General Notes

Ralph de Arden, or Radulphus de Hamtona, or Hampton, in Arden, on the western bank of the Blithe river, in which parish are several villages and hamlets. These with other fair lordships, being the inheritance of one Luevinus, before the Norman invasion, was disposed by the Conqueror to Geoffrey de Wirce. These lands consisted of woods extending three miles in length and as much in breadth, and all these lands were conferred, by William I, onnigel de albini, which Nigel had issue Roger, surnamed Mowbray, by whom the Ardens, who were lords of this manor, were afterwards enfeoft thereof. Of these Ardens the first was this Ralph, one of the sons of Turchill de Warwick, called also Turchill de Ardena, and he and his posterity assumed the surname of Arden. Ralph was first noted in the 5th year of King Stephen, 1140, and lastly in 33rd of Henry II, 1187, wherein he was then a Justice Itinerant. But it is clear enough that, although he took his surname from hence, he was not the absolute owner thereof, nor indeed of any more that certain lands called Chadleswick, then reputed as a member of this lordship, which lands he purchased of Roger de Mowbray, before mentioned; for the manor house, with the demesne and advowson of the church, were first given to Ralph de Haia in exchange for certain lands in Yorkshire. Of this Ralph de Haia did Robert de Arden, one of the sons of Ralph de Hamtona de Arden, acquire these lands for fifty marks of silver. Beside this son Robert he had Roger, of whom further, and Peter.