ASHWELL
Exewell, Exwell (xi cent.); Assewell, Ayswell,
Aiswell (xiii cent.); Aswelle, Ashewell, Assewell
(xiv cent.).
Ashwell is on the Leicestershire border of the county
and comprises 1,835 acres, about two-thirds of which
are grass land. The soil is fertile and produces the
ordinary cereals and roots. A coarse kind of stone is
quarried which is used for roads and as rough building
material. The village lies at the crossing of the main
road from Oakham to Edmondthorpe by the by-road
from Whissendine to Cottesmore. The church and
rectory are at the south-east angle of the crossing,
and on the north side is the Old Hall with its grounds.
The chief part of the village is to the south-east of the
church, where the cottages with thatched or stonetiled roofs are grouped round a rough square. The
new Ashwell Hall stands in a small park about half a
mile south of the village. It was built in 1879 in the
Tudor style, and is the seat of Col. Frederick Gordon
Blair, C.B., D.L., J.P.
Thomas Mason, rector of Ashwell, was an ardent
Royalist. He was several times imprisoned, plundered
and otherwise maltreated for reading the Common
Prayer in private houses. During his sequestration
from the living he commanded a company at Belvoir
Castle, and on one occasion escorted his royal master
from Newark to Banbury. He was restored to the
living in 1660. (fn. 1) Richard Levett, the intruding
minister, was father of Sir Richard Levett, haberdasher, Lord Mayor of London in 1700. (fn. 2)
In more recent times another rector of Ashwell
achieved distinction in the field, the Rev. James
Adams, who died in 1903, being the only clergyman
before that time who was entitled to wear the Victoria
Cross. (fn. 3)
Place-names which have been found in the records
are Tatton land; Bradbek, (fn. 4) Brig Leys, Crodykehades; (fn. 5)
Hakberlond, Roychards Crofte. (fn. 6)
Manor
Before the Conquest Earl Harold
held ASHWELL. In 1086 Gozeline
held it of Hugh Earl of Chester as his
man, (fn. 7) and the manor was subsequently held of the
honour of Chester as a third part of a knight's fee. (fn. 8)
Gozeline also held land in or near Markeaton in
Derbyshire of the Earl of Chester, and both Ashwell
and Markeaton passed to the Tuchet family. The
chief fief of the Tuchets was at Claxton (co. Leic.),
where Henry Tuchet had succeeded the Domesday
tenant, Robert Hostiarius, by 1124–9. (fn. 9) Among
gifts confirmed to the abbot and convent of St. Mary
de Pre in Leicester by King Henry II was a grant of
land in Ashwell made by Henry Tuchet. (fn. 10)
Chester. Azure three sheaves or.
Tuchet. Ermine a cheveron gules.
It has usually been inferred that Gozeline or
Josceline, the Domesday tenant, was a Tuchet, (fn. 11)
and this is strengthened by a charter of between 1143
and 1149 whereby Ranulf, Earl of Chester, confirmed
to Henry Tuchet all the lands which belonged to
Henry Tuchet his father and Joscelin Tuchet his
grandfather. (fn. 12) Henry was living between 1156
and 1166, but by 1178 he had
been succeeded by Simon
Tuchet, who in the following
year allowed reasonable dower
to Maud widow of Henry
Tuchet in Ashwell. (fn. 13) Simon's
wife was Petronella. (fn. 14) In
1235–6 8s. 11d. was paid for
a third of a fee in Rutland held
by Thomas Tuchet of the Earl
of Chester, (fn. 15) but Thomas
died in 1235, when the king
took the homage of Henry his
son for the vill of Leigh Cumbray (co. Salop). (fn. 16)
Henry was succeeded in 1242 by his brother Robert,
who then paid relief for his lands. (fn. 17) In 1244 Robert
had respite from taking arms till the end of the year. (fn. 18)
Robert Tuchet died in 1248, his heir being then a child
of 5 years whose name was unknown to the jurors. (fn. 19)
The heir was Thomas Tuchet, (fn. 20) who was summoned
in 1285 to answer by what warrant he claimed view of
frankpledge and waif in Ashwell. Thomas said that
all his ancestors from time out of mind had enjoyed
these rights, except when Ashwell was in the hands
of Elizabeth, grandmother of Thomas, (fn. 21) Richard
King of Almain having then forced the tenants of
Ashwell to come to his turn, Thomas being then a
minor. The succeeding Earl
of Chester had restored his
rights to Thomas. (fn. 22) Thomas
pleaded prescription, but it is
doubtful whether he maintained his claim, and there is
no mention of view of frankpledge in the inquisition taken
on his death. This occurred
in 1315, his son Robert then
being aged 40 or more. (fn. 23)
Robert did homage in June
1315. (fn. 24) He was keeper of
the Castle and Soke of Melburn (co. Derby) in
1323, (fn. 25) and in 1335 settled the manors of Ashwell and
Markeaton (co. Derby) upon his son Thomas and
Joan his wife in tail. (fn. 26) The date of Robert's death is
not known, but Thomas (then Sir Thomas) died in
1349 (fn. 27) and was succeeded by his son John, who did
homage in 1351. (fn. 28) This John, who married Jane
sister of Nicholas Lord Audley, was slain at Rochelle
in 1371, when his son John succeeded him. (fn. 29) John
may have died about 1379–80, when Ashwell is returned
as held by John Dabridgecourt, (fn. 30) possibly guardian
of the son and heir John who was born in 1371. (fn. 31) He
became co-heir of his great-uncle Nicholas Lord
Audley in 1391 and was summoned to Parliament as a
baron in 1405. He took part in the Welsh wars
against Glendower, and died in 1408. His son James
was then only 10 years old. John's mother, Maud,
held a third of the manor in dower, and in case the
heirs of John, 4th Lord Audley, failed, the manor was
to remain to John Tuchet, brother of Thomas Tuchet,
clerk, if he would take the name and arms of Sir John.
In default, the manor was to be used to found a chantry
to celebrate mass for the soul of Sir John Tuchet. (fn. 32)
James proved his age and had livery of his lands in
1420. (fn. 33) He distinguished himself in the wars with
France and in 1447 had exemption for life from
attendance in Parliament. He was slain by the
Yorkists at Blore Heath in 1459. (fn. 34) His son, John
Lord Audley, in consideration of his father's services,
had special livery of his lands in 1459–60 without
proof of age. He was taken prisoner at Calais in the
next year and joined the cause of Edward IV. He
died in September 1490, having settled Ashwell on
his wife Ann, who survived him. (fn. 35) His son and
successor Sir James joined in the Cornish insurrection
and was taken prisoner and beheaded in June 1497. (fn. 36)
Ashwell with his other lands escheated to the king.
Sir James's son John Tuchet was restored in blood and
honours in 1512, and made conveyances of this manor
in 1513 and 1515, (fn. 37) the purpose of which appears to have
been to sell it to Guy Palmes,
serjeant at law. Guy died in
1516, the manor being then
held by trustees for him. (fn. 38)
His eldest son Brian succeeded
and Ashwell became the chief
seat of the family, who came
from Yorkshire. (fn. 39) Brian was
succeeded in 1528 by his son
Francis, then aged 7. (fn. 40) He was
in turn succeeded in 1567 by
a son Francis, a minor, (fn. 41) afterwards Sir Francis, on whose death in 1613 his son
Sir Guy succeeded. (fn. 42) Sir Guy was sheriff of Rutland
in 1607, 1617 and 1625. His son Brian married Mary
daughter of Gervase Tevery, (fn. 43) and a settlement of
Ashwell manor was made in 1628, probably on their
marriage, as Gervase was a party. (fn. 44) Sir Guy and
Brian were Royalists, and at the outbreak of the Civil
War Brian raised a regiment for the king. (fn. 45) He was
knighted in 1642. Both he and his father had to
compound for their estates in 1646. The fine was
set at £3,905 and then reduced to £3,317, but Sir
Guy was accused of undervaluing Ashwell manor and
other estates and an additional fine of £600 was
imposed. Afterwards the original fine was ordered
to stand. Sir Brian was fined at one-sixth, or £681. (fn. 46)
He died about August 1654 and Francis Palmes, his
son, who succeeded in the possession of Ashwell
manor, (fn. 47) died without issue. His brother and
successor William, who was sheriff of Rutland in
1661, (fn. 48) appears to have been encumbered by debts
and was obliged to sell some of his lands. Ashwell
and other estates in the counties of Nottingham and
Derby had been settled by him on his wife Mary,
kinswoman and co-heiress of William Lord Eure,
and in 1667 he applied for permission to make an
exchange of the settled lands, as some of his estates
had to be sold for payment of his debts, and he did
not wish to sell the Yorkshire lands which were his
most ancient paternal inheritance. (fn. 49) Ashwell was
sold by him and his son Guy in 1699 to Bartholomew
Burton. (fn. 50) Bartholomew presented to the church in
1743 and William Burton in
1759. (fn. 51) Bell no. 2 in Ashwell
church, dated 1760, was the
gift of Bartholomew Burton.
Palmes. Gules three fleurs de lis argent and a chief vair.
Dawnay, Viscount Downe. Argent a bend cotised sable with three rings argent on the bend.
Lora, the only child of
William Burton of Luffenham
and Ashwell, who was a Commissioner of Excise, married
in 1763 John Dawnay, Viscount
Downe. (fn. 52) He predeceased
his wife, on whose death
in May 1812 Ashwell passed
to her son John Christopher
Burton Dawnay, Viscount
Downe. He was M.P. for Petersfield 1787–90
and for Wootton Bassett 1790–96, and was created
Baron Dawnay of Cowick in 1796. He took his
seat in the House of Lords in 1800. On his
death without issue in 1832 the barony of Dawnay
became extinct, and his brother William Henry
succeeded to the Viscountcy. (fn. 53) He was in Holy
Orders and was rector of Ashwell in 1803. On his
death in 1846 his son William Henry, Conservative
M.P. for Rutland 1841–6, succeeded. He died in
1857, and the west window in Ashwell church is a
memorial to him. His son Hugh Richard, 8th
Viscount Downe, sold Ashwell manor to Westley
Richards, who on his death in 1897 left it to his
daughter Lady Bromley for life. (fn. 54)
In 1370 there was a dovecote, a windmill and a
fishpond in the manor of Ashwell. By custom
called cornbote the lord of the manor had of each
tenant holding a bovate of land a sheaf of wheat and
a sheaf of barley, and this custom was levied in 1370
upon 46 bovates. (fn. 55)
The land which was granted by Henry Tuchet to
the monastery of St. Mary de Pre (fn. 56) does not seem to
have remained in the possession of that house. It
may possibly be the same estate which was held at
the Dissolution by the hospital of Burton Lazars. (fn. 57)
This was granted in 1544 to Sir John Dudley,
Viscount Lisle, Great Admiral of England, with the
rest of the possessions of the hospital. (fn. 58)
It was stated in 1586 that the Church land in
Ashwell was held by the churchwardens for the use of
the church, and had been employed for the maintenance of lamps before the image of our Lady, and for
the payment of 2s. 8d. yearly to a priest for reading a
beadrolle, as appeared by a church book dated 1515. (fn. 59)
Church
Plan of Ashwell Church
The church of ST. MARY consists
of chancel 35 ft. 6 in. by 15 ft. 6 in.,
with north and south chapels, nave
46 ft. 6 in. by 15 ft. 9 in., with north and south aisles,
south porch, and west tower 11 ft. 9 in. square, all
these measurements being internal. The chapels
are continuations eastward of the aisles and cover
the chancel for about two-thirds of its length: that
on the north side is used as a vestry and organ
chamber. The aisles are 11 ft. 6 in. and 11 ft. wide
respectively, the total width across nave and aisles
being 43 ft.
The building is faced with ashlar and has highpitched, slated, eaved roofs to chancel, nave and porch.
The aisles are under lean-to leaded roofs without
parapets. There is no clearstory. There was an
extensive restoration of the fabric in 1851 under the
direction of William Butterfield, when the porch was
rebuilt and the roofs renewed. Internally all the
walls are plastered.
The church is mainly of 13th and 14th century
date, but has developed from a 12th-century building
to which a north aisle appears to have been added
c. 1190. The wide semicircular westernmost arch
of the existing north arcade of the nave belongs to
this period and is of two chamfered orders, springing
on the west from a half-round respond with moulded
capital and base on a high square plinth, and on the
east from a cylindrical pier the moulded base of which
is apparently contemporary with the respond: the
arch has a chamfered hood-mould on the nave side.
Originally the arcade may have been of two bays
with a portion of wall at each end, but when the
south aisle was added in the next century the north
arcade appears to have been remodelled at its east
end and is now of three bays, the older western bay
being considerably the wider. The alterations in
the 13th century amounted almost to a rebuilding of
the church, a new chancel with north and south chapels
being then erected, and a south aisle and west tower
added to the nave. The former porch also appears
to have belonged to this period. (fn. 60) In the 14th century the whole of the fabric was remodelled and
assumed the character it has since retained, the walls
being refaced and in part rebuilt, and new windows
and doorways made throughout. The external
appearance of the church has since been that of a
14th-century building.
Of the 13th-century work the chancel arcades, the
arch between chancel and nave, the south nave
arcade, the tower
arch, and the arches
dividing the nave
aisles from the
chapels are all more
or less contemporary, and may be c.
1220–30. The nave
arcade is of four
equally spaced
bays, with pointed
arches of two chamfered orders on
octagonal piers and
keel-shaped responds, all with
moulded capitals
enriched with nailhead. The bases of
the responds are
moulded, but those
of the piers are
chamfered and on
square plinths, all
much restored: the
moulded hoods towards the nave have head-stops. The
chancel and tower arches, the arches of the chancel
arcades, and that between the north aisle and chapel
are of the same character, with keel-shaped responds
and nail-head enrichment in the capitals, but the
arch dividing the south chapel and aisle rests on
moulded corbels, that on the north side semicircular
with nail-head, and the other a half-octagon without
enrichment, supported by a head. The chancel
arcades are of two bays, and differ from one another
only in that there is a hood-mould on the south side
alone. The two easternmost arches of the north arcade
of the nave are pointed and of two chamfered orders,
springing from cylindrical piers with moulded capitals
and bases, and at the east end from a half-round
moulded corbel, which, like the capitals of the piers, is
enriched with nail-head. The western pier is apparently
contemporary with the western arch with a later capital
introduced when the pointed arches were erected; the
eastern pier is taller and slenderer, and the size of the
chamfers on the two later arches is increased, while
the hoods are moulded and have head-stops.
The external 14th-century work varies in its
architectural detail, but is of a rather elaborate
character, ball-flower ornament being used in some
profusion. It occurs in a string about 3 ft. below
the eaves round the chancel and chapels, and also
alternately with heads and four-leaved flowers along
the south aisle of the nave: it is used also in the outer
hollow chamfer of both windows of the north chapel,
in one in the south aisle, and in the hood-mould of
the chancel window. Of the windows generally the
earliest in character is the east window of the south
chapel, which is of two trefoiled lights and cinquefoiled circle with soffit cusping in the head, single
chamfered jambs and hood-mould with notch stops.
The corresponding window in the north chapel is
also of two trefoiled lights, with a trefoiled opening
in the head, but it has double hollow chamfered jambs
and a hood with head-stops. Two other windows
have double hollow chamfered jambs, but the rest
are moulded. The north window of the north chapel
and two on the south side of the church (fn. 61) are squareheaded, but elsewhere the windows are pointed. The
buttresses are all of two stages with triangular heads
and fleur-de-lys terminations, those at the east end
and on the south side having trefoil cusping.
The chancel is faced with alternate wide and narrow
courses of ironstone and grey freestone and has a
much-restored east window of five trefoiled lights
with reticulated tracery and internal shafted jambs
with moulded capitals and bases; the lower part of
the window was blocked in 1851 when the present
reredos was erected. The east end of the chancel
stands in front of the chapels about 12 ft., but there
are no lateral windows. The beautiful double
piscina is much restored and seems to have been
moved to the extreme east end of the wall during
the restoration, when the present triple sedilia were
put in. (fn. 62) The piscina has a pointed traceried head
and two cinquefoiled moulded openings, and hoodmould with notch stop; the bowls have six foils,
or flutings. In the north wall opposite the sedilia
is a 15th-century recess 7 ft. wide and 15½ in. deep,
under a round arch with heavy edge-roll, on the soffit
of which, between two shallow sinkings, is a series of
incised T's, probably referring to some member of the
Tuchet family. On the inner face of each jamb and in
the centre of the back of the recess is a small niche with
embattled sill and crocketed pointed head with finials,
that on the east being supported by a shield-shaped
corbel on which the T device is repeated. (fn. 63)
In the south chapel is a priest's doorway with
slightly ogee head and label with finial and head-stops,
the jambs with an inner wave moulding and outer
chamfer, and there are two windows in the south
wall, that east of the doorway of two trefoiled lights
with quatrefoil in the head, the other square-headed,
of three lights, with reticulated tracery and returned
hood-mould with head-stops. The square-headed
window of the north chapel is of the same design,
and at the north end of the east wall is a trefoilheaded recess, the sill of which is level with that of
the window; south of the window there is a 13thcentury image bracket enriched with nail-head. (fn. 64)
The piscina of the chapel is a small bowl attached to
the east respond of the chancel arcade, on its north
side. In the north wall of the western part of the
chapel, now almost hidden by the organ, are two
sedilia forming a composition of great beauty, with
cinquefoiled arches, moulded jambs and mullion and
hood-moulds enriched with ball-flower, set in a
crocketed gable with finial. (fn. 65) The presence of an
altar at the east end of the south aisle of the nave
is attested by a 14th-century piscina with trefoiled
head and projecting sexfoil bowl. The south doorway is modern in the 14th-century style, but the
original doorway remains on the north side, the jambs
of which have an outer wave moulding. The threelight windows of the north aisle have good curvilinear
tracery, but in the south aisle the tracery is reticulated.
The tower appears to have been rebuilt in the
14th century, but perhaps retaining the lower portion
of the walls: it is of three stages, without buttresses
or vice, but externally preserves few original architectural features below the bell-chamber. The west
window is modern, or an old one completely restored,
and in the middle stage is a small square-headed
window on each side. The tall 14th-century bellchamber windows are of two trefoiled lights with
quatrefoil in the head, and the tower terminates in
a battlemented parapet and pyramidal slated roof
with cock vane. The 13th-century arch to the nave
has already been mentioned. The lower stage is
faced with grey ashlar as in the aisles, and on the
north this is continued the full height of the tower,
but on the other sides the facing consists of alternate
courses of ironstone and freestone, as in the chancel.
The font is modern, with octagonal stone bowl,
in the style of the 14th century, given in 1851 by
Viscountess Downe. The wooden pulpit and all
the fittings are of the same period.
On the floor of the south chapel is a cross-legged
wooden monumental effigy, probably representing a
knight of the Tuchet family, in hauberk, mail hose,
surcoat, girdle and coif of mail, the head resting on
cushions and a lion at the feet, (fn. 66) and in the same
part of the church a flat marble slab with incised
effigies of John Vernam (d. 1480) and Rose his wife
(d. 1479) with Latin inscription round the verge. (fn. 67)
In the north chapel (vestry) is the alabaster effigy
of a priest in eucharistic vestments, upon an earlier
tomb of freestone: the figure retains traces of gilding
and colour. (fn. 68) There is a brass plate in memory of
Margaret Palmer (d. 1603) on the east wall of the same
chapel, and below it a plate commemorating the
benefaction of Elizabeth Wilcox (1648), 'born in
this town but living in Derbyshire.' There are
wall memorials in the south aisle to Westley Richards
(d. 1897) and his wife (d. 1847), and to eleven men of
the parish who fell in the war of 1914–19.
There is a ring of six bells, the first by C. and G.
Mears of London, 1850; the second by Thomas
Hedderley (I) of Nottingham, 1760; the third, fourth
and tenor dated 1708, and the fifth by Edward Arnold
of Leicester, 1786. (fn. 69)
The plate consists of a silver gilt cup, paten and
flagon by John Keith of London, 1849–50, modern
mediæval pattern, given by Viscount Downe, and a
plated almsdish. (fn. 70)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms and burials 1595–1760, 1764–1806, marriages
1598–1754; (ii) baptisms and burials, 1806–12;
(iii) marriages, 1754–1812. (fn. 71)
A churchyard cross was erected in 1851, and there
is a modern lych gate.
Advowson
The advowson has always passed
with the manor, but was retained
when Viscount Downe sold the
manor to Westley Richards. His son, the present
Viscount, is patron.
Charities
Elizabeth Wilcox, by her will dated
20 April 1646, gave a piece of land
situate near St. Peter's Bridge End
and directed that one half of the yearly profits
should be distributed by the vicar and churchwardens amongst the poor on St. Thomas's day.
The endowment now consists of a sum of
£952 13s. 10d. 2½ per cent. Consols held by the
Official Trustees, and the annual income, amounting
to £23 16s. 4d., is distributed among about 34 poor
people in coal.