[Illustration] "This family is very ancient, for they were gentlemen
of good ranke in the time of King John, as it appeareth by many
ancient grants and evidences of theirs which I have seen," wrote
Peacham in his "Compleate Gentleman," in 1634. (p. 191.) The name is
local, being derived from Wodehouse in Silfield, in this county; but
as early as the reign of Henry III. the family had property in
Kimberley, and in that of Henry IV. the manor was also inherited
from the heiress of Fastolff.
See Blomefield's Norfolk, ed. 1739, vol. i. p. 751, for long
extracts from the curious old pedigree in verse; Wotton's
Baronetage, i. 164; and Brydges's Collins's Peerage, viii. 562.
ARMS.--_Sable, a chevron or, guttée de sang, between three
cinquefoils ermine_. This coat is said to have been augmented as now
borne, by Henry V. in honour of John Wodehouse's valour at the
Battle of Agincourt, the _guttée de sang_, not at present considered
very good heraldry, being then added. The supporters, two wode or
wild men, were also, it has been said, then first used.
Present Representative, John Wodehouse, 3rd Baron Wodehouse, Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland.