Description:MAVESYN RIDWARE is a small, secluded and low-lying village situated in the Trent valley, approximately six miles from Lichfield. The name Mavesyn comes from the Mavesyn or Malvoisin family who held the manor during the Middle Ages. Ridware means ‘ford dwellers’ from ‘ rhyd’, , Celtic for ford and ‘wara’ from the Anglo Saxon meaning ‘ inhabitants’. Blithbury was included in the parish as was Hill Ridware.
In the Domesday Survey of 1086, Mavesyn Ridware was held by Roger, Earl of Shrewsbury, one of the largest landowners in the county and sub-tenanted to Azelin, another supporter of William the Conqueror. The area of the manor consisted of one and a half hides about 180 acres and it was worth 20 shillings annually.
32 families are recorded at Mavesyn Ridware in 1532. In the Hearth Tax returns of 1666, 40 households were chargeable for the payment of the tax while a further 11 were not chargeable. By the end of the 18th century there were 465 inhabitants but even by the census of 1851, there were still only 523 people recorded as living here.
The church of St Nicholas has a mediaeval north aisle and tower but the rest of the church was largely rebuilt in 1782. It is notable for the Mavesyn Chapel, which contains a large collection of monuments to the Mavesyn family, who were lords of the manor until 1403. They were of Norman descent and originated from Nantes. One of the monuments is to Sir Robert Mavesyn, who was killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403. For many years there had been a bitter feud between Sir Robert Mavesyn and Sir William Handsacre, who were on opposite sides politically. Eventually the two met in single combat. Sir William was killed but Sir Robert’s victory was short-lives as he was killed himself in the battle shortly afterwards.
The estate then passed to the Cawarden and then to the Chadwick families. Mavesyn Hall is nearby and stands on the site of the earlier old hall. It was built in 1718 by Charles Chadwick. The Chadwicks held the estate from 1615.
Hugo de Mavesyn founded a Benedictine monastery, later a nunnery at Blithbury about 1140, dedicated to St Giles.
Farming remained the principal occupation in the area until well into the 20th century, supported by agriculturally related trades.