The
Origins of the Strettells
Strettell/Strettle is derived from “Stret hull” or “hill
on a main or Roman road”. Documentary evidence puts the lost placename of
Strethull in north Cheshire in the parish of Mere.
In Ormerod’s History of Cheshire, Strethull is first
mentioned as a placename around 1176 in a deed involving Robert de Mara…
“septum laudas terrae in
Strethull”
Robert de Mara was lord of Mere around 1200 and was
descended from the illustrious Venables family who were Barons of Kinderton.
The first Baron Kinderton was Gilbert Venables, a knight who arrived with the
Conqueror in 1066.
Strethull manor
At this point in history, Strethull was clearly a place
somewhere in Mere parish. Ormerod describes Strethull as
“a small manor in Mere, part of which, if not the whole was held by a family bearing the local name”.
Volume II of “The Placenames of Cheshire” attempts to
locate the position of Strethull manor:
“The location of this place is to be sought in Mere cf. terras et tenementas in villa et territorio del Mere iuxta Rouesthorn scilicet hameletton’ dict’ Strethull 1392 CoLegh. It is associated with the Hulme family cf. Alexander Hulme of Strethull 1587 Strettle or Holmes tenement heretofore in the possession of George Holme 1676 CoLegh. Hulmebarns is a possibility. This location (101-722827) on the Knutsford-Warrington road, a mile north-west of the crossroads at Mere, might reinforce the suggestion of antiquity made by Street Field in High Legh as to that road, if the allusion is not to the Roman Road ‘Watling Street’ at Mere. Cf. Strettelegh 61 infra. Streethill(s) Green 55 infra in the adjoining township, Millington, could be considered, from its having the same name, were it demonstrable that this part of Millington had belonged to Mere.”
Another possible Strethull site at Hulme Barns Village of Mere Possible site of Streethill Green Roman Street climbs a hill here
Image reproduced with permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance
Survey of Northern Ireland
Gilbert de Strethull
Robert de Mara, lord of Mere, is recorded as having 6 sons
– Williams De la Mere (the rightful heir of Robert), Simon, Edward, Robert,
Philip and Gilbert.
In circa 1210, Philip and Gilbert received lands “in
Strethull” from their father. Gilbert became Gilbert de Strethull. We also have
evidence of Adam de Strethull in the 13th Century and a Richard le
Venables de Strettehull in the 14th century.
The Strettells and Strettles of today claim descent from
Gilbert de Strethull and his son William de Strethull although such a
connection cannot be firmly established.
The 1988 Dictionary of surnames by Hanks and Hodges
acknowledges the claimed descent but further notes that:
“So far the line can only be traced with any certainty back to Edward Strettell (d. 1626) of Mobberley, Cheshire”
Mobberley and Saltersley
As Hanks and Hodges imply, the first real documentary
evidence of the Strettell family first emerged in Mobberley around 1600. Many
Strettells/Strettles today are able to trace their history back to 17th
Century Mobberley. A stout line of Strettells who were probably the rightful
heirs to Strethull manor lived at Saltersley Hall near Mobberley throughout the
16th and 17th centuries.
Image reproduced with permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance
Survey of Northern Ireland
Mobberley village
Saltersley Hall
The village of Rostherne and the town of Knutsford were
also home to various Strettells before the industrial revolution started and a
growing number of Strettells were Quakers during this period. Strettell or
Strethill also became a Christian name found in other families in this corner
of Cheshire.
The Industrial Revolution
It was the start of the industrial revolution in the 18th
century which saw the family fan out from Mobberley to Manchester, Liverpool,
Prescot and Preston/Garstang in particular. Strettells also left Liverpool for
Ireland and for America.
To this day, the phonebooks covering this part of England
contain the highest number of Strettells and Strettles.
Many Strettells joined the ranks of the English working
class during the Industrial Revolution but the heirs of Strethill manor did
not. This line of Strettells did not lose their status through the passage of
time and, during the last two hundred years, senior bankers, military
commanders and lawyers have been among their ranks. This line includes the
“Dashwood Strettells”, apparently indicating a connection with the notorious
Sir Francis Dashwood of West Wycombe in Bucks.
When I was very young, I was fortunate to briefly meet the
heir to this line of Strettells. In the late 1970s, they lived in Hammersmith
in London. I believe the father’s name was James and his son was David. They
had a large family tree, drawn up by an Aunt, showing their lineage back to 16th
century Mobberley.
Roland McLain-Smith
Oxfordshire
2004
