HONILEY
Acreage: 655½
Population: 1911, 43; 1921, 80; 1931, 68.
Honiley is a small parish of irregular shape, between
Kenilworth and Wroxall. The north-eastern boundary
dividing it from Kenilworth is formed by a stream,
probably to be identified with Merbroc which is
mentioned in a deed of 1208 as a boundary of Honiley
near the park of Kenilworth. (fn. 1) A branch road from the
Birmingham and Warwick high road passes through
the north-western corner of the parish and near to
Church Farm, a 17th-century building, and Moat
Farm; (fn. 2) the latter is actually in Haseley parish, but
there are remains of a moat east of Heath Farm, a late18th-century house north-west of the church, and
slight traces of another moat are marked on the 6-in.
O.S. map just north of the church.
In 1086 Honiley was well wooded, the 'hay' being
half a league long by as much broad. (fn. 3) The land which
Henry de Bereford reserved for himself in 1208 was
largely woodland. (fn. 4) The two woods Shortwood and
Nuthurst are named. There is said to have been a park
called Mountfort's Park in the extreme east of the
parish, lying between Turtle Hill and Fern Hill in
Kenilworth parish. (fn. 5) There are still some copses in
the parish, the largest being Featherston Grove and
Wakefield Wood.
The fact that Honiley manor lay partly in the
parishes of Haseley and Hatton gave rise in the late
16th century to much controversy concerning payment
of tithes (fn. 6) from William Richards Coppice, Dowrie
Grove, and three fields called Greenfields or William
Richards fields. John Hill, the farmer of Honiley manor
and rectory, claimed the tithes as his, and brought
many witnesses to testify that the fields were in Honiley. The Throckmortons, farmers of Hatton rectory,
claimed that the closes were in Beausale in the parish
of Hatton, and that the tithes had belonged in former
times to the nuns of Wroxall in right of their parsonage
of Hatton, and they found many witnesses to testify
to this. Hercules Morrell, minister of Hatton, said that
he had seen an ancient writing of 'Earl Beacham's' time
purporting that the ground in controversy was in
Hatton, as part of Beausale, and that the inhabitants
of Beausale had always encompassed it in their perambulations. Witnesses were questioned about the course
of the perambulations of the two parishes, and it was
shown that the Gospel Oak where the curate of Honiley
read the Gospel at the perambulation in Rogation Week
stood in William Richards Coppice. Another reading
was made at a gate of one of the fields at the heath-side,
and this was followed by a 'drinking' made by 'old
Thomas Bearge' for the men of Honiley. John Steakes,
who leased these fields about 1570, cut down the
Gospel Oak, (fn. 7) and the perambulations seem to have been
discontinued about 1550. Several of the witnesses
affirmed that Wroxall parish stretched between Hatton
and Honiley.
Old Honiley Hall was a large house, probably built
by Roger Burgoyne (1625–36), consisting of a long
central range facing south, with five gabled bays, those
at the ends projecting southwards, with narrow wings
at each end, probably later additions, set at right angles
to the main block. (fn. 8) It was pulled down about 1820,
and the present Hall was built on a new site in 1914.
Manor
Before the Conquest HONILEY was
held by Alwold, a free man. In 1086 it
belonged to the Count of Meulan, (fn. 9) and it
passed with his other Warwickshire estates to Henry,
Earl of Warwick, and his descendants, who were still
overlords in 1386. (fn. 10)
Part of the manor was given by Waleran, Earl of
Warwick (1184–1204), to Ralph de Grafton, who
obtained other land at Honiley from Hugh Fitz
William of Hatton. (fn. 11) Ralph died about 1204 and his
lands became the subject of a
dispute between Ralph Boteler
and Henry de Bereford. (fn. 12) Henry
proved his claim to be heir of
Ralph de Grafton, (fn. 13) and undertook that when the land had been
delivered to him he would give
Petronella widow of Ralph onethird of the land and a reasonable share of Ralph's goods. (fn. 14)
In 1207 Petronella was disputing
the ownership of land in Honiley with Margaret de Grafton,
Ralph's sister. (fn. 15) Petronella by a former husband Geoffrey Pecche (fn. 16) had a son Richard Pecche, who on his
marriage with Hawise daughter of William de Arderne
acquired land in Honiley from his father-in-law. (fn. 17) In
1208 Henry de Bereford granted to Richard Pecche half
the lands of Ralph de Grafton and the reversion of the
other half after his own death, and at the same time Petronella released to Henry all her demands upon the chattells of Ralph de Grafton. Richard undertook to keep in
repair the fence between his land and that of the Earl
of Warwick and of Hugh Fitz William. (fn. 18) Margaret
sister of Ralph de Grafton quitclaimed to Richard
Pecche all her rights in this land, and Margaret's
daughter Felice confirmed this. (fn. 19) After Richard's
death his widow Hawise granted certain land at Honiley
to Richard de Gimescote, who had married her
daughter Petronella. (fn. 20) The manor passed to Richard's
son John, whose son (fn. 21) Sir John Pecche granted it in
1318–19 to his younger son Nicholas for his life. (fn. 22)
Sir John confirmed this gift to Nicholas in 1334. (fn. 23)
Nicholas was collector of a fifteenth in co. Warwick
in 1348, (fn. 24) and presented to the church of Honiley in
1354. (fn. 25) On his death before 1366 (fn. 26) the manor passed
to his nephew Sir John Pecche, (fn. 27) who died seised of it
in 1376, leaving a son John aged 15. (fn. 28) John died ten
years later, and his two infant daughters Joan and
Margaret were his heirs. (fn. 29) Katherine, mother of the
two children, married Sir Kinard de la Bere, and he
and Katherine presented to the church on three occasions between 1396 and 1410. (fn. 30) In 1411 Honiley was
settled on Katherine for her life, with remainder to
her daughter Margaret and her husband Sir William
de Mountfort of Coleshill. (fn. 31) Sir William survived
Margaret and died about 1452, (fn. 32) when his son Sir
Baldwin succeeded. Sir Simon son of Baldwin was
indicted of treason in 1465, but was pardoned in the
following year, (fn. 33) and in 1480 Honiley manor was
settled on him and his wife Emily. (fn. 34) Sir Simon was
attainted for rebellion in 1495, (fn. 35) and the manor passed
to the Crown.
Pecche. Gules crusilly and a fesse argent.
It was granted in 1496 to Gerald, Earl of Kildare,
and to Elizabeth his second wife, with other lands
which had belonged to Sir Simon de Mountfort.
A similar grant was made in 1503, (fn. 36) but both were
found to be invalid and they were surrendered in
exchange for a new grant by Henry VIII in November
1510. (fn. 37) Elizabeth survived her husband and died
seised of the manor in 1516. Her eldest son Henry died,
a minor, a few days after his mother, and the manor
passed to her second son Thomas, (fn. 38) who in 1529
settled it upon his wife Margaret. (fn. 39) Thomas died in
1531 and his brother James, afterwards Sir James,
succeeded. (fn. 40) He took part with his nephew Thomas,
Lord Fitzgerald, Earl of Kildare, in 1534 in the
Geraldine Rebellion and was executed with four of
his brothers at Tyburn on 3 February 1537; (fn. 41) so once
more the manor passed to the Crown. It was leased
for 21 years in 1541 to George Hawe, (fn. 42) and in 1548
was granted in exchange for other lands to Sir Thomas
Palmer the younger. (fn. 43) He leased the manor for 41
years in 1553 to William Hill, (fn. 44) but Palmer was
attainted in 1553 for his adherence to the Duke of
Northumberland, (fn. 45) and the manor reverted to the
Crown. It was granted by Queen Mary in 1554 to
Michael Throckmorton (fn. 46) and was among his possessions when he died at Mantua in 1558. (fn. 47) His son
Francis sold it in 1580 to Robert, Earl of Leicester. (fn. 48)
The sons of William Hill, who were then in possession
of the lease, attempted to prove that Francis Throckmorton had never entered into the manor or received
any rents from it. (fn. 49) The testimony of witnesses was
unreliable, as they feared to offend either of the parties,
and the matter seems to have been settled after the
death of the Earl of Leicester by an assignment by his
widow Lettice, then wife of Sir Christopher Blount,
of all her interest in the manor to Thomas Hill, one of
the brothers. (fn. 50) John Hill sold the manor in 1624/5
to Roger Burgoyne, (fn. 51) who died at Honiley in 1636,
when his son John succeeded. (fn. 52) John was created a
baronet in July 1641 and died in 1657. (fn. 53) Honiley
manor passed to John Burgoyne, (fn. 54) who with his wife
Penelope sold it in 1685 to John Baker (fn. 55) in trust for
Francis, Lord Carrington, and this manor formed part
of the settlement which he made on his second wife
Anne daughter of William, Marquess of Powis, in
1687. (fn. 56) Lord Carrington was succeeded in 1701 by
his brother Charles, who conveyed the manor to
William Hungate and others in trust to sell. (fn. 57) Hungate
sold it in 1707 to John Sanders. (fn. 58)
The Sanders family remained in
possession until about 1779, (fn. 59)
when John Tibbits succeeded
John Sanders, and took the name
Sanders. (fn. 60) He was patron of
Honiley in 1783, but before 1814
the advowson, and presumably
the manor also, had passed to the
Rev. John D'Ewes, who had in
1785 assumed the name of Granville. (fn. 61) John died in 1827 and
his nephew Court Dewes of Colwich Abbey, co. Staffs., on succeeding to his uncle's estates took
the name Granville. (fn. 62) He sold Honiley manor to Edward
Willes of Newbold Comyn in 1836. (fn. 63) Edward died
in 1847 and his widow Mrs. Emily Willes was lady
of the manor in 1850. (fn. 64) Her son William succeeded
and died in 1885, and the manor was held by his
widow, from whose trustees it was purchased in
September 1913 by the late Herbert Louis Wade, J.P.
In March 1932 he conveyed the estate to his son
Captain M. C. Wade, M.C., J.P., the present owner. (fn. 65)
Sanders. Party cheveronwise sable and argent with three elephants' heads razed and counterchanged.
Church
The parish church of ST. JOHN THE
BAPTIST was built in 1723. The inscription on the west tower reads: ad
gloriam dei iohannes sanders: arm: propriis sumptibus hanc ecclesiam aedificavit anno salutis:
mdccxxiii.
The church is built of Arden sandstone and has
a nave 38 ft. by 20 ft. with a half-round apse for the
chancel, and a west tower. The walls, of ashlar, have
pilasters at the angles and on the north and south sides,
with moulded caps and entablatures below the main
moulded cornices, which break forward over them.
The roofs have low parapets. The windows are roundheaded and have imposts and key-blocks. The middle
of the three to the apse is taller than the other
two, and the key-block inside is carved with cherubs.
The nave has four windows each side. The westernmost bay has a lower window than the others and a
bull's-eye window above to light the gallery.
The west tower (about 8½ ft. square) has anglepilasters to the lowest story and an entablature, level
with that of the nave, containing the inscription and
date. The west doorway (fn. 66) is round-headed and has
a pair of doors with fielded panels; above it is a bull'seye window to the gallery. The tower projects into
the nave, so that the inner moulded and square-headed
doorway has very deep internal splays. The second
story, which also has a moulded cornice, is lighted by
round-headed windows, the lower halves walled up.
The third stage is much narrower and has carved consoles at the angles with pilasters above them, over which
the moulded cornice breaks forward. On these are
pinnacles of obelisk form. The stage is lighted by
circular windows. Above is an octagonal stone spire
with a ball and weathercock at the apex.
The apse inside has four marble wall-pilasters with
moulded bases on pedestals and Corinthian capitals
about 2 ft. below the ceiling. The ceilings, level
throughout, are of plaster and have moulded and
bracketed cornices. The west gallery is supported by
two fluted marble Corinthian columns carrying an
entablature of oak with a dentilled cornice. The gallery
front has pilasters above the columns and fielded panels
between them: the cornice is moulded. The stair up
to the gallery is probably original; it has a plain
panelled balustrade.
A chest with fielded panels serves as the communion
table. There are two chairs with elbows, one of the
17th century and the other later. The communion rails
have very heavy turned balusters and moulded top
and bottom rails. The apse is paved in black and white
marble. The oak pulpit has four sides of a hexagon
with fielded panels: the base is modern. The pews,
4 ft. high, have standards and hinged doors, &c., of
fielded panels. In the front desks are eight carved friezepanels. The four northern have pierced designs of
conventional foliage. Three of the four southern, also
pierced, are carved with monograms I.S. and foliage,
the other has a crest of an elephant's head (for Sanders)
and palm leaves. The gallery has original benches with
shaped standards.
The stone font is modern, but in the deep north splay
of the inner west doorway is a coved half-round niche
fitted with a partly projecting marble basin. It has no
drain but was probably intended to serve as a font.
There are five bells of 1731 by Thomas Eayre of
Kettering. (fn. 67)
The registers begin in 1745.
Advowson
The advowson of the church of
Honiley was given to Richard Pecche
by William Arderne. (fn. 68) Sir John
Pecche of Hampton-in-Arderne gave it in 1318 to his
son Nicholas, (fn. 69) and it descended with the manor. (fn. 70)
It was not specifically granted with the manor to the
Earl of Kildare, but Edward, Thomas, and Francis
Hill, tenants of the manor, presented in 1574, (fn. 71) and
about 1650, when Luke Milbourne was perpetual
curate here, the patronage appears to have been in the
hands of the Burgoynes. (fn. 72) The advowson is not
mentioned in conveyances of the manor until 1707.
It was then sold with the manor by William Hungate
to John Sanders. (fn. 73) From that time it has passed
with the manor.
The benefice was very poorly endowed; in 1535 its
value was only 33s. 4d., so that no incumbent could
be maintained, and the parishioners subscribed to hire
a friar to hold services. (fn. 74) Later in that century the
salary of the curate appears to have been raised by a
rate upon the parishioners proportionate to their
rents (fn. 75) and in 1586 amounted to £5. (fn. 76)
Dr. Thomas in his edition of Dugdale (1730) inserted a long extract from an alleged court roll of
18 Henry VIII. (fn. 77) According to this the church was
founded by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. It
also asserted that Honiley was an exempt peculiar, and
that St. John's Well (marked on the 6-in. O.S. map
just north of the church) was a place of pilgrimage,
'St. John's bath' and 'our Lady's bath' being used
respectively for the cleansing of male and female incontinent penitents. There is no supporting evidence
of any peculiar jurisdiction here, or of any connexion
of Earl Simon with the manor, but the pilgrimage
story may embody a genuine tradition.