Just going through my files and would like to share this. · ID: I0786 · Name: Sir Adam I. DECOVENSTONE · Sex: M · Birth: WFT Est. 1070-1124 · Death: WFT Est. 1108-1202 · Note: Sir Adam was the first Norman knight that we know of in this family. The name appears to be settled by William the Conquerer at Cothelstone and Stawell in Moorlinch or(Merlinch) co. Somerset from the latter place which the family took its name. Sir Adam may have had a brother Pagan, as according to record there was a person by that name alive in 1090 As far as I can figure the founder of this family is the Norman Knight Adam , who came over with William the Conquerer in 1066 and his services were rewarded by giving him the manor deCovenstone or DeCothelstone" and the Manor of "deStawelle" in Moorlinch, County Somerset In 1633 Gerard wrote;"The Manor of Cothelstone dates long back to before the Conquest of 1066, when a Saxon King and Queen are said to have been its founders. They secluded themselves within its walls in fulfillment of a vow taken at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem . It has more the appearance of a cloister than a knightly castle such as the Warrior, Sir Adam might have desired." Cothelstone is a remarkable place on acct. of its great antiquity, being one of the oldest homes in England, sitting six miles from the Bristol Channel, in Quantock, County Somerset. It came into possession of the Stawell family in 1066. At that time the manor consisted of a beautiful and extensive mansion with many buildings belonging to it and immediately cloistered around it, including the Church, eleven farm houses and fifty four cottages. This manor has been retained in the Stawell/Stowell family in an unbroken line, from oldest to oldest son from 1066 to 1633. On the summit is a round tower, nothing whatsoever known about its builder or the date of its erection. From it a magnificent view is obtained, said to be the most extensive in England. The Manor of """de Stawelle" also dates back to old Saxon times when it was known as"Estwalla" or Eastern spring. Originally these Norman knights were known only by their Christian names, but gradually they adopted for purposes of identification, as their surnames, the name of the Manor or Estate where they lived. Thus Sir Adam changed his to Sir Adam de Covestone. This was soon changed to Sir Adam de Stawelle. The title branch inherited by the eldest son was very influential in the 12th, 13th,14th and 15th centuries and in time of Civil Wars was the most prominent family in South Western England, as they acquired by marriage or purchase some 26 additional manors or estates with the church livings and advowsons that accompanied them. They built one of the largest mansion houses in England. They were Royalists and staunch supporters of the Stuarts. When the Parliamentary party and Cromwall came into power the Estates were confiscated and their mansion house and church badly damaged and Sir John Stawell was imprisoned for several years in The Tower of London, living in poverty with his health completely broken down. Under Charles II a restoration party was made of such property as remained and his son Ralph as recompense was created on 15 January 1683, a Baron under the title of "Lord Stawell of Somerton", named after one of the other manors. Later, when the title of Baron lapsed owi! ng to the failure of a male issue it was continued by a special Act of Parliament upon the daughter Mary as Baroness Stawell, 21 May 1760, with the right of inheritance by her male heirs, but after a few generations the title of Baron again became extinct because of lack of male issues. Some of the younger sons were created Knights in their own right through their ability and prominence and thus acquired the Title of Sir and served as members of Parliament and in other high offices. Marriage 1 Spouse Unknown Married: WFT Est. 1094-1159

At 07:02 PM 2/25/06 -0500, Laurien Fan wrote: >Just going through my files and would like to share this. > >· ID: I0786 > >· Name: Sir Adam I. DECOVENSTONE > >· Sex: M > >· Birth: WFT Est. 1070-1124 > >· Death: WFT Est. 1108-1202 What does the WFT stand for? Tim Stowell - 12th generation Chattanooga, TN Moderator STOWELL-L and STOWELL-D lists

WFT is the designation for World Family Tree estimated dates I believe. Usually the estimated range is so large that I find them rather useless, particularly with more recent designations. I checked my recent Plantagenet Ancestry (2004) by Richardson and did not find DECOVENSTONE listed. There were 3 page references for de STAWELL or SEAWELL but a cursory check of the three rather large pages in small print I did not find the references. The Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants by Gary Boyd Roberts had no references to either name. The Plantagenet Ancestry on page 185 made reference to Dorothy CAREW, wife of John Stowell and Hugh Pollard, Knt. Margaret Scheffler ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Stowell" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 12:19 AM Subject: Re: [STOWELL-L] STOWELL - ADAM DE STAWELL > At 07:02 PM 2/25/06 -0500, Laurien Fan wrote: >>Just going through my files and would like to share this. >> >>· ID: I0786 >> >>· Name: Sir Adam I. DECOVENSTONE >> >>· Sex: M >> >>· Birth: WFT Est. 1070-1124 >> >>· Death: WFT Est. 1108-1202 > > > What does the WFT stand for? > > > > Tim Stowell - 12th generation > Chattanooga, TN > Moderator STOWELL-L and STOWELL-D lists >