Page images
PDF
EPUB
[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The Autumn Excursion.

VISIT TO COLWICK.

N Tuesday, 14th September, 1915, the second half-day outing took place; it was on a smaller scale, for the same reason as the excursion held earlier in the season. A slight novelty, however, was introduced, as the party on this occasion availed themselves of the steamer which plies between the Trent Bridge and the river entrance to the grounds of Colwick Hall; on reaching the landing stage, the party, numbering about thirty-five, went on to the church, which, by the courtesy of the rector (the Rev. W. S. Hildesley), who was absent on duty as chaplain to the 2nd South Notts. Hussars in Norfolk, was open for the inspection of the visitors.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic][graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Our visit to Colwick brings us into touch with three notable Nottinghamshire families, viz., the de Colwycks, the

COLWICK
MONUMENTS

CHURCH AND

Byrons, and the Musters.

COLWICK

CHURCH AND
MONUMENTS

The de Colwycks date back to the time of Henry II., possibly further back even than that, but it is on record that in the year 1174, a William de Colwyck paid the sheriff one mark because he sold a horse to the king's enemies. Also in the sixth year of King Edward I., the jury found that a certain Reginald de Colwycke lived a hundred years, and that he and Philip his son had their park enclosed with hedge and ditch at their pleasure without the impeachment ' of the justices or ministers of the forest, and that the said William until now has so held it, paying his twelve barbed arrows to the king when he visited Nottingham.2 The estate consisted of two portions, viz., "Over" and "Nether" Colwick the former comprised the church and the hall, and the latter the village of Colwick.

It is scarcely necessary to enlarge further upon the ownership of the estate prior to the time when it passed from the possession of the de Colwycks to that of the Byrons. This happened at the close of the 14th century by the marriage of Joane de Colwick, the heiress, with Sir Richard Byron, as his second wife, and so "carried this lordship" to the family of Byron, a Lancashire family, whose pedigree is shown in Thoroton's History, under the head of Newstead, as going back to the time of the Conqueror: it was thus that the Byrons first became identified with the county of Nottingham. It was not until 150 years later, viz., 28th May, 1540, that Newstead Priory was granted by letters patent by King Henry VIII. to Sir John Byron, knight, at the time of the dissolution of the religious houses.

It may incidentally be mentioned that trouble arose shortly after the marriage of Sir Richard to the heiress Joane, and a presentment was made against them (13 Richard II.) for hindering the course of the water of Trent at Over Colwick, "which is there found to be one of the great

(1) Thoroton's History, p. 278, gives "impediment."

(2) Inquisitiones Post Mortem, vol. ii., p. 92.

[graphic][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« PreviousContinue »