Fitz-Gwarine, for the important services he rendered to his country, was,
upon his return there, created BARON MARCHER of Wales; this is the last
well-grounded anecdote that we have of him, except the date of his death,
which took place in the forty-seventh of Edward III.
The next Fulk was only seven years old at the death of his father. He
became possessed of a greater extent of property than any of his
ancestors, but did not long enjoy it: he was cut off at the early age of
twenty-five; and by will, ordered that his body should be interred in the
chancel of Whittington church. The greatest part of his possessions lay
in other counties, but he considered Whittington the most eligible place
for his sepulture, as it had been the general residence of his family for
several generations. It appears that he also left a minor son, for his
will appoints J. Audley, guardian over the young prince.
The only account we have of this Fulk, is the following humane action:
when Owen Glyndwr carried his arms into these borders, on purpose to meet
Percy, earl of Northumberland at Shrewsbury, several in this manor joined
with that potent rebel; but Fitz-Gwarine, by solicitations to Henry IV.
procured for them a general pardon. His son and successor was the ninth
and last Fulk Fitz-Gwarine: he died in his minority, and the male line of
this noble and distinguished race, closes; though the title of
Fitz-Gwarine, or Fitz-Warine was assumed for a few generations
afterwards.
Elizabeth, only sister and heiress to Fulk the 9th, was married to one
Richard Haukford, who dying, left all his possessions to his only
daughter Thomasine, who married sir William Bourchier, brother to Henry,
first earl of Essex. The title of lord Fitz-Warine was given to sir
William in consequence of his marriage. John, third in descent from him,
exchanged Whittington with Henry VIII. for other landed property. This
John was the first earl of Bath, and his posterity preserved the title of
Fitz-Warine till the race became extinct, which took place at the death
of Henry, fifth earl of Bath.
And here it may not be improper to take a general view of this
illustrious and warlike race, that flourished through such a number of
reigns, and retained their estates, titles, honours, acquisitions, and
privileges, until nearly their final termination of the race.—In whatever
light war is considered in the present day, no period of history ever
discountenanced it; to be skilled in arms has been always considered the
highest and most honourable acquisition, that an individual could attain
to, in all ages and amongst all nations, though it must be confessed this
is chiefly to be accounted for from the slow progress of civilization, as
the encouragement of war must necessarily decrease in proportion to the
extension of humanity; and it must be allowed by all, that amidst the
myriads of beings who have distinguished themselves herein, the
Fitz-Gwarines deserve an eminent rank, not so much for their petty and
incessant skirmishes with the Welsh, as for the readiness with which they
fought for their king, in divers engagements and campaigns, greatly to
their honour and the glory of the English arms.
But though war has been the prevailing accomplishment throughout sacred
and prophane history, yet with what ecstasy do we contemplate that
portion of time which providence has allotted us: free from the
intolerable recounters produced by the broils and dissentions of those
turbulent, inflexible, and ambitious barons, who so disturbed England
during the reigns of the Normans and Plantagenets; and likewise delivered
from the well known calamities of intestine commotions, so productive of
civil wars; the evils of which can be better conceived than described.
On the subject of war I have said more than my limits will allow to say
of any thing else concerning this family; but, who can help admiring that
loftiness of sentiment and nobleness of soul, which shone in so
conspicuous a degree upon the whole race. Their fidelity to the
government, and their readiness to serve it, are convincing proofs of the
advantages England derived from them, during the long course of time in
which they lived; flourishing with fewer restraints than are commonly
attendant on men in such elevated stations.
That religion was held in great veneration by this race, is very
conspicuous from the number of public and private edifices built by them,
and devoted to pious uses: almost all the churches and abbies in this
neighbourhood were founded by some of the family, and though the latter
are not now in existence, yet the churches will preserve the memory of
their establishers till time shall be no more.
I have stated that this castle passed into the hands of Henry VIII.; we
hear nothing further concerning it till the following reign, when the
king presented the place in question to Henry Grey, duke of Suffolk, who
forfeited it in consequence of the conviction of several crimes imputed
to him. This took place in the reign of Mary, and shortly after it was
by that queen granted to Fitz-Alan, last earl of Arundel: he mortgaged it
to a number of London citizens, who obtained the place in default of
payment from him. William Albany chief man among the number was, by the
joint consent and approbation of the rest, put in sole possession of it.
By the marriage of his great grand daughter with Thomas Lloyd, of Aston,
esq. Whittington passed into the hands of the worthy family who enjoy it
at the present time.
Having given some account of the possessors of Whittington castle, I
think it my duty to attempt laying before the reader, a short account of
this structure, and proceed to shew, that it must have underwent
fortification soon after its original establishment: placed on the border
of Wales, it must have been alternately in the hands of the Welsh and
Saxons; for the latter of whom it formed a key of great utility in their
attacks open the former, and consequently so useful an inlet, must have
been strongly defended. Indeed its founder could not have chosen a place
in which nature contributed more to its security; finding the innumerable
springs of water so advantageously situated for his designs, he converted
it to the best purpose, and surrounded the castle with several moats and
intrenchments, still discernable. The annexed plan of the castle {32}
gives the reader a better idea of the exact situations of the trenches
and other out-works, than can be expressed by words.
The keep was the place of last resort in times of great danger, and was
in consequence defended with the utmost precaution. In the present case,
it was fortified with five round towers, each forty feet in diameter, an
hundred in height, and the walls twelve in thickness. I have not been
able to discover what time the keep fell into a state of delapidation,
but undoubtedly for a great number of years, as an aged mulbery is
growing in it.
About the year 1760, the eastern tower fell into the moat after a severe
frost, and some years afterwards, one of the northern towers and the
western wall were taken down to repair the roads leading from Whittington
to Halston bridge. The northern tower that now remains was undermined
for the same purpose. In 1809, a smaller tower, used many years as a
pidgeon house, was taken down to repair the exterior gateway, which is
still inhabited.
The keep is now used as a garden, at an even depth under which is a
pavement of free-stone; at the north corner is a well, which was
discovered and opened in 1809, when there was found the handle of the
bucket, a pair of large iron fetters for the legs, a large jug, the
remains of stags’ heads and swords; and upon removing some rubbish about
the same time, there appeared a curious carved stone head, and likewise
some highly gilt glass bottles.
Within the trenches are some very fine tall wych elm and ash trees, that
add greatly to the beauty of the ruins. The ancient and present state of
the castle, is beautifully contrasted by Mr. Dovaston, in the following
manner:
“In ancient days of high renown
Not always did yon castle frown
With ivy-crested brow;
Nor were its’ walls with moss embrown’d,
Nor hung the lanky weeds around
That fringe its’ ruins now.
Other hangings deck’d the wall
Where now the nodding foxgloves tall
Their spotty hoods unfold;
Harebells there with bugloss vie,
And gilliflowers of yellow dye,
Seem now, to musing Fancy’s eye,
To mock the mimic tapestry
That flaunted there of old.”
It is situated amid fine and fertile meadows, through which a rapid
stream having commenced a subterraneous course about a mile above, here
emerging, playfully undulates, having its border shaded with poplars,
till it enters the castle moat, where encompassing the walls, whose ruins
are richly fringed with ivy, and hung with elegant traces of wild flowers
and woodbine, it enters the Perry amid the meadows below, formerly the
site of an extensive lake. The ancient fosses and intrenchments may yet
very visibly be traced to a surprising distance beyond the castle,
westward, from where the lake terminated, in some fields still called
“_The Runtings_.”
The internal scenery, where the aged elms expand their immense arms among
the now gloomy ruins, formerly the place of hilarity and carousing, is,
perhaps, not surpassed by any on the border.
A court leet and court baron are annually holden by the Lord of the Manor
in a room in the castle, to which the inhabitants are summoned to pay
_one penny_ each, and upon non-attendance are fined _sixpence_.
Chief-rents are paid to the Lord.
In the township of Daywell in the parish of Whittington, Watt’s Dyke
makes its appearance, extending from a place called Gobowen, adjoining
the parish of Selattyn, into that of St. Martins. The extent between
this Dyke and Offa’s (which crosses the hills above Selattyn) is about
four miles. These Dykes point north and south, and the intervening space
is said to have been a common mart, where the English and Welsh met to
carry on a commercial intercourse, with each other; but, if either party
transgressed these bounds, they were exposed to the severities of war.
Upon Watt’s Dyke, at a place called Brynycastle, near to Gobowen, is the
site of an old _Watch-fort_, and another a little further on towards St.
Martins.
_The Village of Whittington_.
THE village is on the great London and Holyhead road, and also, on the
turnpike road leading from Oswestry to Ellesmere. It consists of a
considerable collection of houses thinly scattered, a church, a school
for each sex, and the remains of the castle before mentioned. In ancient
records we find it called _Chwytunton_, _Wititone_, _Whittentonne_, and
_Vica Alba_. It is situated in latitude 52° 55′ 30″ north, and longitude
2° 57′ 30″ west. The church is a rectory, valued in the king’s books at
£25. 4s.; it was originally designed, as before stated, as a chapel to
the castle, and was dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The body of the
church was rebuilt in 1806, from a design of Mr. Harrison, of Chester; it
is a large brick building of sixty feet by fifty, and cost £1500.: to
lessen the expense, two briefs were procured that raised £703. 15s. 1d.
but of this sum, only £42. 2s. 1d. was received for the intended purpose.
It is much to be regretted that this evil is not amended, a grievance so
universally complained of, and so frequently practised, should not be
tolerated by such an enlightened legislature as that of the English, but
still it remains a nuisance to the very interests of religion itself. In
the body of the church are three aisles and six rows of seats, all faced
with Dantzic oak; the ceiling is neatly executed, being made of wood, and
consequently very pleasant to the officiating minister. In the gallery
stands a barrel organ, placed there by subscription, in 1810; it was
built by _England_, and is considered a good instrument.
In 1761, the church-yard contained several venerable yew trees, which Mr.
Roberts, the then rector, had the bad taste to destroy and replace with
lime trees. In the garden at the Rectory is an uncommonly fine yew tree;
it is seventeen and a half feet in circumference at the distance of four
feet from the ground, about forty feet in height, and the space of ground
under the branches is one hundred and forty-two feet and a half in
circumference: it is very healthy and in a growing state. Evelyn says,
that the reason yew trees were so universally planted in church-yards
was, doubtless, from its being thought a symbol of immortality, the tree
being so lasting and always green.
In 1810, the church-yard wall being in bad repair, was rebuilt with
stone, and the gates removed opposite to the entrance to the steeple.
_In the Register we find the following curious Epitaphs_:
March 13th, 1766, died,
THOMAS EVANS,
Parish Clarke, aged 72.
“Old Sternhold’s lines, or Vicar of Bray,
Which he tun’d best ’twas hard to say.”
* * * * *
SAMUEL PEATE,
of Whittington Castle died,
aged 84.
“Here lies Governor Peate
Whom no man did hate,
At the age of four-score
And four years more,
He pretended to wrestle
With Death for his Castle;
But was soon out of breath
And surrender’d to Death,
Who away did him take,
At the eve of our wake,
One morn about seven
To keep wake in heaven.”
ANDREW WILLIAMS,
WAS
Born A.D. 1690, and died April, 18, 1776,
Aged 84.