Mavesyn Ridware
Encyclopedia
Mavesyn Ridware is a small village and civil parish
in Lichfield District
, Staffordshire
, England
. The parish also includes the villages of Hill Ridware
, Rake End, Pipe Ridware and Blithbury
, all of which lie between the River Trent
and a small tributary, the River Blithe
. Adjacent to the east is the parish of Hamstall Ridware
; to the south is the much larger village of Armitage
.
Mavesyn Ridware contains two notable buildings: the parish church
dedicated to St Nicholas and the Gatehouse of the former ancient Manor House. "Mavesyn" is derived from the French Malvoisin which was the name of the Norman
family who acquired the local estate following the Norman conquest
of 1066. The Church contains many monuments to members of this family and to their successors the Cawardens and the Chadwicks. The gatehouse is timber framed with a later brick and stone skin. Dendrochronology
on the timber indicates that the building was erected in 1391/2.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in Lichfield District
Lichfield (district)
Lichfield is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. It is administered by Lichfield District Council, based in Lichfield.The dignity and privileges of the City of Lichfield are vested in the parish council of the 14 km² Lichfield civil parish...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The parish also includes the villages of Hill Ridware
Hill Ridware
Hill Ridware is a small village situated in the Lichfield district of Staffordshire, England. It is the largest settlement in the civil parish of Mavesyn Ridware....
, Rake End, Pipe Ridware and Blithbury
Blithbury
Blithbury is a small village in Lichfield District, Staffordshire, England. Part of the civil parish of Mavesyn Ridware, it lies near the River Blithe, about north of Handsacre, 3 miles north-east of Rugeley, and 3 miles south of Abbots Bromley....
, all of which lie between the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
and a small tributary, the River Blithe
River Blithe
The River Blithe is a river in Staffordshire, England. It is a Tributary of the River Trent and runs for around 20 miles from source to its confluence with the River Trent.-Etymology:...
. Adjacent to the east is the parish of Hamstall Ridware
Hamstall Ridware
Hamstall Ridware is a village and civil parish in the district of Lichfield in Staffordshire, England. It is in the Trent Valley, and lies close to the villages of Hill Ridware, Mavesyn Ridware and Pipe Ridware...
; to the south is the much larger village of Armitage
Armitage
Armitage is a village in Staffordshire, England on the south side of the Trent and Mersey Canal between Lichfield and Rugeley. Together with the adjacent village of Handsacre, it forms the parish of Armitage with Handsacre.-Village Amenities:...
.
Mavesyn Ridware contains two notable buildings: the parish church
Church of St Nicholas, Mavesyn Ridware
The Church of St Nicholas is a Grade I listed parish church in the village of Mavesyn Ridware, Staffordshire. The church is situated at the eastern end of the village approximately north of the River Trent and just to the north of the Gatehouse of the former ancient Manor House...
dedicated to St Nicholas and the Gatehouse of the former ancient Manor House. "Mavesyn" is derived from the French Malvoisin which was the name of the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
family who acquired the local estate following the Norman conquest
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
of 1066. The Church contains many monuments to members of this family and to their successors the Cawardens and the Chadwicks. The gatehouse is timber framed with a later brick and stone skin. Dendrochronology
Dendrochronology
Dendrochronology or tree-ring dating is the scientific method of dating based on the analysis of patterns of tree-rings. Dendrochronology can date the time at which tree rings were formed, in many types of wood, to the exact calendar year...
on the timber indicates that the building was erected in 1391/2.