A brief outline of Adderley’s history from Edric ‘The Wild’ to the Corbet family.
In Saxon times Eldredelei was held by Edric, known as “The Wild”.
He owned many of the border areas and was a constant thorn in the side of the Normans. After the conquest, Roger of Montgomery forced Edric and the people Into submission. For his reward he was given most of the land. He then put the manor into the hands of Nigel, a clerk and a physician.
In 1066 Roger of Montgomery held the four manors of Adderley, Shavington, Spoonley and Cloverley. In time they were consolidated into one manor of which Adderley was the head.
Adderley was made up of three Hides; Demesne Land, Four Villeins two Hayes and two Neatherds who represented the population.
A Hide was the amount of land required to support a household but later became a unit for assessing land for taxes.
Demesne Land was land held by the crown.
Villeins were tenant farmers legally ties to the Lord of the Manor. Neatherds was the name given to heardsmen.
Hayes were areas of enclosed woodland.
Nigel’s possesions were passed to the Earl Hugh de Montgomery. It is thought that one of the Montogomery’s gave Adderley its first church, named after St Peter as the Normans were particularly fond of that saint.
Eventually the land passed back into the hands of the king who granted them to Alan de Dunstanvill. In 1284, Adderley, Spoonley and Shavington were held by John de la Mare.
Shavington was held for him by Bogo de Knovil, Lord of Whitchurch and William de Claverhall.
William de Montford became heir to the manor and he sold it to Bartholomew de Badlesmere.
In 1315 Bartholomew received permission from Edward II to hold a weekly market in Adderley on Thursdays and an annual fair on St Peter’s Day.
The Corbet Family