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The Stratfords
By Gerald H. Stratford.

Chapter 10. Stratfords in Warwickshire.


Members of Parliament. Edward the Third.

 

6.York.Nicholas De Stratford.
7.WestminsterNicholas De Stratford
8.YorkNicholas De Stratford.
9.WestminsterNicholas De Stratford
10.Council if NottinghamNicholas De Stratford
10.WestminsterNicholas De Stratford
11. Nicholas De Stratford

Sheriffs. Charles the Second.
John Stratford Esquire.
Nicholas Overbury Esquire.

Queen Anne.
7. Theodore Stratford.
In 1346, Robert De Stratford was Vicar of Monkskerry Church and at Church Over. King Henry the Second concluded that Robert De Stratford was first enfeod of most of the Village, by the said Robert, or his descendents, and by a Fine at Michaelmas in the sixth year of the Reign of Edward the Third, Thomas lrreys and Agnes his wife, Philip lrreys and Alice his wife, aligned it to Robert De Stratford and his heirs for 200 Marks of Silver. At the time of the Domesday Book, Robert De Stratford owned six houses in Warwick, and, in November 1448, William Stratford is recorded as Vicar of Edyngton.

During the Conqueror's time Bradmore was possessed by Robert De Stratford and passed to one of his heirs, that is, Robert or Nicholas, and at the same period he was possessed in Wolverton of one hide, one virgate and a third part lying within the Village valued at XX'.s

At Stratford Upon Avon in the fifth year of the Reign of Edward the Third the paving of the Town was commenced by Robert De Stratford the then Parson of the Church of Stratford and procured a Patent for taking Tolls for a four year period upon sundry vendible goods that should be offered for sale towards the cost. This was twice renewed at his request in the eight year of the Reign of Edward the Third for four years longer, and in the tenth year of the Reign of Edward the Third for two years more.

Robert De Stratford, afterwards became Archdeacon of Canterbury, Bishop of Chichester and Chancellor of England.

The Church of Stratford Upon Avon was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. the south aisle was rebuilt by John De Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury, about the beginning of Edward the Third Reign, and the Rectory, as it extended to Chapelries within the Parish in 1291, was valued at XXXV Marks. The Patronage belonged to the Bishop of Worcester, but in the tenth year of the Reign of Edward the Third, it was purchased by John De Stratford, the Archbishop, to hold for the King, paying 100 Marks of Silver. he gave the Chantry which he founded in a Chapel adjoining the south side of the Church, built by him, 'To the Honour of God and St. Thomas the Martyr ' During the same year he purchased the Advowson of the Chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr for 100 shillings, and for the appropriation unto the said Chapel in recompense he gave to the Bishop of Worcester one messuage, one carucate of land and X's rent with the appurtenances in Persley Grove, juxta Hampton Super Avon to the value of X Marks per year.

 

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Robert Stratford was Rector of the Parish of Overbury, November 1319, but resigned the same in March 1333.

The Chantry, afterwards known as the College of Stratford Super Avon was founded in the fifth year of the Reign of Edward the Third, by John De Stratford who was, at that time, the Bishop of Winchester, in the south aisle of the Church which had, in part, been rebuilt by him. It consisted of five Priests, and for their support he settled one messuage in the Manor of Inge within the Parish of Stratford Super Avon. Their duties consisted of Celebrating Divine Service to the Honour of God in the Chapel perpetually at the Altar of St. Thomas the Martyr for the Good estate of himself and Robert De Stratford his brother, and for the souls of Robert and Isabella, their parents, also for Edward the Third, the Bishop of Worcester and his successors. Also for all the Kings of England, and Bishops of Worcester deceased, with the Souls of the Brethren, Sisters and Benefactors to the Bishop of Winchester, and all the departed faithful.

The said Priests were to be perpetual and one of them Custodian or Warden of the Chapel, to govern others, and be named the warden of the Bishop of Winchester's Chapel, at Stratford, and the rest sub-Wardens and Temporary.

 

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After the work started John De Stratford enlarged the Endowment as in the Reign of Edward the Third, he gave a further LXIX's yearly rent from Lands in Stratford and when appointed Archbishop of Canterbury granted the Patronage in the tenth year of the Reign of Edward the Third to Simon De Montacute, the Bishop of Worcester, and his successors for ever, purchasing Stratford Church Advowsonship from 1317. To enhance the privileges of the five Priests he obtained sever immunities and privileges for themselves and tenants as shown in the Charter of the eleventh year of the Reign of Edward the Third, dated the 26th of March which was confirmed by later Kings. He later gave further possessions, including another three messuage's, six tofts lying in Stratford, and yet still another seven messuage's in the same place.

2. Engraving of the College by R. B. Wheler, c.I800. It was built by Bishop Ralph de Stratford in 1353 and demolished in 1799.

The residence for the Priests which was of square stone at the side of the Church yard was built by Ralph De Stratford, who also had a house in Bridge Street in the Town.

Ralph De Stratford was Canon of St. Pauls and later became Bishop of London and he too contributed more to his place of birth. he began the Priests' house in the twenty sixth year of the Reign of Edward the Third with ten carpenters, ten masons, and their servants, with the protection of the King's Patent until their work was finished.

In 1296, Mr. Robert De Stratford with the Fraternity of the Holy Cross begged leave of Gofry Giffard, the Bishop, to found a hospital and erect a Chapel, and both were granted, making Mr. Robert De Stratford their first Master, giving them the Rule of St. Austin with a proper Habit, and was afterwards, called the Hospital of the Holy Cross of Stratford.

Robert De Stratford whilst Parson of this Church of Stratford, purchased an Estate in Inge from William Harwell and his wife Joan for 100 Marks of silver in the fourth year of the Reign of Edward the Third. It was probably for the use of John De Stratford his brother, for in the next year he passed it over for 100£ Sterling when it was Granted unto the Chantry of St. Thomas the Martyr in Stratford Church.

In the Conqueror's time Clopton, containing five hides, was part of the possessions of Robert De Stratford, but written Clotone, being valued at LX.

Richard De Babingdon Granted Shottery to Robert De Stratford, Parson of Stratford, on the Feast of St. Matthew the Apostle in the sixth year of the Reign of Edward the Third. By a Deed bearing the date Saturday the feast of All Saints in the twenty eighth year of the Reign of Edward the Third, Robert, then Bishop of Chichester, entailed this manor upon John De Bishopton and Isabella, the daughter of John Stretch and the heirs of their body.

At the Domesday time, Robert De Stratford had in Ruin Clifford one Virgate of land along with lands in Wootton Wawen.

William the Conqueror had bestowed great lands on Robert De Stratford lying in the Counties of Berkshire, Northamptonshire, Staffordshire, Wighorn, Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, and Suffolk, besides those in Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.. Antiquarians relate he was paternally descended from the great Noble Family of Tonei, being the son of Roger De Tonei, who, with his brother Ralph, came to England with Duke William, fighting at his side in the Battle against King Harold, being the Standard Bearer for Duke William, and for which service he received substantial rewards, including Wootton.

There once stood at Wootton a small Monastery of Benedictine Monks who went under the term ' Priories Alien being a cell to the Abbey of Conchis in Normandy, and few having a formal Foundation. The first grant to the Abbey of Conchis was Robert De Tonei, the son of Roger who founded the same. Nicholas De Stratford, his son, was no other than verbal it seems to that Confirmation, which Robert De Stratford, his son confirmed in Henry the Second's time, where he states that his Grandfather and Father gave to the Church of Wootton with the Tithes and Oblations of the Township together with one hide of land adjoining the Church, along with another hide named Duversele with the lands the Monks of Conchis had tillage of in exchange for the Manor of Coricston. An argument exists as to who first erected their mansion here, but evidence would suggest it was Nicholas De Stratford.

The Appropriation of the Church in Wootton made in the twenty fifth year of the Reign of Henry the Second to the Peculiar benefit of the Monks we must look at further augmentation.

Robert Stratford the son of Herveus Stratford, gave several parcels of land in Allenhole plus other places, and in addition, Ralph De, Tonei, brother to the said Robert who, in Confirmation of them made William De Vere Bishop of Hereford in Henry the Second's time, is called and named Radulfus Senior De Tonei.

Whitley at Domesday, was owned by Robert De Stratford with Wootton and contained three hides and herd, by Drago, Robert's Servant, and Langley was also owned by the same Robert, containing one and a half hides, being held by Judichel, along with woods some one mile in length and a half mile in breadth, the value being XL's. it was later part of the Honour of Hervis De Stratford and answering to two Knight's Fees. It appears that one of the Lords of Norton Curley, was enfeoft there by some of its posterity of the afore mentioned Robert De Stratford for in the twenty third year of the Reign of Henry the Third, a William De Curley confirmed to the Monks of Bordsey, lands granted to them with territories of Langley of this Fee, and in the thirty sixth year of the Reign of Henry the Third, held a Knight's Fee in Norton of Robert De Stratford.

Edston, was in possession of the same Robert De Stratford, containing five hides of value of lIlL. also having woods extending to half a mile in length and half a furlong in breadth. It was given by the same Robert to the Monks of Conchis in Normandy, and later, after Confirmation to the Monks at Wootton, which was re-affirmed by Robert De Stratford, the grandson of the said Robert in exchange for some lands in Wootton.

Offord, is now a nearly lost area, but initially possessed a very large Manor House and a Mill. During the Conqueror's Survey there were several inhabitants in a small Village. It contained five hides with a mill and woods a mile in length and half a mile in breadth valued at 1111 £ and also one carucate of enclosure rated at X's. being wholly possessed by Robert De Stratford. he succeeded Nicholas De Stratford, and another Robert De Stratford, probably the grandson, in Henry the Second's time enfeoft Robert the son of Matthew and his heirs of all his interest in this Village, except some lands which belonged to three Freeholders. The Grant included all the woods lying on the left hand of an ancient way leading from Wootton to Norton Bagot, and to be held by the said Robert De Stratford and his heirs by service of one knight's Fee, in consideration of which was to receive 10 Marks, one Palfrey, and a labouring horse, and his wife Avice two bisantines. Robert seated himself here, assumed his surname from hence from this place, but it also appears that besides this he held a fourth part of a Knight's Fee of the said Robert De Stratford, for in the twelfth year of the Reign of Henry the Second, he held three parts of a Knight's Fee whereof he had been enfeoft since the death of King Henry the First.

At Aston Cantlow, William De Stratford was Incumbent of the Church there in 1295, and at Shelfhull in the seventh year of the Reign of Edward the Third Robert De Stratford, Parson of the Stratford Church purchased for 100 Marks in Silver, the Manor. Until the middle of the 18th Century, that Town Seal of Stratford upon Avon bore an effigy and the Arms of John De Stratford. He is represented standing in an attitude of benediction beneath a canopied tabernacle with the following in a reeded border. S' Peculiar Jurisdiccois De Stratford Sup Abana.

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Data transcribed by Colin Hinson from:
A document written by
Gerald H. Stratford in 1988.
Reproduced here by permission
© Gerald H. Stratford.