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The Handsaker family origins
is traceable to the year 899 AD to a man of presumable Anglo/Saxon heritage
named Hermitage deHodesacre, who was granted land by King Alfred the Great
of England. Today this land area encompasses two villages that have grown
together and are collectively known as "Armitage with Handsacre" in
Staffordshire , England .
The early Handsacre family story contains a rich Scottish royal heritage
that overlaps with the early English Royal Family and nobility, spanning a
time period of more than 400 years. Starting with our humble beginnings over
1,100 years ago, in a remote farming community in central England , today's
family members live around the globe. We have become a diverse group of
people.
At the time the lands to be occupied by the
future village of "Handsacre" was first granted to Hermitage deHodesacre,
the lands were located inside the borders of the kingdom of Mercia - but
just barely. Mercian means border people, a generic term for the people who
lived in the Romanised parts of the British Isles . Usually applied to
signify people who lived from the 2nd century onwards. Place name analysis
suggests that there was a surviving British population throughout Mercia .
Thereby suggesting the likelihood that our ancient ancestors may have been
of Roman ethnic background.
This
assumption is further strengthen by the Rev. Stebbing Shaw, a Fellow of
Queen's College at Cambridge and author of the book, " History and
Antiquities of Staffordshire," during the late 1700's. Under the section
devoted to "Armitage," (the adjoining village to Handsacre), Rev. Shaw
wrote:
"The language of a deed about the
beginning of Edward I (son of King Alfred) seems to correspond with this
idea, "Johnes Capell de Colton & Hermitg de Hondesacre, grants five seylions
in Longedon."
A Summary of the early
story of the Church.
Very long ago, the location of the church dedicated to St. John the Baptist
was described as "... situated on a dry, pleasant, rocky, eminence
overlooking on either hand the rich vale of Trent, and commanding a view,
northward, far into the bosom of the woodlands." "Along the north side of
the hill, below, midway between the church and the river, where no doubt the
solitary hermit took up his silent abode, amidst woods and rocks, now runs
the Grand Trunk (canal)." Footnote reference from Rev. Shaw's book: "there
is a tradition, handed down in a family living close to the spot, that there
was anciently a hermitage here, on the north side of the church. About the
middle of the north wall is a round arch and recess within the wall, four
feet high, at the top of which (as if it might be the key stone) a rude
human head is carved in relief; the ground underneath now lies...I have no
doubt, a stone coffin, an effigy, or some kind of monumental stone: for this
spot, I presume, was the burial place of one of the lords of Handsacre, who
built this aisle or chapel (and probably founded the church), some time in
the 12th century" (1100's).
Rev. Shaw added, "it seems to me that this family (Handsacre) burial place
has had an altar, formerly, under (the) east window, where masses would be
performed occasionally for the souls of the dead…"
This may very well be a replacement church for the one mentioned on the
previous page, perhaps having become too small or too old to continue
holding mass or services; especially as the population slowly grew and the
Handsacre family increased.
Based from these early writings, it may be assumed that the newly
constructed church was erected to please the bishop of Chester , other
church officials, or members of the royal court. Whatever the reason, today
St. John the Baptist Church stands the same grounds where once, a very long
ago, a hermit monk lived whose name was Hermitage. From these humble
beginnings sprang forth a family of knightly legend, who for over 500 years
played a formative role in the early development of the neighboring area.
The most fitting memorial to the ancient lords of Handsacre is that the
Church founded by them, so long ago, remains a constant and true towards
serving the needs of its community.
The Handsacre ancestral home,
Handsacre Hall, a Tudor style mansion, was erected during the 14th
century (1300's) replacing an earlier structure that stood within a moated
area and is believed to have been a typical castle/fortress like structure
built of stone. This previous structure was destroyed during a war,
presumably by fire. Handsacre Hall stood the elements of time, until the
early 1970's when it was finally destroyed by vandals. However, remains of
Handsacre Hall were removed to Avoncroft Museum of Buildings to be
re-erected in 1973.
English Heritage
reports "The Handsacre family lived in Handsacre prior to 1066 and
during the 14th century a cruck hall occupied the island." As a
knightly family and with the certainly that spring follows winter,
these ancients lords from the far distance past lived in a home
fitting to their social station.
Other ancient buildings that once stood on the grounds of Handsacre
Hall Rev. Shaw mentions includes the findings of an oblong square,
about "18 yards long by 10 or 11 yards wide, evidently the site of
some building pointing west and east, which stood directly opposite
to the north front of Handsacre Hall, and about 120 yards from the
moat bridge…at the east end, a square projection "like a steeple."
Rev. Shaw concludes that "… no doubt, (there) stood anciently some
sacred edifice, or church or chapel, from which the adjoining
church-croft received its name, and finding, as it did, on the
lord's demeine, in front of, and almost close to, his mansion, by
whom could it have been created but by one of the lords of
Handsacre, for the use of his family and neighboring dependents, or
more likely soon after the Roman conquest, when the piety of some
lord of Handsacre might be encouraged by the bishop to support holy
mother church, by erecting a place of worship for secular priests in
opposition to, or at least independent of, the strict monastic rules
of the old neighboring Saxon Hermitage."
Rev. Shaw reports the discovery of Roman artefacts on the grounds of
Handsacre Hall. During the year 1782, "laborers were digging up a
piece of ground, in order to make a garden, they discovered at the
depth of two feet from the surface some Roman weapons…. they are
four in number." This established the site of Handsacre as having
been used by the Romans very anciently.
Reference is made to when Handsacre Hall was constructed from the
following document from English Heritage:
Table 1: Dendrochronology
Results: Buildings with Timbers Felled Before 1300 plus selected
buildings after 1300
12th Century Felling
5. Handsacre Hall, Armitage, Staffs
reused brace
Between years 1160 -1195
This information may suggest Handsacre Hall was under construction
between the years of 1160 to 1195. Hence, providing a clue to the
time following the destruction of the previous residence of the
lords of Handsacre. We may never know the exact timing and the
actual story behind the original residence of the ancient lords of
Handsacre. However, it can be assured that one stood, most likely on
the same ground, or closely nearby, to the last hall inhabited by
this knightly family for another 300 years.
Handsacre Hall stood the rash elements of time, until the early
1970's when it was finally destroyed by vandals. English Heritage
tells us that the "remains of the Medieval hall were removed to
Avoncroft Museum of Buildings to be re-erected in 1973. In 1986-87
the site was cleared of overburden and excavated. The site was then
landscaped as an open space in the centre of a housing estate.
Pottery dating from potentially the 12th century through to the 19th
century was found."
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