The History of Whittington

In Short

Written by a nineteenth-century headmaster, The History of Whittington chronicles the colorful past of a strategic Shropshire border parish and its famous medieval lords. Blending antiquarian research, local legend, and romantic verse, the narrative follows the turbulent fortunes of the Fitz-Gwarine family as they defend their fortress against Welsh princes and English kings. It endures as a charming relic of regional historiography, capturing how a small community preserves its heroic myths, ecclesiastical records, and ancient architectural landmarks through generations of sweeping historical change.

The Story

The narrative opens by establishing the strategic and picturesque setting of Whittington, tracing its origins from ancient Welsh battles at Drev-Wen through the construction of its castle under Roderick the Great. Early antiquarian accounts give way to the Norman Conquest, detailing how the lordship passed through various hands until Pain Peverel’s spirited daughter, Mellet, declared she would wed only the most valiant knight. Guarine De Metz won her hand with a silver shield and a proud peacock crest, establishing a dynasty of nine generations of Fulk Fitz-Gwarines who ruled the castle for nearly four hundred years.

The first Fulk fiercely defends the border, earns knighthood and the office of Lieutenant of the Marches from Henry I, and famously trades blows with a young prince who later signs the Magna Charta. His descendants elevate the family’s glory through Crusades, foreign wars, and legendary feuds. The second Fulk engages in a bitter dispute with King John over Whittington Castle, leading to exile in France, daring disguises in Windsor Forest where he captures the king to reclaim his birthright, and extensive travels that take him from Orkney to the ancient ruins of Carthage.

Successive generations of Fitz-Gwarines balance loyalty to the English crown with the turbulent politics of the Welsh marches. They participate in major historical campaigns, including the battles of Lewes, Cressy, and Poitiers, fighting alongside the Black Prince and earning titles such as Baron Marcher. Despite royal confiscations, temporary exiles, and family quarrels with neighboring barons like the Earl of Arundel, the family consistently recovers its patrimony and fortifies Whittington Castle into an unassailable stronghold.

As the medieval era wanes, the direct male line closes with the ninth Fulk, who dies in his minority. The estate passes through marriage to the Bourchiers and eventually to the Earls of Bath, before King Henry VIII exchanges the castle for other lands. Subsequent centuries see the property drift through various noble and private hands, including the Grey and Arundel families, until it rests with the Lloyd family of Aston. The account concludes with a detailed description of the nineteenth-century village, its church architecture designed by Mr. Harrison, local parish registers, curious epitaphs of former inhabitants like the decoyman Andrew Williams, and the gradual decay of the castle’s majestic towers into a tranquil garden framed by ancient wych elms and ash trees.

How It Unfolds

Ancient foundations and early lords The account begins by examining the ancient Welsh origins of the site, previously known as Drev-Wen or the White Town where prince Cynddylan fell. It traces the early construction of the castle by Ynyr ap Cadfarch and its passage through Norman hands to Pain Peverel and his valiant successors.

The tournament of valor A central turning point involves Mellet Peverel’s firm vow to marry only the bravest knight, drawing distinguished suitors from across Britain and Europe. Guarine De Metz triumphs over his rivals with a silver shield and a proud peacock crest, thereby founding the legendary Fitz-Gwarine lineage.

Exile and royal confrontation The narrative details the escalating conflicts between successive Fulk Fitz-Gwarines and the English crown, particularly during the reigns of Henry and King John. These struggles lead to dramatic outlaw adventures, a daring ambush of the king in Windsor Forest, and extensive travels across the sea to Barbary and Carthage.

Chivalric campaigns and dynastic peak Later sections follow the family’s deep involvement in major medieval conflicts, ranging from early Welsh skirmishes to the prominent battles of Cressy and Poitiers. The Fitz-Gwarines successfully secure their lands, fortify the castle, and attain high honors as Barons Marcher of Wales before the direct male line terminates.

Antiquarian twilight and parish life The book concludes by shifting from medieval romance to local topography, detailing the physical ruins of the castle, the architecture of the local church, and eccentric parish records. It preserves the vivid epitaphs of local figures and reflects on the peaceful rural landscape that ultimately supplants centuries of border warfare.

The People

The historical canvas is driven by several striking personalities. Guarine De Metz wants the hand of the spirited Mellet Peverel, overcoming formidable international rivals through sheer chivalric prowess to establish a four-century dynasty. Mellet herself demands absolute valor, refusing ordinary suitors to shape her family's martial destiny.

Successive generations of the Fulk Fitz-Gwarine family seek to reclaim and secure their ancestral lands against hostile Welsh princes and adversarial English monarchs like King John. The first and second Fulks face royal greed, betrayal, and powerful rivals such as Maurice and Wrenoc, responding with bold defiance, guerrilla warfare, and daring exploits abroad. They emerge as hardened Barons Marcher, securing permanent franchises for their estate despite lifelong friction with the crown.

King John wants absolute control and obedience from his turbulent barons, but stands repeatedly thwarted by the resourcefulness of Fulk Fitz-Gwarine, ultimately yielding under duress in Windsor Forest before seeking petty revenges.

On a more localized scale, figures like the parish clerk Thomas Evans, governor Samuel Peate, and the amphibious decoyman Andrew Williams populate the later records. These humble or eccentric residents want simple permanence in their community, facing the inevitable surrender to mortality while leaving behind humorous epitaphs that contrast sharply with the grand romantic violence of the medieval barons.

In Its Own Voice

Reflecting on his early days spent exploring the historic fortifications, the poet of Fitz-Gwarine recalls a carefree youth amid the medieval ruins.

“Oh, Whittington, among thy tow’rs Pleased did my early Childhood stray, Bask’d on thy walls in sunny hours And pull’d thy moss, and pluck’d thy flow’rs, Full many a truant day.”

Describing his dramatic confrontation with the monarch in hotel or royal woods, the protagonist recounts how he turned the tables on his adversary.

“One day the King alone appear’d, When scarce the distant horn was heard Our hiding place hard by; And as across my way he came, Know’st thou (quoth he) of any game? Aye—game enough, (quoth I).”

Contrasting the quiet present with past festivities, the verse evokes the vibrant life that once filled the now-ruined castle halls.

“Other guests than yon lone bird, And other musick here was heard, In times of better days; Festive revelry went round, The board with blushing goblets crown’d, And costly carpets clad the ground, Where now yon cattle graze.”

What It's Really About

Beneath its chronicle of border skirmishes and aristocratic lineage, the book explores how physical landscapes absorb and reflect human history. It investigates the uneasy transition from an age of turbulent chivalry and lawless feudal vengeance to an era of civil stability, commerce, and quiet ecclesiastical routine. The author questions the traditional glorification of war, contrasting the destructive ambition of monarchs and barons with the steady endurance of local communities. Ultimately, the work ponders how time alters monumental architecture, turning fortresses into overgrown gardens and transforming legendary warriors into forgotten dust beneath church floors, leaving only poetry and parish registers to tell their tale.

Why Read It Today

Readers fascinated by local antiquarianism, Welsh-English border lore, and medieval romance will find this volume deeply rewarding. Reading it feels like sitting down with an eccentric, deeply knowledgeable local scholar who loves every stone and story of his parish. What stays with you are the striking contrasts: the grand image of a medieval knight holding a king at swordpoint in Windsor Forest, right alongside the droll humor of parish epitaphs celebrating men who lived like otters or wrestled death for a castle.

Modern readers should approach the text with patience, noting its occasional dense cataloging of historical charters, archaic spellings, and nineteenth-century antiquarian framing. The author’s period attitudes unblinkingly elevate the romanticized violence of feudal barons as the pinnacle of achievement, reflecting a nineteenth-century fascination with chivalric heroics. Yet, despite these formal difficulties, the book offers an intimate window into how a small Shropshire village connects its moss-grown stones to the grand sweep of English history.