NameThomas Lowe of Alderwasley 259, M
Misc. Notes
In an account of Alderwasley, Derbyshire, by Thomas Blore, below quoted there is an account a Fowne family which held lands at Alcester and elsewhere in Warwickshire near the Worcesterrshire border:
"But the present lord of the manor has here an estate which has been in his family from as earlier period than the manor, derived from his ancestors of the name le Fowne or Fawne, one of whom, William, son of Ralph le Fowne, about
the time off Hnery III, was a benefactor to the canons of Darley.
"Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, on the 2nd of December, 13 Edward I, granted to William, son of William Faawne (William le Fowne) and his heirs, a parcel of land in Alderwaasley, where the Earl’s chamber used to be; and a parcel of land
lying between lowdbrooke and Millbrooke; to hold by the yearly rent of 1d. and charged with he duty of sutaining the pales between Lowwdbrooke and Millbrooke by the view of the Earl’s foresters. The Earl’s chamber, it is probable, was
a seat used by the Lords of Duffield, when they took the diversion of hunting in this part of the forest of Duffied frith; and I should presume it stood on the site of the present manor house. This grant is said to comprise (inter alia) what is
now called the Shyning Cliff Park, which in 2 Henry V, the homagers of the manor presented to be held by John Fawne as a rank tenant. And in 7 Henry V, John Fawne enfeeeoffed Ralph, son of Peter de la Pole in the Shining Cliff, who
granted it to John Sacheverell, Esq., for life, with remainder to Thomas Fawne, son of John and his heirs. The male line of the family of Fawne continued here til the reign of Edward IV, to have been married to Thomas Handffore, son of
William Handfod of Chorley, in Cheshire, Esq. In prospect of which marriage, Henry Lord Grey and other feoffes then granted to Thomas Handford and Joan Fawne all the lands of John Fawne, her grandfather, in Alderwasley and
Ashelyhay, in Derbyshire; Alcester and Ordesley, in Warwickshire, and elsewhere in those counties; to hold to them and heirs of their bodies, with remainder to Thomas Fawne, her father, and his heirs. But this marriage did not take effect
(Handford dying) for on the 20th November, 11 Edward IV, she "in pura virginitate sua et plena aetate existens viz vigenti et trium annorum", grants to William Sacheverell and Richard Cadman and their heirs the same estates, andd these
feoffees, on the 24th of the same month, granted to them to Thomas Lowe, and the fefore mentioned Joan in settlement".
"On the 20th November, in the sixth year of Henry VIII, the King granted to Thomas Lowe, whom he styles his servant, license to impark and impale Shining Cliff and to make a free warren thereof, notwithstanding its being within the
metes of the forest of Duffield frith".
"The chapel is situate near the hall, and was built in the reign of Henry VIII by the contribution of Thomas Lowe, Esq., and other principal inhabitants. It is not subject to ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and has no parochial duties performed in
it, now and endowment. The misister is paid an optional salary by Mr. Hurt, who has the appointment. The Rev. Emanuel Halton is the present incumbent".
"Over the door of the chapel, in a recess, is the following shield of arms in alabaster:
"Quartery, 1 and 4, Lowe, Gules a Wolf passant, Argent. 2, Fawne, Argent, Bugle, Sable, between three crescents and the last, charged with a besant. 3,……
Crest. A wolf’s head, erased."