1^4 THE VERNONS OF HADDON HALL. 



and Manax, which were all places of ancient demesne at Domes- 

 day, and Wm. Avenel his son attested the charter of the son of 

 Wm. Peverel to the same foundation shortly after 1113, and we 

 also find that the same William Avenel granted Conkesbery in Yol- 

 grave to the Abbey of Leicester. 



It is difficult to understand why the family of Avenel, so closely 

 related to the ducal house of Normandy, should receive no recog- 

 nition at the Conquest, and so little afterwards ; possibly it was 

 that they were well endowed in Normandy, and they preferred 

 their ancestral estates to a new home in England, and certain 

 it is, that they generally resided on the Continent, and only 

 came here periodically, and then probably only for the pleasures 

 of the chase. Almost immediately after obtaining possession 

 of their property they seem to have made grants out of it 

 to religious houses— to Lenton, Trentham, Croxton, Roche 

 Abbey„ and Leicester, of a character inconsistent with the 

 idea that they sought to derive much income for themselves 

 out of them. 



Derbyshire records give but a poor account of the Avenel 

 family during the reign of Henry I., no mention being made of 

 them in the only Pipe Roll we possess for that reign. This was 

 probably because until the lawless time of King Stephen, the rights 

 of the Crown were more closely protected by the Barons of the 

 Exchequer, and all the property they held was Crown property, 

 which could only be granted out by the Crown for the use of the 

 reigning king, and the donee therefore would pay to him personally 

 any rent he might exact. The first roll of Henry H. records that 

 Gervase de Avenel paid twenty marks for the land of Basilowe, 

 formerly part of the king's ancient desmesne, but in later years 

 wrested from the Crown in favour of the Peverels, whose head 

 had recently forfeited it. 



We find a Robert Avenel attesting the foundation charter of 

 Welbec Abbey in 18 Stephen, and in 19 Hy. IL, Robert Avenel 

 and Gervase Avenel were chosen two knights to view the repairs 

 of Peak Castle. In 26 Henry II., the estates of Gervase, held of 

 the Honour of Peverel, were in the king's hands, for the Sheriff 



