By Sir Charles Ilobhouse, Bart. 



101 



Then the scene changes to Wiltshire-, and a member of the same 

 family, I would presume, because still under the segis of the Abbot 

 of Glastonbury, one Jordan Cotele (c. 1251 — 61) is found to be 

 Rector of Kington St. Michael, covenanting with the abbot and 

 convent of Glastonbury, that certain lands in that parish are feud 

 of the abbey and that therefore neither he nor his heirs will ever 

 part with an acre of them. ; 



Thereafter, c. 1275, a Sir Roger de Cotele, Knight,, is named in 

 an inquisition held at Melksham. 



The transition to Atworth is easy, and one Richard Cotell is found 

 to be Lord of Cotels -Atworth. His daughter, Isande (1267 — 80) 

 married Philip, son of Henry Tropenell of Chalfield. He is probably 

 that Cotell mentioned by Aubrey as having had an estate at Biddes- 

 ton St. Peter, for this estate passed to the Tropenells, and through 

 them, it may be mentioned, to our Priory. These Cotels continued 

 to present to Atworth Chapel, until A.D. 1309, when the presentation 

 passed to the Selymans. 



There are notices too of a Richard Cotel, his wife Isabel and 

 children, 1307 ; of a William Cotel, owner of fifty acres of land in 

 Chel worth, 1327 ; of a family of Cotel dying out at Frampton Cot- 

 terel (or Cotel), about the same period; of a Stephen Cotele, Rector 

 of Castle Combe, 1397 ; and lastly of a Mark Cottell who (c. 1500) 

 built a house at North Tawton, Devon ; of a Cottle, of Samford 

 Peverell, who registered the same arms as Sir Elias in 1580; and of 

 a Cottle, of Cricklade, registering arms, 1623. 



From the above facts it is clear that the Cottle family was one of 

 very ancient descent and weight in the counties of Wilts and 

 Somerset, but that they passed away from our neighbourhood at 

 Atworth, as persons of eminence, many centuries back (perhaps 

 in 1309) is clear from Aubrey's statement, that " Atworth called 

 Cotels Atward or Coteles Atworth antiently belonged to Coteles 

 who had great possessions in these parts but now there are only 

 some few people left of this name in the county." 



This statement was made circa 1660, but Atworth is only two 

 miles from us, and the William Cottle who was born in our parish 

 in 1659 is described as "Gentleman," and so was a descendant, 



