Two turn of the century genealogists, one English⁽¹⁾, the other an American⁽²⁾, have claimed that the name Bicknell derived from a certain Beacon Hill, which in Anglo-Saxon times was pronounced Bykenhulle. This said Beacon Hill was identified as the present high ground once occupied by the Castle Neroche (872') at the eastern end of the Black Down Hills, approximately six miles west of Ilminster, in Somerset, England (302'W 5005'N). (See, Ex. A)

While the name may have derived from this hill, the actual site of the ancient and current village of Bickenhall lies on another smaller hill (272') approximately two miles to the north (301'W 5057'N). There one will also find the Bickenhall Plain and Bickenhall Farm (probably the site of the original manor). The discrepancy between the names Bicknell and Bickenhall is apparently due to the efforts of a local curate who, in beginning a new local register in 1745, desired to determine the correct spelling of the village name. His research uncovered the original name Bykenhulle, which he modernized and officially designated in the register as Bickenhall, even though the name was pronounced as Bicknell (as late as 1900) by the inhabitants and their neighbors.⁽³⁾

At any rate, it is apparent that the name Bicknell was derived from a manorial grant in the immediate area by Robert, Earl of Cornwall (William the Conqueror's half brother) to a certain William de l'Estre shortly after the Norman conquest of Britain in 1066. William de l'Estre was the son of a Norman baron from the village of Estre near Valognes, Normandy named Richard de l'Estre.⁽⁴⁾

The manor consisted of approximately 1500 acres and is mentioned in Domesday Book of 1086 as follows:

William de l'Estre holds the count Bichehalle [Bickenhall]. Aluric held it during the time of Edward the Confessor and paid geld [tax] for five hides [600 acres, one hide being 120 acres or the amount of land that could support one free family and its dependents]. There is land for five ploughs [a plough is the amount of land that eight oxen could plough in one year and was used as a measure for taxation]. In demesne [held by the manor] are one hide, two ploughs, three serfs, nine villiens, seven boarders with three plough, and the rest of the land. There are one riding horse, fourteen beasts, three swine and seven she goats. There are fourteen acres of meadow. Woodland one league long and one furlong broad (approximately three miles by mile, or 240 acres). It was worth 20 shillings and is now worth 70 shillings.This manor ought to pay as a customary rent to Curi [Curry Rivel] the King's manor, five sheep with as many lambs, and from each free man one bloom [puddled bar] of iron. Since William the land from the count this rent has not been paid.⁽⁵⁾

In the mid 13th Century a descendant William de l'Estre had a daughter named Johanne who brought Bykenhulle as dowry in her marriage to Robert de Pavilly of Normandy. Both prior genealogical works give a marriage date of circa 1260.⁽⁶⁾ However, in 1244 the marriage appears to have already occurred in that "at the assizes [circuit court of medieval England] at Schyreburn [Sherburne?] Robert de Bryus was obliged to pay half a mark damages for disseising Robert de Pavilly and Joan his wife of their common pasture in Curylande [village and common adjoining Bickenhall]."⁽⁷⁾ Robert de Pavilly was the son of another Norman baron from Pavilly, a town twelve miles north of the Norman capital of Rouen. A Lord Amalbert de Pavilly founded a monastery at Pavilly in 664 AD.⁽⁸⁾

I found no further evidence of a direct lineage from Lord Amalbert to Robert de Pavilly. Likewise, the following lineage offered as, in fact, the lineage of our ancestors, may not hold up under close scrutiny. However, at the same time, there is equally no proof that a connection does not exist.

[Note: After posting this paper on the web, I received an email from Robin Bush of Tauton, Somerset who has posted on the On Beacon Hill website a well documented disproof of the Paveley descent. To see it go, HERE]

Robert and Joanne de Pavilly (also spelled Pavely) had a son named John, who as Lord of Bykenhulle assimilated his family into the manorial land by adopting the name "de Bykenhulle" in addition to de Pavilly. The two aforementioned genealogists give his birth year as 1281. From that point the spelling of the name begins to undergo its evolution, dropping the french "de" in the early 14th Century and changing to Bickenoll, Bykenell, Biconyll and ultimately Bicknell as early as 1539. (See, Ex. B)

John Collinson in his 1791, The History and Antiquities of Somerset, states that in 1281, the year of John de Pavely's death, that he held "Bickenhall in capite of the King, by the service of one knight's fee."⁽⁹⁾ It therefore appears that 1281 is a death date for John de Bykenhulle rather than a birth date (particularly in light of the earlier correction of Robert de Pavilly's marriage to Johanne de l'Estre, as prior to 1244 and not 1260 as given by the same sources that gave 1281 as the year of John's birth).

Collinson continues his history of Bickenhall by stating that in 1326 another John de Pavely (note lack of reference to the name de Bykenhulle) held the manor, but in 1327 it passed to his brother Robert who was married to Alice.⁽¹⁰⁾

A transcribed excerpt of the Lay Subsidy Roll for Somerset County for the same year, 1327, lists a John de Bykenhulle and a Walter Bykenhulle.⁽¹¹⁾ However, an apparently complete transcription of the same year's Lay Subsidy Roll for Bickenhall parish lists only "Johanne atte Watere" as third tier tax payers.⁽¹²⁾

Collinson further states that Bickenhall Manor was no longer held by the de Pavilly family (at least through the male line of descent) as early as 1343 when a John de Stapilton obtained the manor through royal grant.⁽¹³⁾

The reason for the de Pavilly loss is not given, but amongst the scourges of the 14th Century were the 100 years war (1337-1453) and the Black Death (notable English epidemics of 1315 and 1348), although other natural or political causes cannot be ruled out. The 14th Century depopulation of England, as the result of plague, has been noted as an accelerating factor in the demise of feudal economic and social structure.⁽¹⁴⁾ Former serfs and traditional tenants who survived found demand for their labor presented new opportunities, and risks, as both freeholders and paid laborers.

It is not unreasonable to assume that between the mid 13th and mid 14th Centuries, that a branch of the family descended through younger sons who adopted the Bykenhulle surname. Perhaps some family members stayed on manor lands as tenant or freehold farmers, or migrated then or earlier to other manors or parishes. It is also possible that our line adopted the name through some sort of non-blood affiliation with the Bykenhulle manor or the de Bykenhulle family. A great deal of laborious research may be required before any firm conclusion can be reached.

The two aforementioned genealogists link, without offering firm evidence, the main line of descent within our subject lineage to a John Biconyll of Woolavington Manor (fifteen miles north of Bickenhall) who lived prior to 1439. One of his three sons was John Biconyll (Shaftesbury MP in 1455 and Escheator for Devon and Cornwall, 1455-56), whose son, in turn, was Sir John Biconyll (MP for Somerset and Dorset and close ally of Henry VII) who died without issue in 1501. Sir John had several brothers and sisters all of which died prior to his death.⁽¹⁵⁾ I have not found any evidence of those brothers having children themselves. Upon the death of Sir John in 1501, his estate passed to his wife and then in 1504 to a son from her first marriage, Sir William de St. Maur.⁽¹⁶⁾

Given the geographical proximity, as well as their military and financial status (humble though it may be), of our known precursors whom we can trace back to at least 1539, some sort of linkage to the above lineage would appear, in my opinion, likely. But as yet, I have found no firm connection. However, if such a connection does exist, it probably would have occurred between the mid 13th to late 15th Centuries.