KNIGHTLOW HUNDRED

extends from the neighbourhood of Warwick, nearly the centre of the county, to the border of Northamptonshire. On the north-east it is separated from the county of Leicester by a part of the Roman road termed the Watling Street. The Foss-way enters from the south-west, and intersects the Watling Street in the immediate neighbourhood of High Cross, where several antiquaries of leading reputation have agreed to place the Roman station Venones, or Benones. The river Avon also passes through this Hundred, on the banks of which, as has been observed, a regular chain of camps was constructed by Ostorius. The whole district is, consequently, affluent in vestiges of the power and prudence of the Roman legions.

"There is," says Dr. Thomas, " a certain rent due unto the lord of this hundred, called wroth money, or warth money, or swarff penny; probably the same with ward penny. This rent must be paid every Martinmas day, in the morning, at Knightlowe Cross, before the sun riseth; the party paying it must go thrice about the Cross, and say The Wrath Money; and then lay it in the hole of the said Cross before good witness; for if it be not duly performed the forfeiture is thirty shillings and a white bull." The places subject to this payment are thirty-five in number, and the money is regularly deposited, at the present period, with all due formalities. The amount of the whole is nine shillings and one halfpenny; and the largest portion contributed by one parish is two shillings and three-pence, by Long Itchington. 1

Knightlow Hundred is formed into the four divisions of KeAilworth, Kirby, Rugby, and Southam.

KENILWORTH

• It was ordained, in the reign of Henry VIII. that when a hundred was inconveniently large it should be subject to Divisions. These were some fimes termed limits, or circuits. Pref. to Pop. Abstr. 1811.

Kenilworth DIVISION

comprises the following Parishes and Hamlets: Ashow; Baginton; Bubbenhall; Cubbington; Harbury; Kenilworth ; Leamington Priors; Leek-Wootton; Lillington; Milverton, with Edmonscot; Offchurch; Radford-Semele; Stoneleigh; Tachbrook-Mallory (Hamlet in Parish of Bishop's Tachbrook ;) Ufton; Whitnash.

The town of KENILWORTH is situate five miles to the southwest of the city of Coventry, and is at nearly the same distance, on the north east, from the town of Warwick. Sir William Dugdale observes, that, previous to the conquest, Kenilworth was a member of the neighbouring parish of Stoneleigh, being ancient démesne of the crown," and had, within the precincts thereof, a castle, situate upon the bank of Avon, in the woods opposite to Stoneley Abby. Which castle stood upon a place called Hom (Holme) Hill; but was demolished in those turbulent times of warr betwixt King Edmund and Canutus the Dane."* At the time of the Norman Survey, Kenilworth was divided into two parts, one of which was styled Optone, and was held of the king by Albertus Clericus," in pure Almes." The other portion was possessed by Richard the Forester. In the reign of Henry I. the manor was bestowed by the King on Geoffrey de Clinton, who founded here a potent castle and a monastery. But, though a fortified residence and a religious foundation were usually, in the early ages, the harbingers of wealth and consequence to a neighbouring town, Kenilworth does not appear to have ever attained much distinction for greatness of population or traffic. Henry III. bestowed the privileges of a weekly market on the Tuesday, and an annual fair to last three days; but it is likely VOL. XV. that

D

Antiquities of Warwickshire, p. 236. The castle here mentioned is evidently that noticed by Camden, as formerly standing at Stoneleigh, and con. cerning which it is said, in a Note to Gibson's edition of the Britannia, "that there is no word relating to such a building in Dugdale's Warwickshire.".

that this market sank into disuse, as, in the 18th of Queen Elizabeth, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, obtained the grant of a weekly market to be held on Wednesday, and a yearly fair on Midsummer Day. The town now chiefly consists of an irregular street, nearly a mile in length, and has a manufacture of horn-combs on a considerable scale.

According to the returns made to Parliament in 1811, the number of inhabited houses is 463, and of uninhabited houses, 8. The population is stated, in the same returns, at 2,279.

The Castle which, when firm through all its battlements and courts, and peopled with the barouial pride of the land, formed so fine an ornament to this town, still imparts melancholy grandeur to the neighbourhood by the unusual magnificence of its ruins. These remains, have indeed, powerful claims on the feelings of the examiner. They present one of the most splendid and picturesque wrecks of castellated strength to be found in any English county, and are united with various interesting passages of history.-Geoffrey de Clinton, the founder of this structure, is believed to have been a man of mean origin, but his talents and acquirements were so conspicuous, that he was made Lord Chamberlain and Treasurer to King Henry I. and, afterwards, was appointed Chief Justice of England. The castle, however, shortly passed from his posterity. In the reign of Henry H. it was possessed by the King, who placed here a garrison when his eldest son rebelled against him. The account of the provisions taken up for the use of this garrison is curious, as shewing the great value of money at the period. The following are the articles, and the sums paid for them: one hundred quarters of Bread Corn, 81. 8s. 2d (little more than 2d. per bushel.) Twenty quarters of Barley, 33s. 4d. One hundred Hogs, 71. 10s. Forty Cows, salted, 41. One hundred and twenty Cheese, 40s. Twenty-five quarters of salt, 30s.-It is evident that the large fortified dwellings of the Barons, in these turbulent times, not only afforded a retreat to the more defenceless neighbours, but were probably made, on that account, a source of profit to their owners;

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owners; for we find that the sheriff, in accounting for the emoluments derived from the ward of this castle, mentions "certain money that he received, in the nature of rent, from such as had their abode therein." In the reigus of King John and Henry III. large sums were expended on such buildings as assisted in rendering the fortress more defensible. The latter King, in the 38th year of his reign, granted the castle to Simon Montfort, Earl of Leicester, and Elinor his wife, but only for their respective lives. When this Earl took arms against his Sovereign, he appointed Sir John Giffard Governor of the castle thus recently bestowed as a pledge of amity; and it was constituted, for some time, the great place of resort for the insurgent nobles. After the discomfiture and death of the Earl of Leicester, at Evesham, Simon Montfort, his son, continued to shelter himself in this fortress, where he was joined by those friends of the baronial faction that were able to effect an escape from the field of battle. Thus aided, he exercised his power with the ferocity usual in these barbarous ages. He is said to have sent abroad his bailiffs and officers with an affectation of sovereign authority; and bands of soldiery frequently issued from the castle, on predatory excursions, during which they spread the miseries of fire and sword with an unsparing hand.

These scenes of violence were interrupted by the approach of the King, who drew near, in much military pomp, at the head of an army of which the posse comitatus of Warwickshire formed a part. Simon Montfort, so arrogant while unopposed, now proved his cowardice to be equal to his cruelty, and secretly withdrew to France, naming Henry de Hastings Governor of the castle. Conscious of the great strength of the place, and wil!ing to prevent effusion of blood, the King sent a message of fair promise to the Governor, demanding a surrender; but those within the walls not only rejected this clement overture, but basely insulted and maimed the messenger. The siege now commenced, and the garrison defended themselves with vigour. They were well provided with military engines, among which were

some that cast stones* to a considerable distance; and they oscasionally ventured on desperate and destructive sallies.

The royal forces were equally active; but the strength of the fortifications mocked their most resolute assaults. The King now had recourse to a commendable stroke of policy. An aet had been passed, in a Parliament lately held at Winchester, disinheriting all those in open rebellion; and Henry at this juncture, caused a convention of the chief persons favourable to his interest to assemble at Kenilworth; by which twelve Nobles and Prelates were elected, with power to make such a farther determination concerning the confiscated property, as immediate circumstances might render expedient. By these Lords it was settled that all the disinherited persons (except the wife and chil dren of the Earl of Leicestor, and a few others) should have the privilege of redeeming their estates by a pecuniary fine, apportioned to the degree of offence; which fine should not exceed five years' value nor be less than two. This is the well-known decree, termed the Dictum de Kenilworth, The persons elected met at Coventry, but the resolution was published by proclamation in the King's camp. The besieged, however, treated this overture with scorn; and Henry, quite convinced that no blandishments could afterwards avail, prepared to storm the castle. But famine and sickness, the inglorious, but most profitable, auxiliaries of a besieging army, so badly provided with means of assault as were the military of these ages, spread their horrible influence over the garrison, and arrested the progress of the sword. Although assured that the besieged were reduced to extremity, the King granted lenient terms, and took possession of the castle, after having lain before it for six months. He shortly bestowed the fortress so tediously acquired, on Edmund his younger son, whom he created Earl of Leicester and Lancaster.

In the seventh year of King Edward L. a costly and gallant tournament was held at Kenilworth. The knights were one hundred

Several large stones, supposed to be a part of those hurled during this siege, are yet shewn in the vicinity of the ruins.