KENCHURCH COURT, HEREFORDSHIRE. THE very beautiful and highly interesting engraving of the seals of Owen Glyndwr, which appeared in the last published volume of the Archæologia, presenting us not only his armorial bearings, his regal and his military costume, but with the only portrait in existence of this heroic personage, induces me to trouble you with some account of the principal place of his retreat. The sons of this gallant soldier fell fighting by their father's side, or were captured and put to death by his unrelenting enemy; but when abandoned by all the world, he found that consolation from his daughters, which never acts with more fervour than when springing from the heart of woman. Three of these had married Herefordshire gentlemen, Sir John Scudamore, of Kenchurch, Monington, of Sarnsfield, and John Croft, of Croft Castle, Esquires, and probably he passed his concealment sometimes with the one and sometimes with the others, for it is certain he found a welcome retreat both at Kenchurch and Sarnsfield.* The object of this paper is more particularly to describe Kenchurch Court, where until lately were preserved several documents relating to Owen Glyndwr. The hill which forms the park in which the house is situated, may be considered as a continuation of one of greater magnitude, named the Garawy, i. e. Gaer-ar-Wy, the entrenchment high above the water, and while the Munnow gives a boundary on one side, a mountain-stream, ere it joins that river, passes near the dwelling. The whole property is the most extensive in the county, but even the park commands varied and delightful views over Monmouthshire, Brecknockshire, and Herefordshire, in which the Sugarloaf, the Skyrrid and the Blorenge, the Black Mountains and the Hatterel Hills are seen to the greatest advantage. Grosmont Castle, the birthplace of Henry IV., its town and church, form a middle distance, looking one way, though the Munnow meandering throughout, embellishes each separate landscape. Kenchurch Court is approached by a road leading from Abergavenny to Hereford, and running by the side of the Munnow, where there is a bridge direct to the church, in a line with which was the old road up to the ancient gateway, now serving as the entrance to the stable yard. The modern way lies through a fine avenue, which happens, however, to be so placed as to cause a deviation in the route to the dwelling. The house stands low, and appears to have been once moated. All that remains of the ancient part is the gateway already mentioned, a square tower with a circular turret and the offices. The rest consists of a porch in a modern tower which leads from the entrance hall, conducting to a long * Memoirs of Owen Glyndwr, by Thos. Ellis, published from his MS. in Jesus Coll. Oxford, 1775. March, 1835.-VOL. II. NO. VIII. L gallery at the end, on the right, opening to the dining room, drawing-room, and billiard-room, and by a flight of steps to a vestibule and intended library. Some apartments over these and those to the left of the entrance form the principal part of the house. A pedigree, belonging to the present proprietor, and drawn up, about two years ago, places the family early in Monmouthshire, making a Sir Allen Scudamore, in the IVth of William Rufus, marry Jane, daughter and heiress of Sir Alexander Catchmay, Lord of Troy and Bigswear, in that County. The Rev. Matthew Gibson, on the contrary,* tells us that the family of Scudamore or Escudamore, came over with William the Conqueror, and takes as his authority the Roll of Battle Abbey, particularly that copy preserved by Odericus Vitalis, where he finds the name. But when he says they were so called, " from bearing Scutum Amoris divini," the shield of divine Love,' which was anciently their arms, and in all probability, was given upon some gallant action done by them in defence of the Christian faith," he asserts what no modern antiquary will believe. The earliest authority for a coat of arms he takes from Gwillim's Heraldry, folio 69, and which assigns as its date the reign of Henry II., before which it is now well known, that although there were marks on shields, heraldic bearings were in England, not adopted. At this time the Norman feeling of the family, that had settled in Wiltshire, might induce them to derive their name from the French language, and choose a cross patee fitchee, as expressive of an Escu de l'amour de Dieu, but Escudamore is more probably of Breton origin, Ysgwydmawr or Ysgidmor signifying Great shield. Skydmore was the general way of pronouncing the name, and the meadow where the residence of the family is supposed to have been, adjoins the churchyard of Upton Scidmore, in Wiltshire. Walter Escudamore was Lord of that manor in the time of King Stephen, and the whole Vill of Upton Scidmore was granted in the early part of the succeeding reign to Godfrey Escudamore, by Robert of Ewias Harold, in Herefordshire, who founded the Cistercian abbey of Dore (Dwr), in that county. The deed which was preserved among the Scudamore papers at Hom Lacy, is worthy of being transcribed. Omnibus hominibus suis Francis, Anglicis et Gualensibus, amicis suis &c. Robertus Ewias Salutem. dedisse Godfrido Escudamore totam Villam de Upton Escudamore pro homagio et servicio suo et pro uno dextrario † albo faciendo inde annuatim servicium unius militis ad castrum de Ewias scilicet ad wardam castri, super custagium suum. Teste Comite Patricio Commitissa Isabella, Warino de Lisures, Willielmo filio Johannis, Ricardo de Camvil, Ricardo filio Gilberti &c. To all his men Normans, English and Welsh, to his friends, &c. Robert Ewias sends greeting. Know ye that I have given to Godfrey Escudamore, + View of the churches of Door, Home-Lacy, and Hempsted. So called from being led by the right hand. Sciatis me He was created Earl of Salisbury by the Empress Maud, and died 13th Hen. II., A. D. 1167. See Dugdale's Baron. vol. I., fol. 175. the whole Vill of Upton Escudamore, for his suit and service, and for performing the annual service of finding a knight with one white war-horse at the castle of Ewias, that is to say, doing watch and ward in addition to his custage duty. Attested by Earl Patrick, the Countess Isabel, Warm de Lisures, William Fitz John, Richard de Camvil, Richard Fitz Gilbert, &c. Camden tells us that this family increased their importance very much by matching with an heiress of the house of Ewias in Herefordshire. That event took place in the twenty-eighth year of Edward III. A. D. 1355, when Thomas the younger son of Sir Peter Scudamore, of Upton Scudamore, married Clarice the eldest daughter of Clara de Ewias, daughter of Jevan Llewelyn, Lady of Ewias Harold in right of her grandmother, Sybille daughter and heiress of Richard Ewyas. On this occasion he took the name of Ewias and the arms of his wife, viz.* Gu. 3 stirrups leathered and buckled or, which are assigned by a MS. in Queen's College, Oxford, to the husband of Clara, Jevan Llewelyn, a gentleman of Edward IIId's. Court. † Through the Tregoz family the Scudamores obtained the Lordship of Hom Lacy, in Herefordshire. Thomas, who assumed the name of Ewias, had a son named Philip of Ewias, and his grandson Philip was the first who took up his residence at that place. Leland says "the eldest house of the Escudamours of Herefordshire, was at a place called Penchirch (Kenchurch), in the edge of the dominion or country called Ewis Harold." The house was therefore, in all probability, built by the above mentioned Thomas, of which the square stone tower with its turret containing a newel staircase and having a picturesque projection outside still remains, as well as the entrance gateway. Not the most picturesque, as that should be taken from the garden, but a very good view of Kenchurch Court may be seen in Neale's views of the seats of the nobility and gentry in the united Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland. The pedigree would then run thus: Harold, Lord of Ewyas, co. Hereford, the castle of which was Robert, surnamed of Ewyas, and the first Sir Robert de Ewyas, eldest son, was Lord of Ewyas after his father. Parnell. Walter of Ewyas was a monk in the Abbey of Dore. Richard of Ewyas,=Sibill. * A similar occurrence took place in the Talbot Family; who bore a Welsh coat. + Edward 1st's. Vol. VI. |