HODNELL
To the south of Ladbroke is a block of sparsely
populated country formed by the districts of Hodnell
(521 acres: population in 1931, 9), Chapel Ascote
(604 acres, population, 14), Watergall (553 acres,
population, 16) and Wills Pastures (149 acres, population, 7). These originally formed the parish of Hodnell,
of which the church, or chapel, was situated in Ascote.
At the time of the Domesday Survey there were on the
various estates into which the vill had become divided
(see below) 31 customary tenants, representing a
population of about 150. In 1332 there were 16 persons contributing to the subsidy, (fn. 1) so that, allowing for
the exemption of the poorest, the population had not
apparently fallen noticeably. Whether this district was
ravaged by the Black Death is not known, but by the
15th century it was depopulated, so that in 1428 there
were only four householders. (fn. 2) By the end of the 16th
century the church was in ruins and the whole parish
had been inclosed and converted into pasture. By
1638 Watergall and Hodnell had been annexed to the
parish of Fenny Compton, whither the inhabitants
resorted for divine service. (fn. 3) Next year these pastures
or hamlets with that of Chapel Ascote were said to
have 'never no poor at all in them' and were therefore
to contribute to the support of the poor in Napton;
the shepherds who were the only inhabitants were
then appointed overseers of the poor; (fn. 4) in 1651 they
were presented for not having collected the rates from
Lady Kingsmill's lands, worth £500, in Chapel Ascote
and 'Whittington' (now Weddington). (fn. 5) Two years
later, it being reported that Hodnell was 'anciently an
eminent parish . . . before the depopulation thereof by
enclosure and the appropriation of the rectory to the
late nunnery of Nun Eaton, but for many years past
the estate being in great men's hands . . . those lands
with Chappell Ascott and the rest of the parish being
of the value of £1500 by the year bear no charges in ...
things belonging to the constable's office', an attempt
was made to make one of the shepherds serve as
constable. (fn. 6) It was found, however, that the only inhabitants of Hodnell, Watergall, and Ascote were
three shepherds 'which never used to serve as constables
within the memory of man'. (fn. 7) At some later date these
hamlets became detached from Fenny Compton and
after a period of existence as extra-parochial townships
have now, with Radbourne, become absorbed into
Southam Rural District. (fn. 8)
Hodnell and Chapel Ascote are separated by the
road running north from Banbury to Southam and are
divided from Watergall and Wills Pastures (or Lower
Hodnell) on the south by the River Itchen, of which a
branch, or tributary, forms the south-western boundary
of Watergall. The country is open, with few trees, and
lies mostly at elevations between 300 and 350 ft., but
in the northern part of the parish heights slightly over
400 ft. are reached at Hodnell Manor Farm and
Weddington Hill in Ascote. It was probably here that
stood the windmill, worth 6s. 8d. yearly, belonging to
the Priory of Nuneaton in 1291, (fn. 9) and leased by the
nuns in 1321 to William Fryday, (fn. 10) and its successor
which John Horseley held of Sir John Seyntlowe in
1547. (fn. 11)
Manors
Before the Conquest HODNELL constituted a 10-hide vill. By 1066 it was
divided between three tenants, Ordric
holding 5 hides, Ulnod 4 hides, and Alwi one hide.
In 1086 four of Ordric's five hides were held of the
Count of Meulan by Gilbert (fn. 12) and the fifth was
held by Godwin of Turchil, (fn. 13) who himself held
Ulnod's 4 hides; (fn. 14) Alwi's hide was in the hands of
William son of Corbucion, of whom it was held by
Roger. (fn. 15) The overlordship of the count's and Turchil's
estates came to the Earls of Warwick, who may also
have acquired the remainder, as there is no later trace
of any Corbucion interest in this neighbourhood.
In the 12th century the earl apparently enfeoffed
Hugh son of Richard here, as they both confirmed the
gift of land here, described as the whole vill and held
of Hugh as one knight's fee, made by Richard de
Ubestocha of Burton in about 1160 to Nuneaton
Priory. (fn. 16) That priory in 1291 held 5 carucates of land
in Hodnell and Ascote, worth £2 10s., rents to the
value of £6 2s., and a windmill worth 6s. 8d. (fn. 17) In 1535
the demesnes had been let to Thomas Spencer for
£11 13s. 10d., but were in the occupation of John
Awdeley. (fn. 18) After the Dissolution the Nuneaton
lordship of Hodnell was granted in 1540 to Sir Marmaduke Constable, (fn. 19) who sold it two years later to Sir
John Seyntlowe. (fn. 20) He, in turn, had licence in 1547
to sell his manors of Hodnell and Ascote to John
Coope. (fn. 21) Apparently Sir John Coope sold the manors
to Thomas Wilkes in 1551, (fn. 22) but it would seem that,
probably because he had not obtained licence to
alienate, they were taken into the hands of the Crown
and granted in 1552 to Edward Fynes, Lord Clinton
and Saye, (fn. 23) being at the time mostly in the tenure of
John Spencer and Thomas Bramfield. He promptly
obtained licence to alienate to Anthony Coope, (fn. 24) who
in 1554 joined with Sir John Coope, Mary Coope,
widow, and others to convey the manors to Thomas
Wilkes, (fn. 25) merchant of the Staple. In his will, (fn. 26) dated
16 August 1558, he directed his executors to discharge
the manor of Hodnell of an annuity of £200 payable
during her life to Margaret wife of Sir John Seyntlowe,
and to use the issues of the manor and other lands for
the relief of poor scholars of St. John's College, Cambridge, and Magdalen College, Oxford, and other
charitable works. His wife Joan was to have the plate
and household stuff at Hodnell, so long as she resided
there at least six months in the year. He died on
6 January 1559, (fn. 27) his heir being his brother William,
who died in 1573. (fn. 28) On the death of William's son
Robert, under age, in 1577 the manors passed to his
three sisters (fn. 29) —Anne, aged 19 and said then to be
wife of Anthony Dryden, (fn. 30) Frances, 14, and Margaret,
12. The manors in question were Hodnell, Old
Hodnell, Ascote, and Hooks (and also Radbourne),
and it is not easy to decide precisely what these represented.
Late in the 12th century William Angevin granted
land in Hodnell to Combe Abbey, his gift being confirmed by Robert de Taiden. (fn. 31) In 1195 William was
impleading the same Robert for intrusion upon 9 virgates of land in Hodnell, (fn. 32) but died before his case
was heard, and next year his son Niel Angevin was the
plaintiff. (fn. 33) In 1197 Niel quitclaimed the 9 virgates to
Robert de Taiden and his son Henry, and in return
they gave him two half-virgates of that land to hold of
them with 2 other virgates which he already held. (fn. 34)
Lettice de Teydene, (fn. 35) who was daughter of a later
Henry, (fn. 36) in 1281 conveyed to her relative (fn. 37) John de
Briwes, or Bruys, a messuage, a carucate of land, and
10 acres of meadow in Hodnell. (fn. 38) Already, in 1269,
Beatrice, daughter of Henry de Terays, had released to
Sir Robert de Briwes (John's father) all her right in
the manor of Hodnell and in all the lands late of Paulin
de Tayden and Henry de Terays. (fn. 39) This constituted
the quarter-fee of HODNELL BRUIZ, held c. 1330
by Robert Burnel, 'who had married the heiress'. (fn. 40)
Robert, who styles himself lord of Hodnell in 1316, (fn. 41)
was apparently the nephew of his namesake the Bishop
of Bath and Wells. (fn. 42) John Burnel is said to have held
one-eighth fee here in 1346, (fn. 43) but in 1400 (fn. 44) and in
1403 (fn. 45) the quarter-fee of Hodnell Bruiz was held by
the Prioress of Nuneaton.
In 1235 the fees of the Earl of Warwick included
half a fee in Hodnell and Luddington held by Henry
le Franseiz and William de Ludinton, (fn. 46) of which the
Hodnell portion may be that just dealt with; a quarter
fee in Hodnell held by Osbert; and one-fifth fee held
by Gurmund. (fn. 47) This last is described in 1242 as onefifth fee in HODNELL GURMUNT, held by Thomas
Gurmunt of Thomas de Arden, who held of the earl. (fn. 48)
John Gurmund and his son Richard occur at the end
of the 13th century; (fn. 49) Richard Gurmond was tenant
in 1316, (fn. 50) and Simon Gurmund in 1346. (fn. 51) In 1428
return was made of a quarter fee formerly held by
Simon Gurmund in OLD HODNELL. (fn. 52) This manor,
with land in 'Howkes next Astcoytt', was sold by
Thomas Spencer and John and Giles, his brothers, in
1546 to Sir John Seyntlowe (fn. 53) and so came, as already
mentioned, to Thomas Wilkes. This Thomas Spencer
was the son of John Spencer who had died on 4 January
1497 seised of 20 virgates in Ascote. (fn. 54)
The Osbert mentioned in 1235 was probably Osbert
la Noreis who married the sister of Henry, son of Robert
de Thaiden, (fn. 55) and, with the assent of his wife Columbine, gave ½ virgate in Hodnell to Philip de Mutton, (fn. 56)
who acquired other land by his marriage with Isoult,
sister of Stephen and William de Lodinton. (fn. 57) In 1242
Simon de Hodenhull, possibly successor of the Osbert
mentioned above, was returned as holding half a fee
of Thomas de Arden, who held of the Earl of Warwick
in SHITEN HODNELL. (fn. 58) By 1316 part at least of
this, representing one-sixth fee, was held by the Abbot
of Combe, (fn. 59) who is again returned as tenant of one-sixth
fee there in about 1320 (fn. 60) and
in 1400. (fn. 61) Not long after the
latter date, Thomas, Abbot of
Combe, leased the abbey's lands
in Hodnell and Ascote, as part
of their manor of Radbourne,
to Dame Emma Catesby for her
life, with remainder to her son
John in tail male. (fn. 62) John's
son Sir William Catesby was
renting these lands in 1476, (fn. 63)
and his son William had a fresh lease of them from
the abbey in 1481. (fn. 64) The Catesbys had long been
accumulating an estate in this district; in 1342
Christiane widow of Robert Burnel granted to William
Catesby all her right in a meadow called 'le Bruscroft'
in Hodnell in which William had been enfeoffed
by her father Richard Geremund; (fn. 65) in 1387 Sir
John Peyto gave lands in Hodnell and Ascote, which
he had inherited from his father William, to John
Catesby; (fn. 66) and Robert Catesby was dealing with lands
there in 1451. (fn. 67) William Catesby was a strong supporter of Richard III and, being taken prisoner at
Bosworth Field, was beheaded and attainted. (fn. 68) His
lands in Ascote, some 200 acres of arable and 100 acres
of pasture, and the 317 acres in Hodnell and Ascote
attached to Radbourne were granted in 1488 to Sir
John Risley in tail male; (fn. 69) but in 1495 the forfeited
estates were restored to William's son, George Catesby. (fn. 70)
These lands seem to have been acquired by Thomas
Wilkes, as in 1555 he sold to William and Richard
Wills 83½ acres of pasture in Astefelde in Hodnell,
late of Richard (son of George) Catesby. (fn. 71) This is
probably the origin of the district known as WILLS
PASTURE.
Catesby. Argent two lions passant sable crowned or.
Having traced the descent of the various manorial
entities into the hands of the Wilkes family, we may
now return to the three sisters and coheiresses of Robert
Wilkes. Anne's marriage to Anthony Dryden, if it ever
took place, must have been short-lived; she married
Sir William Kingsmill (fn. 72) and her son Sir Henry and
grandson Sir William succeeded to her share, which
became the manor of ASCOTE. This was in the hands
of William Kingsmill in 1722, but by 1772 had been
acquired by William Palmer, whose brother Charles
succeeded him in that year and held the manor until
1804. (fn. 73) His son William in 1825 took the additional
name of Morewood, (fn. 74) and his son Charles Rowland
Palmer Morewood was lord of the manor in 1865. (fn. 75)
Palmer. Argent on two bars sable three trefoils argent and in chief a running greyhound sable.
Sneyd. Argent a scythe the blade in chief and the sned or handle in bend sinister sable on the fesse point a fleur de lis sable.
The second daughter, Frances, married Sir Erasmus
Dryden, son of John Dryden and Elizabeth, daughter
of Sir John Cope, whose mother was daughter of Sir
John Spencer of Hodnell. (fn. 76) Lady Frances died in
1630, having settled her third of the manors on her
son John; (fn. 77) this third included the manor-house of
OLD HODNELL. (fn. 78) Sir John's son Sir Robert Dryden
died without issue in 1708, (fn. 79) the heirs to his estate
being his sisters, of whom Frances married Ralph
Sneyd, from whom the Sneyds of Keele descended;
the manor, however, was acquired by a member of the
family of Sneyd of Ashcombe, descended from Ralph's
younger brother William, as in 1752 William Hodges
Sneyd was dealing with the manor, (fn. 80) of which he was
described as lord in 1753. (fn. 81) He died in 1757 and his
brother John in 1777. The latter's grandson the Rev.
John Sneyd was succeeded in 1873 by his son Dryden
Henry Sneyd. (fn. 81a)
The wardship and marriage of the third daughter,
Margaret, was granted by Queen Elizabeth in 1578
to Robert, Earl of Leicester, who sold it to John
Dryden, who assigned it in 1579 to Sir William
Catesby. (fn. 82) He procured her marriage to his relative
Francis Dimock, (fn. 83) after whose death she married
Thomas Gibbs. On her death in 1639 her share,
which included the capital messuage of WATERGALL,
passed to her son, Edward Gibbs. (fn. 84) His son Thomas
had a daughter Frances who married, as his second wife,
Sir John Rayney, bart., of Wrotham; (fn. 85) she died in 1690
and her son Edward in 1703. On the death of his son
without issue the property was sold, about 1720, to
John Mead, whose brother Richard was in possession
in 1730; (fn. 86) it was subsequently acquired by Lord Leigh.
Advowson
The church of Hodnell is mentioned as appropriated to the Priory
of Nuneaton in 1291, when it was
valued at £3 6s. 8d. (fn. 87) In 1535 the rectory was farmed
for 26s. 8d. (fn. 88) and a pension of 16s. 8d. was paid to
Kenilworth Abbey for the parish church. (fn. 89) This presumably represented the yearly render of 1 mark
and a stone of wax to the canons of Kenilworth with
which the church was charged in about 1160. (fn. 90) The
church was still standing in 1531, when Thomas
Spencer left orders for his burial there, near his father's
tomb. (fn. 91) The rectory and advowson of St. Helen's,
Hodnell, remained attached to the main manor, (fn. 92) and
in 1639 Margaret Gibbs was said to have held onethird of the advowson of the church of St. Helen in
Ascote; (fn. 93) but already in 1633 Bishop Wright had
reported to Archbishop Laud that the churches of
Hodnell, Ascote, and Watergall (which seem in fact
to be three names for the same building) were decayed,
and requiring whether they should be rebuilt or united
to other parishes. (fn. 94) Neither solution was applied, even
the ruins of the church perished, (fn. 95) and the three places
became extra-parochial.