Greet, Birmingham
Encyclopedia
Greet is a historical area in south Birmingham
, England
, around modern Sparkhill
.
Now a name obsolete in addresses, Greet, meaning "gravel" (grit)", was one of the medieval manors around Birmingham on the eastern gravelly slopes of the sandstone ridge which runs through central Birmingham. The manor was a timber-framed house, first mentioned in 1562, with the majority of the surrounding land being owned by Studley Priory. This land had been given to the priory by William de Edricheston in 1254, soon after he had acquired it. The land remained in the ownership of the Priory until 1545 when it was sold to Clement Throckmorton and Sir Alexander Avenon, an ironmonger who would later become Lord Mayor of London
. Avenon gave the land to his son and wife in 1570, before dying in 1580. In 1586, his son, Alexander, pledged his manor to cover a debt which he owed to a Thomas Starkey
, and in the same year sold the reversion to James Banks, who sold it in 1601 to Henry Greswolde. Greswolde died in 1602 and left Greet to his eldest son, George, who was just thirteen years old at the time. Dorothy, widow of Henry, continued to live at Greet manor, having purchased from Joan, widow of Thomas Starkey, her interest in the manor.
George Greswolde died in 1612, and was succeeded by his brother Humphrey. He died in 1660, and was succeeded in turn by his two sons Humphrey, who died in 1671, and Henry, who died in 1700, leaving four sons. These were: Humphrey who died unmarried in 1712, Henry who left a daughter Anne, Marshal and John. In 1776, Henry Greswolde Lewis, held a third. The other two thirds were held, in 1784, by William Richard Wilson and Jane Anne Eleanor, his wife, who appear to have given up their share to Henry Greswolde Lewis. He was succeeded in 1829 by his kinsman
, Edmund Meysey Wigley, who assumed the name Greswolde and died unmarried in 1833. On his death, Henry Wigley, who also assumed the name Greswolde, became tenant for life under the will of Henry Greswolde Lewis, and he and his son, Edmund Greswolde, who was tenant in line, barred the estate in tail and conveyed the estates to the use of Henry Greswolde for life, with remainder to Edmund Greswolde in fee simple. Edmund died in 1836, and on his death, his father succeeded to the estates in fee simple under the will of Edmund.
Situated next to Wake Green
, Greet gave its name to Greet Common (upon which now stands Moseley School
), and the now lost Greet Mill , at the point where the A34 road crosses the River Cole
between Sparkhill and Hall Green
. Greet Mill was the water mill 1 km. north (downstream) of Sarehole Mill
and was first mentioned in 1275. Another mill was also located in Greet, called Lower Greet Mill, which was first mentioned in 1725.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, around modern Sparkhill
Sparkhill
Sparkhill is an inner-city area of Birmingham, England, situated between Springfield, Hall Green and Sparkbrook.-Etymology:Sparkhill takes its name from Spark Brook, a small stream that flows from Moseley to the River Cole in Small Heath. It was, as the name suggests, a hill that was situated...
.
Now a name obsolete in addresses, Greet, meaning "gravel" (grit)", was one of the medieval manors around Birmingham on the eastern gravelly slopes of the sandstone ridge which runs through central Birmingham. The manor was a timber-framed house, first mentioned in 1562, with the majority of the surrounding land being owned by Studley Priory. This land had been given to the priory by William de Edricheston in 1254, soon after he had acquired it. The land remained in the ownership of the Priory until 1545 when it was sold to Clement Throckmorton and Sir Alexander Avenon, an ironmonger who would later become Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
. Avenon gave the land to his son and wife in 1570, before dying in 1580. In 1586, his son, Alexander, pledged his manor to cover a debt which he owed to a Thomas Starkey
Thomas Starkey
Thomas Starkey was an English political theorist and humanist.Starkey attended the University of Oxford and gained an MA at Magdalen College in 1521. After this, Starkey stayed in Padua until around 1526...
, and in the same year sold the reversion to James Banks, who sold it in 1601 to Henry Greswolde. Greswolde died in 1602 and left Greet to his eldest son, George, who was just thirteen years old at the time. Dorothy, widow of Henry, continued to live at Greet manor, having purchased from Joan, widow of Thomas Starkey, her interest in the manor.
George Greswolde died in 1612, and was succeeded by his brother Humphrey. He died in 1660, and was succeeded in turn by his two sons Humphrey, who died in 1671, and Henry, who died in 1700, leaving four sons. These were: Humphrey who died unmarried in 1712, Henry who left a daughter Anne, Marshal and John. In 1776, Henry Greswolde Lewis, held a third. The other two thirds were held, in 1784, by William Richard Wilson and Jane Anne Eleanor, his wife, who appear to have given up their share to Henry Greswolde Lewis. He was succeeded in 1829 by his kinsman
Kinsman
A kinsman is a male relative . The term Kinsman may also refer to:-Places in the United States:*Kinsman, Illinois*Kinsman, Ohio*Kinsman Township, Trumbull County, Ohio...
, Edmund Meysey Wigley, who assumed the name Greswolde and died unmarried in 1833. On his death, Henry Wigley, who also assumed the name Greswolde, became tenant for life under the will of Henry Greswolde Lewis, and he and his son, Edmund Greswolde, who was tenant in line, barred the estate in tail and conveyed the estates to the use of Henry Greswolde for life, with remainder to Edmund Greswolde in fee simple. Edmund died in 1836, and on his death, his father succeeded to the estates in fee simple under the will of Edmund.
Situated next to Wake Green
Wake Green
Wake Green is a historical area in south Birmingham, England between Moseley, Kings Heath, and Hall Green.Like nearby Sarehole it is no longer a postal address. It used to straddle the parish boundary of Yardley and Kings Norton and was an area of 'waste land', that is, land which had not yet...
, Greet gave its name to Greet Common (upon which now stands Moseley School
Moseley School
Moseley School: A Language College is a large comprehensive school in the Moseley area of Birmingham, England. It has a predominantly male, Muslim student population...
), and the now lost Greet Mill , at the point where the A34 road crosses the River Cole
River Cole, West Midlands
The River Cole is a river in the English Midlands. It rises in Redhill, near Kings Norton, South of Birmingham. After flowing through Birmingham, it passes Coleshill, to which it gave its name. It joins the River Blythe, of which it is a tributary, near Ladywalk, shortly before the Blythe meets...
between Sparkhill and Hall Green
Hall Green
Not to be confused with Hall Green, Wolverhampton or Hall Green, SandwellHall Green is an area and ward in south Birmingham, England. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
. Greet Mill was the water mill 1 km. north (downstream) of Sarehole Mill
Sarehole Mill
Sarehole Mill is a Grade II listed water mill on the River Cole in Hall Green, Birmingham, England. It is now run as a museum by the Birmingham City Council. It is one of only two working water mills in Birmingham, with the other being New Hall Mill in Walmley, Sutton Coldfield.Built in 1542 on...
and was first mentioned in 1275. Another mill was also located in Greet, called Lower Greet Mill, which was first mentioned in 1725.