Alrewas

This ancient Saxon lordship is situated six miles north of Lichfield in Staffordshire.

According to the Domesday Survey there was a church already here at Alrewas at the time of the conquest. Malmesbury, the historian, says that this was one of the first prebends instituted in the church of Lichfield by Athelwals, Bishop of Lichfield in 822.

We know that it was called a prebend soon after the conquest because Robal the son of Walter de Alrewas granted to Ade de Walton, the Chancellor of the church of Lichfield, and to the Prebendary of the Prebend of Alrewas one piece of land, which he held of the said Prebend in Alrewas. This land was near the churchyard on the east side thereof, to be held of the said Adae and his successors for ever, for which grant he paid 20 shillings in silver.

Pope Celestinus in 1143 confirmed the donation of the church of Alrewas to the Bishop of Coventry and Church of Lichfield, and declared that no one should dare to impede or contradict the same under danger of incurring the indignation of the Almighty and his blessed apostles St. Peter and St. Paul.

In 1259 Archbishop Boniface confirmed it in an Inspexinus that Alrewas church with its chapels constituted the chancellorship of the Cathedral.

In 1386 the perpetual vicar of the prebendal church of Alrewas was Thomas de Wilton. In 1414 it was Robert Cowe. Mr Ralphe Whitehed was taxed 40s there as prebendary and chancellor of Lichfield in 1534 on a value of £26.13s.4d.

By 1795 the value of the prebend was about £100 and was held by the Chancellor of the church of Lichfield, Dr. Farmer, Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

The office of the Chancellor of the Cathedral was to superintend the regular exercise of devotion in the cathedral.

Richard Smallbrook, who became Bishop in 1750, made his son-in-law, Dr. Bateman of Christ Church, Oxford, and chaplain to Archbishop Walker, chancellor of the church. Archbishop Herring on the consecration of Bishop Frederick Cornwallis made the office his option.

On the death of Dr. Bateman he gave the lordship to Dr. Thomas Green, eldest son of Dr. Thomas Green, Bishop of Ely, who was living in 1757 and then made Dean of Salisbury. He was also chaplain to the King. By Act of Parliament of 1796, the chancellorship became annexed to the newly established Residentiary. Shortly after this the lordship was purchased by an ancestor of the present lord of the manor, the Earl of Lichfield.

(Including the historic rights to market & fair)

BEFORE the Norman Conquest in 1066, this Manor belonged to Algar, Earl of Mercia. It had been held large estates in Staffordshire and left them to Edwin, his son, but upon Edwin's rebellion against the Conqueror, they became forfeit to the Crown. And so, at the time of Domesday, we find: The King holds Alrewas. Earl Algar formerly held it. Here there are three hides. The arable land is eight carucates. In demesne there are two; and one bordman, 20 villans, six bordars, with a priest, have six carucates. There are 24 acres of meadow, and a fishery that yeilds 1500 eels. Also a wood one mile in length and 1/2 in breadth. Value before Domesday, £10; now £11.

It continued as lands of the Crown for over a century until the reign of King John. In 1204 he granted the Manor to Roger de Somerville, to hold in fee farm. He was certified to be holding Alrewas in about 1216. His son, John de Somerville, was shortly afterwards rated as holding the Manor from the King. The tenure-roll for the Hundred of Offlow goes on to say that he held it by the fourth part of a knight's fee and in fee-farm, paying the King annually over £15. It was estimated to be worth £24 to him. Robert de Somerville died in 1280, his son, Sir Robert de Somerville Kt succeeding him, in 1290, the King’s licence of free warren over all his holdings. He was also granted a weekly market (on a Tuesday) and a yearly fair on the eve, day and morrow of St Margaret the Virgin. He paid the King 25s for his relief from the fourth part of a Knight's fee and died in 1297.

His eldest son died without issue, the Manor passing to Sir Philip de Somerville, Kt, his youngest son. Sir Philip held other Manors in the area, one of which, Wichnor, was held by the astonishing service of finding a slitch of bacon. He died in 1356 leaving two daughters and co-heirs, the eldest of which, Joan, carried this Manor to her husband, Sir Reece Griffith Kt, in whose family it continued for several generations. Sir Walter Griffith, son of John Griffith, was certified to hold Alrewas in 1473. The male line ended with Sir Henry Griffith, whose sister, Frances, married Sir Matthew Boynton Btof Barmston, and later of Burton-Agnes. It passed to their son, Sir Francis Boynton, who, in 1660, sold the Manor to William Turton, clerk to Lord Leigh. His son, Sir John, succeeded him in 1683. He was one of the barons of the Exchequer during the reign of William and Mary, and afterwards one of the justices of the King's Bench. His eldest son, William, died before him in 1692, and Sir John Turton died in 1707. His lands passing to his grandson, also John.

He was a Justice of the Peace for Staffordshire and held the Manor for 50 years, selling it before his death in 1771, aged 84. It was sold, in 1752, to George, Lord Anson, who was the ancestor of the Earls of Lichfield. It remained in that family until 1987 when it was sold to the present owner. George, Lord Anson, was the Admiral who circumnavigated the globe in 1740. His estates passed to his great-nephew, Thomas Anson, who was MP for Lichfield and was created Viscount Anson in 1806. He died in 1818 and was succeeded by his son, Thomas William, Privy Councillor, who was created Earl of Lichfield in 1831. He was Master of the Buckhounds from 1830 to 1834 and died in 1854. His son, Thomas George, was Lord Lieutenant of Lichfield. He died in 1941 and his son, Thomas Edward, the 4th Earl, died in 1988. Thomas Patrick John, the 5th Earl, succeeded him and his trustees conveyed the Manor of the Prebend of Alrewas to David Shaw Esq. Alrewas stands on the Grand Trunk Canal, 5 miles North of Lichfield.

Rights, customs and incidents

(Including the historic rights to market & fair)

Associated manorial documents / archive references

• 1 Court rolls 1298-1697
• 2 Court books 1773-1856

Source notes

((1987 Catalogue Begins)) | ((1997 Catalogue Begins))

Historical holder / succession information

1. an ancestor of the present lord of the manor, the Earl of Lichfield [source claim requiring identity review]
   purchased_by · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: Shortly after this the lordship was purchased by an ancestor of the present lord of the manor, the Earl of Lichfield.
2. He was a Justice of the Peace for Staffordshire and [source claim requiring identity review]
   1771 · held_manor · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: He was a Justice of the Peace for Staffordshire and held the Manor for 50 years, selling it before his death in 1771, aged 84.