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Manor Overview
Manor Overview - this is a short description of your manor that includes a summary of information. 1-2 paragraphs is recommended.
Background
Prior to the gradual dissolution of Roman presence in the area, Woodford was once home to a small garrison of legionnaires. Villagers, seeking protection from the raiders to the north, flocked to the settlement and over time it grew beyond the garrison. Later, as the Romans withdrew from Britain, a family came to rule over the settlement, having acquired the lands neighboring it by wit, might and coin, having come to adopt some Roman customs for themselves, such as the Roman religion. Hotly contested by some of the more distant branches of the bloodline, the family nevertheless carried on with their newfound beliefs.
The privileged location of Woodford - neighboring the river - allowed it to flourish as an agricultural settlement and by 440, a modest motte and bailey was erected in order to provide shelter from raiders. Over time, the ruling family adopted the settlement's name as their own. Their hatred for the Pictish is well known — in 440, a sudden raid killed the then-ruler, Neirin ap Arwel of Woodford, who, although he died, managed to save the settlement from a brutal fate after successfully rallying his soldiers to an effective, but desperate, counter-offensive.
His son, Dafydd, was then raised by his mother, a Lady belonging to the Broughton family, to avenge his father's death. And he, along with those of his siblings of a martial persuasion, took up arms and pledged service to Salisbury. He fought in many different engagements, worthy of his spurs and title of vassal knight, before dying at Mt. Damen. He, too, had many children.
Llewellyn ap Dafydd, the predecessor to the current vassal knight earned his spurs and fought during the invasion of Frankland, though he died tragically several years later at the Battle of Tintagel Castle, for Uther, survived by his son and the children that his wife, Lady Dilys, was pregnant with. When they were born, the mainline of the Woodford family consisted solely of three; the eldest and heir, and the twins.
Acwel took over as Head of House when he came of age, and during the autumn of 514, took up a mission for the Earl that sent he, his bethrothed, sister and brother, to Helvetia. His uncle, Cadfan de Woodford, was assigned by the Earl as Acting Head of House in the intern.
The Woodford family has brought to the Court of Salisbury dutiful, skilled knights, willing to put their lives down in the name of the Earl.
Location
Located west of Sarum, the Woodford manor has been built on the ruins of a Roman outpost; aging stone structures are reinforced with wood, keeping this ancient building from collapsing. Recently, with Sir Acwel's request of a stone tower from King Arthur, construction has begun of a stone tower overlooking the manor and the river within their borders, possibly one of many structures to be raised on the land.
The plains that Woodford stakes claim to are fertile and often used for agricultural reasons; they possess a respectable amount of livestock and their fields are often sown with crops year-long, marking this as the manor's primary economic activity. Conversely, the current lord of the house has been involved with expanding a small smithy within the village to better attend the local needs for weapons in the event of raiders.
Political Relationships
Woodford has blood ties to Stapleford and Newton and is explicitly allied with both. Pagan manors are viewed with distrust if not hostility and the Woodfords are recently in the process of becoming closely aligned with British Christian manors such as the Dintons, the Pittons and their distant relations, the Broughtons.
Residents
Noble Family Members
Commoners
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Family Tree
Family Tree (image recommended; ask Arian if you would like a Family Tree image created)
Timeline
440: | Neirin of Woodford Dies - Pictish Raiders, passion hate (picts) 8 |
460-461: | Dafydd ap Neirin of Woodford Knighted |
464: | Dafydd Married |
465: | Llewellyn ap Dafydd Born |
466-467: | Siege of Carlion |
468: | Battle of Snowdon |
469-472: | Numerous raids on Saxons |
473: | Battle of Windsor |
478-479: | Battle of Frisia |
480: | Battle of Salisbury |
484: | Battle of Eburacum |
484: | Dafydd of Woodford Died, Battle of Mt. Damen |
485: | Llewellyn Knighted |
488: | Invasion of Frankland |
490: | Acwel born - Battle of Lindsey |
491: | Llewellyn dies at Tintagel Castle |
492: | The Woodford twins born |
511: | Acwel Knighted |