Antill family index [OCR source: The Antill Family by R.V. Pockley]

The Antills ...page 6

Schedules of Eltham as a Groom of the Chambers and Wardrobes of Henry VIII. There was reference to the sale of land to one Praise-God Barebones, of the Assembly of Nominees.

In 1595 Christopher Anketell, Esq, and Christopher Anketell Jnr, were Gentlemen of Dorset; Christopher was High Sheriff of Dorset in 1624. Coker, writing about 1620, says: "And seeing I have remembered particularly houses, I may not over passe Anctill's Place, seated on the south side of the town (Shaftesbury), under the hill, which not long sithence was the seat of the ancient and well-respected family of Anctills". This Anctill's Place, formerly a Manor and now a farm, is the earliest known residence of the Anketell family. The two Christophers sold the Manor and estate in about 1619 to Thomas Still.

The family name, spelt in various ways, occurs during the Civil Wars in England; Colonel Henry Anketell, third son of Christopher Jnr, was in Holy Orders from 1623 to 1645. He was Prebend of Wells in 1623, and was created Doctor of Divinity on 16 January, 1642. In February, 1645, as Col. Anketell, he and his Regiment held Corfe Castle in Dorset for the King; he was taken prisoner by Oliver Cromwell's forces. On 29 September, 1645, he died a prisoner in Ely House in Holburn, and his estate in Stour Provost was sequestered. In 1660 a Brereton Anketil was one of the Dorset Nobility who presented an address to Charles II after his Restoration.

In St. James Church, Shaftesbury, the baptism is recorded, on 9 April, 1609, of Oliver Anketill. In 1636 Oliver, "Sonne and Heire" of William Anketill, received a grant of land in the County of Monaghan and Fermanagh in Ulster. Oliver married Rebecca, daughter of John Bullingbroke of Galway, and had 4 children. When the Monaghan church was being removed, and the foundation stone of the new church was being laid, Oliver's tombstone was discovered. The inscription read: "Here Lyeth the Body of Oliver Anketill of Anketill's Place, Esquire, Head of the Antient Family of Shawstone" (Shaftesbury) "in Dorsetshire, in England, who Dyed at Ard Magh and was Buried at Monaghan the 28th Day of June, 1666". His son Matthew received the Anketill Grove Estate by Patent, and it is believed that it has remained from that date up to the present time in the possession of the family. A tree of the family, showing descent from the Roger of Domesday Book down to the grandson of Matthew, is appended. Recently, at Royal Sydney Golf Club, I met a Bill Anketell, from Melbourne. Bill claims descent from Matthew, and says he is the 24th generation from Roger of Anketil Place, 1245. Bill also sent me a piece of his family's notepaper, bearing the crest. The arms are the same as those in a book belonging to the Honourable Edward Antill - Argent a ....