Ardens Grafton
| Ardens Grafton | |
| Warwickshire | |
|---|---|
 Ardens Grafton | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SP1154 |
| Location: | 52°10’48"N, 1°50’24"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Alcester |
| Postcode: | B49 |
| Dialling code: | 01789 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Stratford-on-Avon |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Stratford-on-Avon |
Ardens Grafton is a hamlet or small village in thparish of Temple Grafton, Warwickshire, situated about four miles east of Alcester and 14 miles west of the county town of Warwick. It has a street of houses mostly of local stone with tiled roofs, but one house, 'Manor Cottage', setting back from the road, on the south side, has timber-framed walls and a thatched roof. Two other buildings retain fragments of ancient framing.[1] During the reign of Edward III in 1347 the village was recorded as Grafton Inferior while neighbouring Temple Grafton, half a mile to the east, was named Superior[2] Other designations used during the Middle Ages were Nether Grafton, Grafton Inferior or Grafton Minor whilst the larger village of Temple Grafton was distinguished as Over Grafton, Grafton Superior, Church Grafton, or Grafton Major. A reference to 'Temple Grafton alias Ardens Grafton' occurs in 1650.[1]
History
Grafton Minor occurs in a grant to Evesham Abbey by Ufa, Sheriff of Warwickshire, dated 973. As it is included among Ethelwig, Abbot of Evesham's acquisitions ('Alia Graftun') it may in the meantime have been lost by the monastery, and with Temple Grafton seized by the Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, quasi lupus rapax, (like a ravaging wolf) after Ethelwig's death. It is most probably to be identified with the 3 hides and 1 virgate in 'Graston'[1] which Domesday records among the possessions of William Fitz-Corbucion; Leuric and Eileua held it of him and before the Conquest they had held it freely. "Leofric and Aelfeva hold 3 hides and 1 virgate in Graston (Ardens Grafton). Land for 2 ploughs. In lordship 1; 2 slaves; 1 villager and 3 smallholders with 1 plough. Meadow 4 acres. The value was 40s; now 30s. They also held it themselves freely."[3]