At Oltenend (Old Town) originally Odingsell's-moat, now Hobb's-moat, the
ancient manor-house of Solihull, after it had changed its lords at the
conquest. The property, as before observed, of Edwin Earl of Mercia, in
the reign of Edward the the Confessor.
William the First granted the manor to a favourite lady, named Cristina,
probably a handsome lass, of the same complexion as his mother; thus we
err when we say William gave all the land in the kingdom to his
followers--some little was given to those _he_ followed.
This lady, like many of her successors, having tired the arms of
royalty, was conveyed into those of an humble favourite; Ralph de
Limesie married her, who became lord of the place, but despising
Ulverley, erected this castle.
The line of Limesie continued proprietors four descents; when, in the
reign of King John, it became the property of Hugh de Odingsells, by
marrying a co-heiress.
The last of the Odingsells, in 1294, left four daughters, one of whom,
with the lordship, fell into the hands of John de Clinton; but it is
probable the castle was not inhabited after the above date, therefore
would quickly fall to decay.
The moat is upon a much larger plan than Ulverley, takes in a compass of
five acres, had two trenches; the outer is nearly obliterated, but the
inner is marked with the strongest lines we meet with. This trench is
about twenty feet deep, and about thirty yards from the crown of one
bank to the other.
When Dugdale saw it, about a hundred and fifty years ago, the center,
which is about two acres, where the castle stood, was covered with old
oaks; round this center are now some thousands, the oldest of which is
not more than a century; so that the timber is changed since the days of
Dugdale, but not the appearance of the land.
The center is bare of timber, and exhibits the marks of the plough. The
late Benjamin Palmer, Esq; a few years ago, planted it with trees, which
are in that dwindling state, that they are not likely to grow so tall as
their master[7].
[Footnote 7: He measured about six feet five inches, but was singularly
short in the lower parts: his step was not larger than a child's of ten
years old. His carriage, by its extraordinary height, looked at a
distance like a moving steeple; he sat as high in a common chair, as a
man of the middle-size stands: he was as immoderately heavy as he was
tall, and as remarkable for good-nature as either. As a man, he shone by
his bulk; as a magistrate, in a dull but honest light--his decisions
were _intended_ to be just. He seemingly dozed as he walked; but if his
own eyes were half shut, those of every other person were open to
see him.]
It lies in a pleasant situation, upon a descent, so that the trench in
one part is dry, and in another three or four yards deep in water.
A place of such desolation, one would think, was a place of
silence--just the reverse. When I saw it, Feb. 23, 1783, the trees were
tall, the winds high, and the roar tremendous.
Exclusive of Ulverley and Hogg's-moat, there are many old foundations in
Solihull, once the residence of gentry now extinct; as Solihull-hall,
the Moat-house, and Kynton, the property of the Botolers; Bury-hall,
that of the Warings; who both came over with William: Henwood, belonging
to the Hugfords; Hillfield-hall, the ancient seat of the Greswolds, as
Malvern was their modern.