TIMELINE 3 - Post-Domesday History

This section covers the period from the first recorded reference to Weddington, or 'Watitune' in the Domesday Book through to the end of the Adderley family's time at the Castle.

1066 AD

 

Invasion of England by William the Conqueror. Harold is killed at the Battle of Hastings

 

1086 AD

 

WATITUNE in Domesday Book:
Conquest William gave the Manor of Weddington to Count Meulan, one of the heroes of the Battle of Hastings, but the land was left in the possession of Hereward, the original English occupier. He became a tenant of Count Meulan (1,42)

 

 

ASTLEY family hold Weddington

 

1100 AD

 

Land was given to Philip ASTLEY by Henry I (1)

 

1125 AD

 

Church Font of sandstone existed, not of local sandstone however (1,48)

 

c.1150 AD

 

Priories and Nunneries at Nuneaton, Arbury, Merevale (1,42)

 

c.1210 AD

 

Royal Hunting Lodge at Weddington (1)

A single coin dated 'King Edward I', c.1302 A.D. was found in Elmfield Road some years ago. This may have been lost by a coin collector or it may represent an 'in situ' remain that was lost in the area around 680 years ago.

The Royal Hunting Lodge referred to in King John's time has never been located. It may have been in the vicinity of the church or Castle or further afield. This coin could prove to be an indicator that the Hunting Lodge was in the area of Elmfield Road.
 

1215 AD

 

Thomas ASTLEY tried to buy his freedom from the Army (1)
 

1221 AD

 

Assize Rolls = Whetinton (7)

 

1235 AD

 

Book of Fees = Wetintone (5)
Walter de Astley held 1 Knight's Fee (1)
 

1242 AD

 

Thomas de Astley held 1 Knight's Fee (1)
Book of Fees = Wetintone (5)
 

1245 AD

 

Book of Fees = Wetinton (5)

 

1264 AD

 

Thomas ASTLEY slain at Battle of Evesham. Weddington forfeited to
King. Andrew ASTLEY later redeemed estates (1)
 

1275 AD

 

Rotuli Hundredorum = Wetintone (6)

 

1280 AD

 

By the end of the 13th C. England had a thriving agricultural economy. This High-Mediaeval period saw population as high as 5 to 6,000,000. Much land had been reclaimed back into use, prosperity was improving. Within 20 years a period of famine, flood, freeze and disease began.
 

1285 AD

 

2nd Statute of Winchester: It bound every man to serve the king in case of invasion or revolt and to pursue felons when the hue and cry was raised against them. The wall or fence of a park should be 200 feet (60 m) from the king's highway; the trees were cleared to prevent ambush.

This gave responsibilities to landowners to maintain roads and protect travellers from robbery by clearing bushes and undergrowth from land adjacent to the highway. This period saw the enclosure of manorial wastes; the common rights belonged to the tenants. First Justices of the Peace installed in England; it set three assizes a year to meet, nisi prius began, most civil actions would be heard previously by assize judges; this saved parties and jurors a weary journey to London.
 

1285 AD

 

Andrew de Astley claimed view of frankpledge (each member of the
tithing was responsible for the good behaviour of the others) gallows, free warren (game) and waif (ownerless animals) but acknowledged the vill was geldable (cut off or barren) with the hundred and county (1)
Assize Rolls = Wetyngton & Waddinton (7)
 

 

1296 AD

 

Calendar of Patent Rolls = Wedynton (96)

 

1301 AD

 

Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem = Wetyndon (9)

 

1301 AD

 

Wedinton (3,9)

 

1303 AD

 

Catalogue of Ancient Deeds = Wedinton (11)

 

1312 AD

 

30th Oct. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Geoffrey de SUTTON first vicar recorded at St. James (81)

 

1316 AD

 

Feudal Aids = Wodynton (10); Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem =
Wetendon (9)

 

1323 AD

 

Lay Subsidy Rolls = Wedinton (16)

 

1327 AD

 

Lay Subsidy Roll = Wedinton (16)

 

1330 AD

 

Catalogue of Ancient Deeds = Wetintone (11)

 

1331 AD

 

Feet of Fines = Wedington (4)

 

1332 AD

 

Lay Subsidy Rolls = Wedinton: Sir Thomas de ASTLEY (worth 30p= 6s), Emma le Cocus (3s 6d), Henry son of Lyne (4s), Maynard Godbody (3s 6d), Richard the Smith 
(2s), Robert de Stoke (4s), Simon Russell (4s), William Sweyn (1s3d), Robert at the Mill (2s), Geoffrey le Parker (4s), Geoffrey de Corleye (2s), John Matheu (2s) (16)
 

 

1347 AD

 

13th Oct. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. William ERNALD (81)

 

1348 AD

 

First wave of Black Death in the area. Weddington village suffered many fatalities (82)

 

1348-85 AD

 

The Black Death passed through the urban areas 30 times in this period. It was a national epidemic 12 times in that period. 1,500,000 died, 2,500,000 survived. Scarcity of labour meant sheep farming took over. There was evidence of plague burials in the churchyard area (82,95)

 

1361 AD

 

24th Oct. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Robert de SHAKELTHORP (81)

 

1370-1 AD

 

Sir William de ASTLEY had licence of Oratory at church (1)

 

1386 AD

 

INCUMBENT Rev. John de UPTON died. 28th Dec. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Henry de UPTON succeeded (81)

 

1408 AD

 

7th Feb. NEW INCUMBENT Rev.John son of William de WHATTEN (81)

 

1428 AD

 

Feudal Aids = Whytendon (10)

 

 

1435 AD
 

 

Feet of Fines = Wytyngton juxta Merevale (4)
 

1437 AD

 

16th Oct. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Henry SHIREWODE (81)

 

1445 AD

 

13th Apr. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. William STAUNTON (81)

 

1450 AD

 

Weddington had passed down female line of Astleys finally to Reginald, Lord GREY (1)

 

 

GREY family hold Weddington

 

1458 AD

 

13th Aug. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Ralph WODE (81)

 

1467 AD

 

2nd Aug. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Roger FRITON (81)

 

1481 AD

 

20th Dec. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Richard WALTON (81)

 

1485 AD

 

22nd Aug. Monday. Battle of Bosworth

 

1491 AD

 

Thomas GREY, Marquess of Dorset enclosed land, may have built a
mansion. 300 acres lost, 10 houses ruined, 60 persons driven off.
Weddington made into a permanent Deserted Mediaeval Village (DMV) (1)
15th Mar. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Robert LEGGE (81)
 

1512 AD

 

Humphrey ADDERLEY born, he came to Weddington later (1)

 

1535 AD

 

Church valued at £8 10s 6d. Valor Eccliasticus = Weddyngton (12)

 

1536 AD

 

Dissolution of the smaller Monasteries. Much of the Catholic church's
land was sold, the parish churches were mostly transferred to the new Anglican dioceses. Wealthy men bought this land and built their stately homes. Weddington Hall was probably of this type.
 

1539 AD

 

Dissolution of the Greater Monasteries. Much of the churches land
was sold, wealthy men bought this land and built their stately homes (113) 
 

1547 AD

 

Constable Rental Survey recorded an Iron Furnace in Weddington on
R. Anker (17)
 

1551 AD

 

26th Nov. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Robert THURMAN (81)

 

1554 AD

 

Henry, Duke of Suffolk forfeited estates. He is executed after the execution of his daughter, Lady Jane Grey (1)

 

1561 AD

 

Mr. TRYE rebuilt the Village (1)

 

1562 AD

 

Queen Elizabeth's favourites were given land of GREYS, e.g. Humphrey ADDERLEY (Earl of Huntingdon) Groom of Queen's Wardrobe and John CHOLMELEY (1)

 

 

ADDERLEY family hold Weddington

 

1563 AD

 

Weddington village again decayed (1)

 

1566 AD

 

Suit mentions a CAPITAL MANSION HOUSE i.e. WEDDINGTON HALL or CASTLE; it is possible that gatehouse Lodges were built at this time and later modified by Lugar in 1805. William WHITE claimed the lease of Earl of Suffolk and tried to depose Adderley. He failed. (1, 115) 
 

1583 AD

 

Humphrey ADDERLEY the 2nd born (1,48)

 

1598 AD

 

29th Jul. Humphrey ADDERLEY the 1st, died leaving manor to his son
Humphrey the 2nd (1, 115)
 

1607 AD

 

Enclosure Commission stated that Weddington had a growing number of pastures and many decayed husbandry houses (29)

 

1607 AD

 

Burton's Leicestershire: Burton's friend found a rock near Higham Lane/A5 junction, on turning it over he found 250 King Henry III silver 3d pieces, 2 gold rings and 1 silver, one with an Islamic inscription on. On digging deeper he found Roman coins and items he interpreted as belonging to a Mithraic temple, possibly on that site.

 

16?? AD

 

NEW INCUMBENT Rev. James CRANFORD (81)

 

1626 AD

 

Sessions Order Book = Whettington (39,81)

 

1628 AD

 

11th Mar. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Richard VINE the Puritan lived at Weddington. Paid £80 p.a. for Caldecote and Weddington. Born 1600, Blaston, Educated at Cambridge; 1642 he was noted as an Orthodox Divine, was a consultant to Parliament on Liturgy etc. Left Weddington in 1643 to flee to Coventry with Grew (24,81)
 

1637 AD

 

10th Nov. Humphrey ADDERLEY the 2nd, died (1, 115)

 

1639 AD

 

Humphrey ADDERLEY the 3rd died, manor passed to John ADDERLEY (1, 115).
Alabaster monument erected in St. James' Church by Jane ADDERLEY, widow of Humphrey the 2nd (48)
 

1642 AD

 

28th Aug. Thursday. St. James' Church burnt by Royalists (Cavaliers) according to Alfred Lester SCRIVENER (b. 1845 d.1886) How badly ruined it was, is difficult to assess. It was probably used in a damaged state. They also burnt Caldecote Hall (36)

 

1643 AD

 

The local area was predominantly Parliamentary Roundhead, although there were families who supported the King (Cavaliers) (82,95)

 

1649 AD

 

5th Jun. NEW INCUMBENT Rev . Thomas EVANS (81)

 

1656 AD

 

Dugdale = Wedington (2)

 

1662 AD

 

INCUMBENT Rev. Thomas EVANS sacked for his non-conformity (81).
John ADDERLEY died (1,115)
 

1662-74 AD

 

Hearth Tax Returns: John ADDERLEY, Woolestan ADDERLEY, Rev.Thomas EVANCE, Dudley RYDER, Thomas THROWNE, Rev. Michael ARMSTEAD, Nicholas ARMISTEAD, Widow CATTLE, Thomas GREENE, John BANCKS, John RAWLEY (13)
 

1663 AD

 

Earliest Registers of church (49) First entry in Parish Register:
John, ye son of Mr Henry Watts of Weddington, was Baptiz'd ye 22nd of July (sunday) 1663 (49) 28th Jan. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Michael ARMSTEAD installed. Rectory was void for a while (81)
 

1667 AD

 

Manor conveyed by John's widow Jane ADDERLEY and her son Wolstan (1)
 

1672 AD

 

Weddington licensed for non-conformist meetings (1)

 

1675 AD

 

Nuneaton church wardens petitioned the JPs that Weddington should help relieve poor (1)

 

1676 AD

 

Weddington population: 30 (29)

 

1689 AD

 

Wolstan ADDERLEY died (1,115). Gilbert ADDERLEY inherits estate from his father Wolstan (1)
 

1695 AD

 

Morden's Map does NOT show a Weddington Road (74)

 

1703 AD

 

Gilbert ADDERLEY pays for the Church Bell to be re-cast (48)

 

1705 AD

 

Samuel BRACEBRIDGE bought the Lindley Estate and pulled down the old Hall (97)
 

1712 AD

 

29th Aug. Monday, Nuneaton Hurricane recorded by Henry Beighton, much local damage.
 

1715 AD

 

28th Feb. NEW INCUMBENT Rev. James SHERMAN (81)

 

1725-7 AD

 

Beighton's map was a valuable bench mark because it showed mills, halls, churches, roads. Weddington Road was not shown, there was an Implication that it may have existed but was not a properly constructed Turnpike or transport route. Weddington was the spelling (84, 113)

 

1729 AD

 

NEW INCUMBENT Rev. Thomas LIPTROTT (81)

 

1730 AD

 

4 farms and a Manor House (29)

 

1733 AD

 

A likely date for Weddington Road to have been improved to enable the transport of materials for the church re-building? (25) Church rebuilt by Humphrey and Gilbert ADDERLEY, except for the old stone part of North Transept, to the Northwest. Vicar's vestry. One account stated that Adderley actually demolished the old church (1)
 

1734 AD

 

30th Dec. Gilbert ADDERLEY died (1)

 

1738 AD

 

Thomas ADDERLEY inherited the estate from his father Gilbert (1)

 

1753 AD

 

Weddington Parish Book: Records Widow Ghent was supported by Parish, 14 dozen sparrows shot as pests paid 2s 4d; Paid the Mole catcher £1 0s 0d for the year; 
25 loads of stone to maintain the road (Derby Lane) = Weddington Road. £1 4s 0d (29). Weddington Castle passed from Thomas ADDERLEY (his wife was Mercy, daughter of Rev. Dormer Sheldon of Abberton) to Rev. Thomas and Elizabeth LIPTROTT ( nee Adderley, sister of Thomas) (1, 115)
 

1758 AD

 

Mercy Adderley re-marries Francis Vincent, barrister at Inner Temple. He commissioned a painting by the artist Arthur Devis, of himself and family at the Castle. It is, however, not a faithful representation of the Estate (29)
 

 

(c) Alan F Cook 1992