Woodhall Walter de Wahull, II

Hey guys just thought you might want to see this information that I had on Early English Woodall's (now Odell)

I found a book that lists early English Woodalls and it says that through the 1500-1600 it was sometimes shortened to Odall and Odell. It doesn't list the 1500-1600's people though it cuts out about 1400's. Now I'm trying to find the connection. Do you know of any?

From "All our Yesterday's: Part I, A History of Odell's and Related

Families" by Evelyn Spitzer Drinnon. (quoted from directly from the text until ---)

pgs. 32-35

[pg. 32]

"From 'Barons and Knights'

A smaller estate established itself as the third of the Bedfordshire baronies. This is connected with a family of Flemish adventurers. It seems that there were with the original Norman force two brothers, Seier and Walter, the younger still living in 1086, but the elder having died leaving two sons, Walter and Hugh; thus the younger Walter was head of the barony, and since he made his headquarters at Odell, his family came to be known as Wahull (an old form of Odell).

The nucleus of this estate was that of the former thegn Levenot, Levenot had held Odell, Podington, Thurleigh, Segenhoe or Ridgemont, part of Silsoe and also Totternhoe, while one of his men held Wymington. To this was added Langford, which had been held by another thegn, Lewin. The Flemings too had other small pieces of land, of which one at Henlow had been held by 6 socmen, one at Podington by 4 socmen; and pieces at Milton (Ernest) and Holme in Biggleswade, each of which had been held by 2 socmen.

Walter de Wahull's headquarters were at Odell on a stron defensive site overlooking the river, the site of Lord Luke's present house. An 18th century writer says of it that it 'must have been an impregnable fortress from its advantageous situation near the river and on a rock of considerable height and steep ascent.' Impressive, too was his brother, Hugh's stronghold at Thurleigh- Hugh's decendants took their name from the old form of Thurleigh, and were known as Lega. Here is a mound in two levels, rising 23 ft. above the bottom of the ditch or fosse, which is about 25 ft. across and 8-10 ft. deep. The outer rampart encloses a very wide area, and the entrance seems to have been on the northeast. The family had another stronghold on the Ridgmont holding, perhaps built later.

In 1086, nearly all the holdings was in the hands of members of the family, Walter de Wahull kept in his own hands Odell and Langford, Hugh (later deLess) had Podington and Thurleigh. The senior Walter had Segenhoe and some land at Silsoe.

The barony, Wahull of Odell remained for 200 years or more."

[pg. 33]

"The King's Thanes of Saxton days were landed gentry; some with large estates in several counties. The lands of Levenor, a wealthy thane of King Edward the Confessor, included Wahull, the modern Odell. After the Battle of Hastings, Lavenot's lands fell, with the title of Baron of Odell to Walter de Flandrensis, the brother-in-law of William the Conquerer, who came over with him and fought at Hastings.

The name Odell is purely English in origin, with a Norman-French background as it was first applied to the Norman, Walter de Flanders, who became known as Walter de Wahull. Odell was originally called Woodhill from the plant wood once used as a dye and apparently cultivated in Saxton days and later. The modern spelling is a corruption; the loss of the initial letter did not occur until about 1500 and Wodell continued to alternate with Odell during the 16th Century until Odell established itself. Other variations have been Woodhull, Odenhull, Odalhull, Odhul and finally Odle, Odill, and lastly Odell.

The title of nobility expired with the last of the Odell direct line. By the 16th Century (1575) the Odell Estate had come to Agnes Woodhall (the name had taken this form in the 1300's). She married Richard Chetwood and their son, Richard, tried to have his claim as Baron of Odell recognized, a claim his 18th and 19th century descendants revived without success.

The Odell castle rose above the north banks of the Ouse River. On 24 Feb. 1931, smoke was seen billowing from the furnace room and shortly afterwards the house was burning like a beacon. The Bedford fire brigade did what it could rescuing som of the old furniture and paintings, but the building was gutted.

Old Mrs. Ashton, who lived in the low-ceilinged cottage in High Street was a servant for many years in the big house and remembered it well: a whole sheep hanging in the cellar, the oil lamps and candles, the dark paneling, the 80 feet deep King John's well where the butler used to hang the champagne; and the ghost -- a smoky black insubstantial apparation that frightened the life out of her. Others, too, claimed to have seen the spectre, but none knew to whom the unquite spirit had belonged.

Now a new house, in the classical style, has arisen on the ancient site, the home of Lord Luke of Pancham. For it, much [pg. 34] of the old stone was reused. The stables have been replaced by dwellings, King John's Well has been filled in and only the piers of the 17th Century gates and the broad avenue of elms, with its regiment of rooks, still remain.

The Odell Mill's great undershot cast-iron wheel has long since ceased to turn and the mill has been converted into a pleasant residence looking across the Ouse River, which flows lik molten glass over the little dam. In Bedfordshire, England, the village of Odell still exists.

{centered and Underlined} English Odell's

Helewyse Vivonia, who was married to Walter de Wahull, son of Saither de Wahull, who died in 1250. His death occured in 1269 when he was succeeded by his son:

John de Wahull, who became of age in 1269. In the 22nd of King Edward I, he had a military summons to march into Gascony and later had a similar summons to march against the Welsh, but within 2 years, he died (in 1295). His wife was Agnes, daughter of Sir Henry Pinckeney of Weldon Pinckeney. Their son was:

Thomas de Wahull, who had the Manor of Wahull Co., Bedford and Pateshill Co. Northhampton, when he died in 1304. By his wife Hawise, daughter of Henry Praters, he left a son and heir:

John de Wahull, an infant at the time of his father's death. He married Isabella and died in the 10th of King Edward III. Their elder son, John's line ended with his two grand-daughters, Elizabeth and Eleanor who died without leaving issue. Their youngest son was Nicholas de Wahull, who married Margaret, daughter and heiress of John Foxcote and died in the 12th of King Henry IV. Besides a son and daughter, Edith and Margaret, Nicholas and wife, Margaret, had an elder son & heir:

Thomas de Wahull, who died in the 9th of King Henry V, having married Elizabeth, sister and heiress of Thomas Chetwode and had two sons, Thomas and William."

[pg. 35]

"The three immigrants from England to America are thought to be Thomas, William and Reginald. "

So from the above I have found:

1. Saither de Wahull (b.? d. 1250)
2. Walter de Wahull (b.?, d. 1269) m. Helewyse Vivonia
3. John de Wahull (b.?, d. 1295) m. Agnes Pinckeney
4. Thomas de Wahull (b.?, d. 1304) m. Hawise Praters
5. John de Wahull (b.?, d. 10th of King Edward III) m. Isabella (maiden name unknown)
6. Nicholas de Wahull (b.?, d. 12th of King Henry IV)

m. Margaret Foxcote

Thomas de Wahull b. 1389 of Warkworth, Northampton, England

Source: LDS Film #: 458336. alt. birth: 1390 of Warkworth, Northampton, England Source: LDS Film #: 178032, pg. 279, Ordinance #: 8268. Source 2: LDS Film #: 177938, Pg. 270, Ordinance #: 10204. d. 9th of King Henry V m. abt. 1410 of Warkworth, Northampton, England Source: LDS Films #: 458161, 458336, 457063, 2034351 to Elizabeth Chetwood

1. 8.(A.) Thomas Wodhull b. 1411 of Warkworth, Northampton, England Source: LDS Films #: 458161, 458336, and Film 451034 Ordinance #: 37828. believe him to be the Thomas Wodhull that m. as follows. m. abt. 1434 of Warkworth, Northampton, England Source: LDS Films #: 458349, 1985318. to Isabel Trussell children:

9(A.) Thomas Wodhull b. abt. 1437 of Warkworth, Northampton, England Source: LDS Film #: 458349, LDS Film #: 452794 Ordinance #: 8369.

9(B.) John Woodhul (more below) b. 1435 of Warkworth, Northampton, England Source: LDS Film #: 458349, LDS Film #: 452794 Ordinance #: 37863.

9(C.) Isabell Wodhull b. abt. 1441 of Warkworth, Northampton, England Source: LDS Film #:452808 Ordinance #: 8072 Source 2: LDS Film #: 458349. 8.B. William Wodhull b. abt. 1413 of Warkworth, Northampton, England Source: LDS Film #: 458336, LDS Film #: 452794 Ordinance #: 8370.

Believe that 9b. was the John Woodhull that married Joan Etwell and had:

Thomas Wodhull b. about 1461 in Thenford, Northampton, England Source: LDS Film #: 452794, Ordinance #: 8373.

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The following is taken from Sir Bernard Burke's "Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited and Extinct Peerages." (New edition, London, 1883.)

Walter De Wahull, whose son Simon De Wahull, in the time of King Henry I., or Stephen, with Sibyll, his wife, gave the church of Langford to the Knights Templars.

Walter De Wahull, certified, in the 12th year of the reign of Henry II. (1165) on the assessment of the aid for marrying the King's daughter, his knight's fees to be twenty-seven and three. He was later concerned in the insurrection of Robert, Earl of Leicester, and was made prisoner in a battle near St. Edmundsbury. By his first wife, Albreda, widow of Guy de St. Valery, Walter De Wahull had no issue, but by Roesia, his second wife, he had two daughters and two sons, Simon and John.