'Charnell1'Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Charnels of Bedworth, Charneles of Elmsthorpe, Charnell of Muston

                               
(1) It appears that Nichols's understanding of the early generations of this family developed over time. The following therefore gives precedence to his later works over his earlier works. We admit to having focused on the pedigree trees provided by Nichols and to have read only a very little of the text. [Consequently, anyone who has a particular interest in this family should read the sources identified below. They are available online.] Nevertheless, it seems that Nichols did not fully tie together the various branches of this family.
(2) Possibly the earliest 'Charnell' found by Nichols was the following Hugolett (same as Hugo? possibly Hugo the younger??) whose line bore arms identified as "Gules, a fess Ermine between two chevrons Or."
Hugolett de Charnell
m. Margaret
1. Hugo Charnell (a 1189)
  A. Sir Ralph Charnell of Muston (a 1254, 1270)
  i. Sir Hugo de Charnell (a 1286)
m1. Beatrix Colvile (dau/heir of Sir Henry de Colvile of Muston)
  a. Sir John Charnell (a 1301, 2nd son?)
  m. Alice (a 1303)
  (1) Sir John Charnell (a 1306, 1321)
  (A) William de Charnell (a 1364)
  m. Margaret de Wollaton (dau/coheir of Ralph de Wollaton)
  (i) Norman Charnell of Muston (a 1388, 1431)
  m. Margaret (a 1446)
  (a) Elizabeth Charnell
  m. John de Bingham (a 1446, 1478)
  (2) Elizabeth Charnell
  b.+ other issue - Hugo, Roger
  m2. Mabel la Fleming (m2. Sir Nicholas Trimonell)

 

 

It is clear that Nichols found if difficult to sort out the early generations of the following branches, particularly in distinguishing between the various Williams of this era.
William de Charnells (a temp Henry II who r. 1154-1189)
1. William de Charnells
  m. Agnes (dau of Lucas Quadramaris of Godeby & Coleorton)
  A. Nicholas de Charnells
Nichols (Vol 3 p1049*) shows the above ancestry for the following William and shows William as father (by Beatrix) of Nicholas of Elmsthorpe, William of Snareston, Ralph & Roger. However, Nichols (Vol 4, p984*) starts with 2 Williams, William (father by Beatrix of Nicholas of Swepston, William of Bedworth & Roger) and William of Schevisby (possibly father by Clemencia of William of Snarkeston) without identifying their parentage. Provisionally, we keep the parentage reported in Vol 3 (1804) but move the various ancestors of later branches to be consistent with Vol 4 (1811). The main difference concerns the ancestry of the line of Snarkeston (Snareston).
  i. William de Charnells or Charneles of Elmsthorpe & Swepston (d by 1250)
  m. Beatrix (a 1250)
  a. Sir Nicholas de Charnele of Elmsthorpe, Swepston, etc.
  m. Cecilia
  b. Sir William de Charnele of Bedworth, Warwickshire (a 1295, 1300)
  (1) Henry de Charnels of Bedworth (a 1309)
  (A) Sir William de Charnels of Bedworth (a 1331, 1349)
  m. Margareta (a 1383)
  (i) John Charneles of Bedworth (dsp 1397)
  m. Elizabeth (a 1402)
  (ii) Johanna Charneles
m. John de la Hlle (or Atte-hale)
  (a) Margareta de la Halle possibly of this generation
  m. Sir William de Asteley (a 1420)
  c. Roger de Charnele
  ii. William de Charnelis of Schevisby
  Nichols (vVl 4) efers to a document that indicates that this William was indeed brother of the above William.
  m. Clemencia de Bereford (dau of Symon de Bereford & Margeria (m1/2. _ de Appleby?), (half-)sister of William de Appleby)
  Nichols (Vol 3, p1047*) names the mother of the following William as Petronell, dau/heir of Sir Simon de Bereford of Snareston. Vol 3 then shows William & Petronell possibly having 2 sons, John of Snareston possibly father of John (m1. Margaret Caversham m2. Joice Arden) who had no children and was succeeded by the John who married Joice Grevill (see continuation). Vol 4 simplifies this, albeit leaving some uncertainty, by showing William & Clemencia as having issue and then, just below them in the tree but without providing a proper connection to him (indicating doubt as to the connection), showing the following William.
  a. William de Charneles of Snarkeston (Snareston) (d before 1329)
  m. Margeria (a 1329)

Main source(s):
(1) For upper section : 'History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester' (John Nichols, vol 2, part 1, 1795, 'Pedigree of Charnell of Muston', p295)
(2) For lower section : 'History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester' (John Nichols, vol 3, part 2, 1804, 'Pedigree of Charnells of Elmesthorpe, Swebston, &c.', p1049* (after 1046)), 'History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester' (John Nichols, vol 4, part 2, 1811, 'Pedigree of Charnells', p984* (before 979))
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