The date is April 1281. King Edward I is on the throne of England and Plantagenet justice is being dispensed across the whole of England. A Derbyshire Eyre, or court has been summoned at Derby, and among its proceedings it has to investigate nefarious activities in the village of Bontesal:
"Henry, son of Richard de Bondesaal killed Ralph, son of Osbert with a knife in the vill. Of Bontesal, fled at once and is suspected. So he is to be exacted and outlawed. His chattels 2s..8d for which the sheriff is to answer. He was in the frankpledge of Bontesal which does not have him now, so it is in mercy. William, son of Richard de Bondesaal, brother of Henry, absconded on account of the death, so his chattels are to be confiscated for the flight. His chattels 5s..4d for which the sheriff is to answer. William has come now and asked how he would acquit himself, denies the death and all and for good and ill puts himself on the country.
The jury say that he is not guilty, so he is quit. But because he was present and did not arrest or pursue, he is in mercy. Walter de Ribuf the coroner did not attach Walter Bate, who took part in the aforesaid death, so to judgement on him."
It would appear that Henry might have escaped justice, and his brother William and Walter Bate seem to have got away fairly lightly considering that they were accessories to murder. In fact Bonsal seems to have come out of this worst of all, as it was guilty of letting Henry escape.
With thanks to Aileen Hopkinson (ed.), The Rolls of the Derbyshire Eyre, Derbyshire Record Society vol.XXVII, (Chesterfield: Dinfewr Press, 2000), pp.126-7.
First Latest 1086 1306 Bunteshale 1166 ---- Bontesha 1195 1298 Bunteshal 1251 ---- Bontishal 1252 ---- Bontishale 1269 1474 Bontisale 1269 1474 Bontisal 1297 ---- Bontesale 1298 1417 Bonteshale 1306 1758 Bontishall 1306 1758 Bontesall 1326 ---- Bondesale 1330 ---- Bundeshale 1340 1561 Bondsale 1361 1428 Bondishale 1361 1428 Bondishal 1361 1428 Bondeshale 1361 1428 Bondeshal 1419 ---- Bontsale 1427 1577 Bon(e)sale 1464 ---- Bondesall 1472 ---- Bondsall 1505 2003 Bonsall 1508 1610 Bonteshall 1543 ---- Bonsalle 1549 ---- Bonshall 1561 ---- Bontesall als Bondsall 1630 ---- Bounteshalltop
Our Country is at War, I wish it were not so,
But it was forced upon us, so someone had to go;
Our Bonsall lads were not behind, answering their Country's call
To go and fight for England, to either Stand or Fall.
We grieve to think that some have paid the price for glory great,
Their precious lives have given to save us Belgium's fate.
We think of brave George Bateman, of brave Fred Barnes as well,
They nobly did their duty, and in the battle fell.
"We're sorry that Will Gregory should lose his life at sea,
For on the ill-fated
Monmouth
a sailor brave was he ;
We never shall forget them, these lads so staunch and true,
Who left our quiet Village, their "little bit" to do :
Greater love hath no man - our Loving Saviour said -
Than to give their lives for others; God rest our Glorious Dead.
We've had a few got wounded - Will Swindell, Arthur Bunting & Harry Fern,
Albert Kneebone and Tom Rowland - all our praises earn:
We think of brave Jack Worthy, who went early to the Front
With our " Little Contemptible Army," and nobly bore the brunt.
Most of our Bonsall lads are out in France "somewhere,"
Helping our gallant army to win the battle there -
Tom Worth, Leonard Alesbrook, Jim Barlow and Arthur Bown -
All doing their very best to put the Germans down,
There's George Bunting, Charlie Bartram, Bert Farnsworth & Will Fern too,
With Jim Gregory and Ernest Gratton have gone their Duty for to do;
Then there's our brave John Samuel, who everybody knows,
He'll show them how Bonsall Iads can fight whene'er he meets the foes.
Alfred Elliott, Fred Mackintosh, Will Kniveton and Jack Land,
Tom Sheldon and Will Massey, all firmly take their stand ;
Jess Bunting's got three sons gone, Arthur, Jess, and Tom, -
They command the admiration, I feel sure, of everyone.
There's Brothers Smith and Brothers Swift, and WiIfred Spencer too,
With Alf Sudbury and Joe Swindell, gone their bit to do ;
David Loxley, John Bunting, Colin Prince and Joe Goodall,
Ernest Brooks and Harry Tomisson, ready to stand or fall ;
Edward Boden and Jim Banks, and also Albert Key,
They're all in France, fighting hard, helping to win the day.
We're sorry Herbert Tomisson a prisoner was made,
But that he soon will be released we're not a bit afraid ;
Harry Alsop, Owen Sudbury, Joe Pidcock, Ernest Boden too,
All was sent to the Dardanelles to help to break it through.
Some are still left in England training to use the guns,
And they'll not be found wanting when England needs her sons :
There's Walter & Horace Gratton, Charlie Woodiwiss & German Land,
Harry Adams and Laurence Worthy, a gallant little band.
Will Holmes and Bernard Sheldon, Jim Plant and Charlie White,
John Massey and Monty Chamberlain, training to join the fight ;
Charlie Staley and Stanley Holmes, Jim Bartram, and Arthur Brown,
Joe Oliver, George Redfern and Tom Bowmer, all worthy of renown.
We're proud of Charlie Cooper, come from Canada to fight,
It showed his heart was with us in our fight for truth and right.
We're also proud of our two Veterans who've gone the ranks to swell,
John Marriott and Frank Sudbury, both warriors we know well.
George Kneebone& Willie Blackham, Percy Barnes, Frank Sheldon too.
With Lawrence Bunting & Horace Smedlev. who've gone their Dutv for to do,
Oswald Young & Herbert Sudbury & Victor Raines we know
They all will be found ready when Kitchener bids them go.
There's Leonard Alsop. Fred Hartle & Frank Bowmer all went to join the force:
Although they are not fighting we're proud of them of course:
Douglas Gerrard, Charlie Kirkland, Ross Knowles and Arthur Smith,
Brothers Millward and Leonard Holbrook are Kitchener's army with.
And then there's our brave Sailor Boys - we're proud of them to-day,
They watch while we are sleeping, and keep the German fleet away ;
Leonard Spencer, Tom Morris, and Billy Farnsworth as well,
Tom Loxley and Bernard Bunting our Grand Fleet helped to swell.
What can we say of these brave Lads who never thought of fear,
But left their homes and loved ones, and all that they held dear,
To go and fight for England, the land of the brave and free,
To fight the cause of justice, of right and liberty.
We pray God to protect our Lads and bring them safely through ;
That peace may quickly be restored is the wish of me and you ;
And when the War is over and Victory is won,
0ur Bonsall Lads will share the honours in the great " Well done."
Because of religious differences King Charles I was eager to rule without recourse to Parliament. This meant that if he wanted money he would have to resort to 'loans' from the country. Each County would be assigned an amount of money it would 'lend' to the King, and a collector would be appointed. In 1627 Robert Willymott was appointed to collect just such a loan from the people of Derbyshire, and, not surprisingly he concentrated on those within the towns and villages that he though could afford to pay.
In Bonsall the following people handed over these amounts
Anne Hopkinson xls. (40 shillings)
William Buckley (parson) xxs.
Edward Wolley xxs.
Mary ffearne xxs.
Thomas Marple xxs.
George Hardinge xls.
Anthony Hardinge xls.
John Harding xls.
John Harding's name was in italics, a possible indication that it was not on the collector's original list, but was added later.
Jowitt Burton claims that some people in Derbyshire refused to pay, that 'Persuasions, threats and force were used throughout the county to extort the loan', and that people were not slow 'in offering resistance to the illegal oppressions of King Charles I'.
I wonder if he was biased?
John March 9th December 2002
topCox points out that the rectors of Bonsall were always appointed by the Dean of Lincoln, until Queen Victoria's reign, when this role was taken over by the Bishop of Lincoln. What he does not say is that, up until the seventeenth century at least, many of the office holders also held other offices, and were only occasionally to be seen in Bonsall. Week to week pastoral care was undertaken by a village parson.
1304 John de Brentingham.
A school outing - but when and who? Can you help us to identify any of the children in the photo?
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Can anyone help identify this photo? Have you got the original so we can make a better copy? We think it may be a Sunday school outing, because the adult looks like a vicar, although its not even clear if the adult is a man or woman. If you can help, please contact us.