1432, (fn. 80) and he was holding a manor
there six years later. (fn. 81) This and the Erdinton property
were probably soon afterwards acquired by one of the
Lucys, as in 1492 Sir William Lucy died seised of the
manor of Hunscote, held of William Stafford, (fn. 82) from
which time it continued to descend with the main
manor of Charlecote.
In 1221 the Prior and Convent of Coventry obtained
papal confirmation of various estates including Hullande
in Charlecote. (fn. 83) This is presumably the ¼ knight's fee
held of the Prior of Coventry by William de Lucy in
1242; (fn. 84) but in 1279 Fulk de Lucy held all the manor
of Charlecote except 6 virgates called Hullelond, of
which Richard de Raggele held 4 virgates. (fn. 85) No later
connexion with Coventry is known.
Church
The parish church of ST. LEONARD
was entirely rebuilt in 1851 and consists of
a chancel, north chapel, north organchamber, nave, and tower south of the chancel. The
walls are of ashlar and the nave and chancel are vaulted.
The tower is octagonal in the upper part and is surmounted by an octagonal stone spire. The only piece
of re-used construction appears to be the roof of the
organ chamber. This has a barrel-vaulted ceiling with
panels, moulded ribs, and carved bosses of the 15th
century, probably from the former chancel.
The furniture is modern, including the font, but
there is a second font probably of the 12th century. It
is of flower-pot shape and has a moulded base 4 in.
high. The top bears the marks of former staples for
the lid.
In the north chapel are the ancient memorials of the
Lucy family. (fn. 86)
The earliest is an altar tomb against the east wall
with alabaster recumbent effigies of Sir Thomas Lucy,
died 1600, and Lady Joyce, 10 February 1595(6),
daughter of Sir Thomas Acton of Sutton, Worcestershire. He is represented in armour, but the sword on
his left side has lost its blade or scabbard. The lady
lying behind him has the typical Elizabethan dress.
They are on separate plain slabs on the tomb and no
doubt the lady's effigy is of earlier execution than the
other; and the tomb seems to have been differently
arranged formerly, as the part below the lady's effigy
is modern. The west front part has a beaded moulded
capping of alabaster and a fluted frieze and below it is
divided into two bays by alabaster and marble panelled
pilasters. The bays are panelled in dark marble and in
front of them are the kneeling effigies of a son in armour,
and a daughter: the low base on which they are placed
has a moulded capping and plinth. At the ends of the
tomb are plain panels. The inscription, to Lady Joyce
only and composed by Sir Thomas, is fixed on the east
wall on a black marble tablet enframed in alabaster,
between panelled pilasters enriched with foliage ornament in low relief. Above it is an alabaster entablature
and a central achievement with the painted arms of
Lucy impaling Acton in a circular cartouche with strap
ornament. Below the tablet is an apron with a winged
death's head.
Against the west wall is an uninscribed monument,
presumably to the second Sir Thomas Lucy, 1605. On
a shelf is his recumbent effigy in armour of the period
with his head resting on a cushion and the Lucy crest
near his feet. The base has the kneeling effigy of
his wife in a widow's hood and the kneeling figures
of six sons and eight daughters. The monument has
no canopy. Against the wall are two round-headed
recesses above an enriched frieze with a middle console or bracket, over which is a cherub astride of a skull.
The entablature has a frieze of dark marble, otherwise
it is of alabaster and breaks forward a little above the
cherub to support a painted shield of arms, and the
cornice breaks forward over that. The whole entablature is brought forward at the ends as wings that are
carried in front by Corinthian shafts of dark marble
with gilded capitals and bases. Over each wing, and
in the middle against the wall, are upstanding cartouches of the Lucy arms. On the shelf outside the
shafts are alabaster obelisks. Each bay at the back has
a dark panel which was probably painted with the now
missing inscription.
Against the north wall is the largest of three monuments, to another Sir Thomas, died 1640, and Alice
(Spencer of Claverdon) his wife. It has two beautiful
effigies in white marble, probably by Schurman. The
knight is represented in a half-raised position reclining
on his left elbow, dressed in armour and wearing the
falling ruff of the period: he has a pointed beard. The
lady's effigy, very richly dressed, is in a recumbent position behind him. The base is panelled. The figures lie
below a heavy canopy with Corinthian shafts of white
and coloured marbles and, above, an achievement of
arms. The back has three panels, the middle with the
Latin epitaph. The eastern bays represents a library of
books some of which are labelled (Horace—Homer
II. 1579–Virgil Æn.—Cato—T.L.—and 'Winters
Ayres'). Over the books is a cartouche of arms. The
west bay has a pictorial scene in low relief showing
Sir Thomas in civilian dress mounted on a horse, with
a thatched house, &c., in the background. The cartouche above has the arms of Lucy impaling Spencer.
There are two bells of 1697.
The registers begin in 1543.
Advowson
The church of Charlecote was given
to the friary of Thelsford by Sir
William de Lucy in 1214, (fn. 87) and was
appropriated to the friary in the same year. (fn. 88) It seems
to have been originally a chapel dependent on the
church of Hampton Lucy and paid a yearly pension
of 20s. to the church of Wellesbourne, which was
given to the canons of Kenilworth Priory. The right
of Kenilworth to this pension was confirmed in 1241, (fn. 89)
and it is duly recorded as payable in 1291, (fn. 90) but the
friars subsequently disputed the payment. A decision
in favour of Kenilworth was given in 1327, (fn. 91) and
the 20s. was still being paid by Thelsford in 1535. (fn. 92)
The value of the church is not stated in 1291, but in
1341 it was given as £2 13s. 4d., (fn. 93) and in 1535 the
rectory was farmed at £4 13s. 4d., (fn. 94) and the vicarage
was worth £6. (fn. 95)
About the middle of the 13th century Robert, Prior
of Thelsford, made over the advowson of the vicarage
to Fulk de Lucy, (fn. 96) and it descended with the manor
until early in the reign of Henry VII, when Sir
William Lucy gave it again to the friars of Thelsford,
his son Edmund confirming the gift. (fn. 97) After the
Dissolution William Lucy acquired the Thelsford
property, the site in 1543 from the grantees William
Whorwood and William Walter, (fn. 98) and the advowson
presumably from the Crown at some date before 1551,
when he died seised thereof. (fn. 99) The advowson and
rectory have since descended with the manor.
Charities
The Rev. William Lucy by will dated
28 January 1723 gave to the poor of
Charlecote the yearly sum of £5, to be
distributed by his heir or trustees every Christmas to
poor housekeepers of the parish. The endowment of
the charity now consists of a rentcharge of £5 per annum.
The Rev. John Lucy by will dated 2 July 1821 gave
to the Trustees of the Charity of the Rev. William Lucy
the sum of £5 annually for the benefit of the poor of the
parish. This rentcharge is distributed annually with the
other.