Donington-with-Boscobel History
The parish of Donington was recorded
in the Domesday book as "Donitone". Its origins are Saxon. The name derives from either Dunningtun (the farm of
the Dunnings) or Dunnantun (the farm of Dunna). The manor was held by
the Saxon earl Edwin and at the conquest it passed to Earl Roger de Montgomery,
who probably founded the church between 1085 and 1094. The very close
proximity
of the two churches of Donington and Albrighton is probably due to the
fact that at that time this was an isolated and somewhat lawless area.
Donington was originally no more than scattered small hamlets around
common land and the church was probably built at the edge of the parish
for security,
close to the main settlement of Albrighton and its church.
After the defeat of Charles's
Royalist army at the hands of Cromwell's New Model Army, the King fled with Lord Derby, Lord Wilmot and other royalists,
seeking shelter at the safe houses of White Ladies Priory and Boscobel
House.
The King was among those sheltered
at Boscobel House, where he was disguised as a woodman by the owners
of the property, Charles Giffard and the Pendrell family. Their initial
attempt
to escape to Wales was thwarted by Commonwealth troops, and the King
returned to the house. He there met with William Carlis (or Careless),
one of the
last royalists to escape the battlefield. Carlis's rank is variously reported as Captain, Major and Colonel.
Boscobel House
As Commonwealth troops approached
the house, searching for Royalists, the King and Carlis spent a day hidden
in the Royal Oak with William Pendrell who was caretaker at Boscobel, and
the next day hidden in a priest hole at Boscobel House. After this, Giffard
and the Pendrells were able to use their contacts with other Catholics
to smuggle the King and Wilmot to France.
After the Restoration in 1660 Charles
granted annuities to the Pendrells for their services (still paid to
their descendants to this day) and for Carlis's help during the escape from Worcester and for other services, Charles, by letters
patent, granted Carlis the new surname of Carlos (Spanish for Charles)
and a new "appropriate" coat of arms. The Pendrells and Colonel Carlis were permitted to amend their
coats of arms to depict an oak tree and three royal crowns.
Son
of Royal Oak
The tree standing on the site today
is not the original Royal Oak, which is recorded to have been destroyed
during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by tourists who cut
off branches and chunks as souvenirs. The present day tree is believed
to be
a two or three hundred-year old descendant of the original and is thus
known as 'Son of Royal Oak'.
In
2000, Son of Royal Oak was badly injured during a violent storm and
lost many branches. Another oak sapling was planted near the site of
the original
Royal Oak in 2001 by Prince Charles; it was grown from one of the
Son's acorns and is thus a grandson of the Royal Oak. In commemoration of the tree's significance in British history a number of places and things have been named
after the Royal Oak. The Royal Oak is the third most common pub name in Britain.
Boscobel House and the Royal Oak
and nearby Whiteladies Priory are now cared for by English Heritage and
guided tours are available on most days.
Donington-with-Boscobel is not to
be confused with Donnington near Telford.
Copyright (c) 2013 ALBRIGHTON and DISTRICT CIVIC SOCIETY