Polwhele History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Polwhele was first found in Cornwall where "in the ancient deeds of the Cornish family, the spellings Polwhele and Polhill are employed indifferently. The Polhills were certainly at Detling, co. Kent, in or before the reign of Edward II. An old spelling of the family was Polley." 1

"Polwhele, the seat of an ancient family of this name, is in this parish. The present representative is the Rev. Richard Polwhele, who now resides at Kenwyn, of whose literary character we have already spoken. The ancestors of this gentleman are said to have settled here prior to the Norman Conquest. Drogo de Polwhele was chamberlain to the empress Maude, early in the twelfth century, perhaps not fifty years after the Conquest. Their ancient castle, William of Worcester described as in ruins, about the middle of the fifteenth century. No vestige of this building remains; and the manor house, until lately repaired, discovered the effects of age, and furnished strong intimations of having passed through better days." 2

Once more into the archives we delved to find Walter de Polhey in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1248; William de Poleye in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 for Berkshire; Elias de Polye, de Polee in the Hundredorum Rolls for Norfolk in 1275; William de Polleye in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275; William Polleye in early Colchester record for 1346; and John Poley in the Assize Rolls for Essex in 1379. 3