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Over Colwick during the de Colwick period
The de Colwick family held Over Colwick, from early in the 12th century until end of the 34th century. They were supposed to have taken their name from the village.
William de Colwick is the first mentioned in the Court Records 1174, he was fined one mark by the sheriff, for sending a horse to the King’s enemies.
Reginald de Colwick (D.1252). Presumably the son of William. A jury which sat in Edward the First’s reign, six-and-twenty years after his death, found that he had lived to a ripe old age of 100 years. Along with his son Phillip, enclosed their park with hedge and ditch at their pleasure without the impediment of the justices or ministers of the forest. He held this land for the fee of supplying 12 barbed arrows, whenever the King came to Nottingham Castle. Also he held 19 bovates of land at WILLOUGHBY, for which he paid the King a horse of 5s.4d and was to find sac and soc (Anglo-Saxon, meaning service to the King) when the army went into Wales. Nov. l7th 1225, he witnessed a royal grant to Retford and (before 1241) the confirmation by Ralph de Rodes, of the grant at Stanton-on-the-Wolds by Wm. Brito, to St. John’s Hospital, Nottingham. It was found in 1249—52, that nothing had been alienated from the serjeanty of Reginald de Colwick in Colwick and Willoughby, for the former he owed 32 arrows, and for the other a horse worth 13s.4d, a sack and a pin and a canvas headstall (capstrum), price 3d, when the King visited Nottingham. In 1250, the Manor of Colwick was worth 100s. a year, paying 3s. to the sheriff for all dues, Willoughby was valued at £6, paying 25d to the sheriff for all (Rentals and Surveys) Farrer’s Honours and Knights Fees.
Philip de Colwick (B.1232 D.1274). Son and heir of Reginald de Colwick. After his father’s death in 1252, the King took homage of him and he was allowed to take over his father’s lands at Colwick and Willoughby, for a payment of ten marks. In 1262, he witnessed a Lenten Priory exchange of lands, between the Prior and John Barre of Tollerton. In 1268, he was one of the many knights amerced for non-attendance at the assizes. In 1255, Amica de Colwick, daughter of Robert de Colwick (presumably brother of Philip) sold half an acre of land at Pesehyll in Nottingham, to Geoffrey Parrot, who gave it to St. John’s Hospital. During Philip’s time as lord of the manor, Colwick Church sent 8p. yearly as its Pentecostal Offering to Southwell Minster.
William de Colwick (D.1333). Son and heir of Phillip de Colwick. On Sept. 7th, 1279, Geoffrey de Nevill, Justice of the Forest this side or the Trent, ordered Wm. de Colwick to have in the forest of Shirewood, near Nottingham, eight live does and four live bucks to stock his park at Colwick therewith. Geoffrey ordered to permit said William to have his park enclosed as his ancestors had until commanded otherwise. 1280, he served on inquisition as to the right of Lenten Priory to tithes of venison in Nottinghamshire. Although he was the late Justice at the gaol of Nottingham, he was fined £16 in 1292. In 1293, Wm. de Colwick was delivered to Nottingham goal for trespass in making false record touching delivery of Rd. de Thistleton, John Bozun, Wm. de Sibethorpe, Robert le Barber of Retford and Ralph le Fevre of Kerolston, whereof he was convicted before the King in his court at Nottingham. Also in 1293, he was found insufficiently qualified as a verderer for Sherwood Forest and a new man was to be appointed; yet in 1300 he assisted at the Sherwood Forest perambulation in 1296, along with William de Staunton, he was appointed as a knight of the shire. Summoned to the master at Nottingham on July 7th, 1297, he fought against the Scots for Edward I and survived the defeat of Stirling. He sat as the Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire in 1297. Witnessed a Nottingham (Cornerwong) charter in July 1297. In 1299, William de Colwick complains that Robt de Arnhale and others had broken a mill pond and weir of his at Over Colwick, cut down trees etc and beat his men on the road to Sneinton. 1326, Hugh de Colwick (presumeably) a brother of William, held office as Clerk of Retreats and Foreign Summonses. 1329, William de Colwick (Defendant) makes concord with Richard atte Brigge (Plaintiff) respecting a tenement in Nether Colwick and Carlton. Also in 1329, Simone de Lenton, of Nottingham, sued William and his son John for debt.
1330 dispute regarding stoppage of the passage of the Trent terminated by agreement.
The course of the Trent having been stayed by diversion and a dam at Colwick, so that vessels cannot approach nearer to Nottingham, and have to unload there at heavy charges, the town makes agreement to unload there, when water was low at a place called Milneholes, the land not to be defiled by horses or carts. Sir William de Colwick and his heirs, assigns to allow a convenient road for access as far as the garden of the said Sir William below his manor towards the east and thence between two ditches as far as the road which leads out of the village of Colwick to the town of Nottingham. Which road the said mayor and his community shall not be charged to make, not the said Sir William nor his heirs of the other part shall not be charged to make, but if the town will repair or amend the said road of their own freewill, the said Sir William grants, for himself and heirs, that they may take gravel and stone upon the place which is called Milnholme.
And if the depth of water change in front of the place called “the arrival of Ralph Bugge” on the eastern side of a ditch called “Old Milnefleet”, the town shall unload there, with a convenient road for access to and from the highway. For this concession “and for making good accord and cherishing for ever” Sir William was to take a halfpenny per load from each man proved to be of Nottingham, but nothing shall be demanded for accommodation of the ships and boats there.
Sir William undertook, for himself and his heirs and assigns, that they “shall not make or maintain a weir in the water aforesaid, by which the ancient course of the Trent may be dried up in any manner, and grants Nottingham burgesses that they may draw their boats by cord and line on the land of the said Sir William on the one side and the other of the water as often as they will go or return to or from the town of Nottingham in the water of the Trent. The mayor and community of Nottingham on their part agree not to cause debate or disturb the water serving the mill belonging to Sir William, as before making this agreement they had done.
29th June 1330.
John de Colwick (B.1281 D.1340). Son and heir of William, was about 52 years old when he succeeded his father as owner of Colwick in 1333. He married Joane, daughter of Robert de Staunton. John went to Lenton Priory Chancery (High Court of Justice) as bail for two Warwickshire offenders (Close Rolls 1327). In 1329, John de Colwick and his wife Joane sued John, son of Geoffrey de Staunton, for service extracted by Sir William do Thorpe, from a tenant at Stoke by Newark. When he died in 1349, the King ordered the escheator to claim back his lands. The watermill owned by the de Colwicks was worth 13s 4d per year at this time. Hugh de Colwick (probably a brother) was appointed (May 21st, 1345) on commission touching the account of Peter de Guldesburgh, king’s clerk while keeper of the wardrobe of Prince of Wales and other sons of the King. (Rolls 1345) Phillip de Colwick, brother of John, was presented by Sir Thomas de Longville to the rectory of Colwick, to which he was instituted on April 3rd, 1348.
William de Colwick (D.1361) Son and heir of John, held the manor and advowson of Colwick jointly with his wife. Sheriff was ordered (26 Nov.1361) to take into the Kings hands the lands of William do Colwick, deceased.
Thomas de Colwick. Son and heir of William, succeeded him as lord of the manor, and also held a messuage and half a virgate of land at Elston of William de Thorpe. He married Joane, daughter of John Pedie, of Salop. They had one daughter, also called Joane. Another reference states that Joane was the daughter of John Peche, of Shropshire.
Joane de Colwick. Sister of Thomas, was left as heiress to the manor on his death, owing to him having no son. She was the last of the de Colwick family to hold the estate, which passed over to the Byrons on her marriage, to Sir Richard Byron, of Cadney, Lincs., as his second wife. This brought to an end the families 250 years ownership of’ Over Colwick.
Another version of the pedigree of Joane de Colwick, given in a Visitation dated 1614, states that she was the daughter of Sir Giles Colwick (What relation he was to William de Colwick it does not say) and that she had a sister who married Thomas Slory, son of William Slory of Slory, near Hereford, and she had Nether Colwick as her share as co-heiress.