In 2014 a series of articles were published in the Church Lawford and King’s Newnham Parish Newsletter reflecting the history of the two villages. These articles, written by Liz Parvin (King’s Newnham) and Keith Sinfield (Church Lawford) have been digitised and distributed throughout this archive depending on the period they cover.
Keith Sinfield looked at Saxon times in the third article.
The Saxons
Towards the end of Roman occupation, Germanic tribes from northern Europe (Angles, Saxons and Jutes) began migrating into Britain. This migration continued, and intensified, when Roman occupation finally ended. During this time distinct kingdoms were formed, the largest of these being: Northumbria, Mercia and Wessex. Mercia, covering what is now Warwickshire, eventually grew to cover virtually the whole of the country south of the Humber. This was a turbulent period, during which the indigenous population fought amongst themselves and, on occasions, combined forces to fight off Viking invaders.
A unified kingdom of England was eventually formed; the seeds of which were sown by King Alfred (The Great) of Wessex (849 899) and brought to fruition by King Athelstan (893 939). The last Anglo-Saxon king of England was Harold II (1022 -1066) his defeat by William the Conqueror in 1066 marks the end of the Anglo-Saxon period.
Sadly, little from the Anglo-Saxon period has been unearthed in Church Lawford or King’s Newnham anyway, nothing on the scale of the Staffordshire Hoard! We do, however, have a possible Anglo-Saxon minster church sited at or near St Peter’s Church and attributed to the period, 801 1065. You can access the record for this on the Warwickshire Museum website by going to: http://timetrail.warwickshire.qov.uk/searchSimple.aspx entering 13229 in the Record Number box and clicking ‘Find’ (the website defines a minster as: “A complex of buildings, often within an enclosure, housing a pre-Benedictine Reform secular religious community. Now commonly used to describe the main church within such a complex which, over time, attained higher status”).
We can, however, use the Domesday survey to infer what was here in Saxon times. The following is an extract from the section featuring the Domesday Book entry for Church Lawford in: ‘A History of the County of Warwick: Vol. 6 Knightlow hundred’,
“In Saxon times (Lawford) was spelt Leillford, and later Lalleford; derived from ‘Lecian’, wet, and ‘Ford’, (simply) a ford (in the modem sense); the frequent inundations of the river, in those drainless days, giving rise to the name. The local pronunciation being silent on the double “l”, it became written as spoken, (i.e.) Lawford, the prefix Church being given to distinguish it from two adjoining parishes Long and Little Lawford included ecclesiastically in Newbold-on-Avon. The Domesday survey gives Chetelbert as the Saxon owner and the value as 40s annual. It contained five hides; arable seven furlongs, one in the demesne; meadow 11 acres; mill 10s 6d; a population of 9 villeins, 17 labourers, two bondsmen, two foreigners, or 30 families, and probably 140 inhabitants.”
Note the reference in the above to ‘…frequent inundations of the river…’ some things really don’t change!!.
It appears, therefore, that we have two present day sites with links to the Anglo-Saxon period,
1). The mill referred to above most likely, at or near the site of the old mill on the Avon at King’s Newnham, and…
2). The previously mentioned Anglo-Saxon minster, sited at or near St Peter’s Church.