The parishes of Henley in Arden and Beaudesert are closely linked. Even in mediaeval times the two Manors, although separate, were always associated with one another. Beaudesert, the elder of the two, is linked with the history of the powerful De Montfort family who settled here after the Norman Conquest and named the manor "Beldesert " meaning "Beautiful Waste". During the 11th century Thurstan De Montfort built the castle which stood on the hill known locally as "The Mount". This was a fortified Norman castle built of wood and stone probably on the site of an earlier camp camp. In 1140 a charter was granted to hold a market and weekly fair in his castle. As a result the people of Beaudesert prospered and the town of Henley began to grow. The Norman Church of St. Nicholas at the bottom of Beaudesert Lane was built about the same time and is is noted for it's beautiful Norman arches. The first document of importance mentioning Henley was a Charter granted in 1220 by Henry 111 to Peter De Montfort to hold a weekly market and a yearly fair at the feast of St. Giles. Peter de Montfort was killed with his famous namesake - Simon de Montfort  - at the Battle of Evesham. As a reprisal for Peter's part in the Baron's revolt the castle was burnt down by Royalists and today no part of the castle remains. A model of how it might have been has been created for the Heritage Centre in Henley.

Henley's fortunes recovered and by 1296 it had became an important market town in the parish of Wootton Wawen where the inhabitants had to worship. This was a difficult and dangerous journey and so in 1367 a church was erected in Henley on the site of the present church of St. John the Baptist which was built in 1448. This. Church housed the Chapel of the Guild of St. John.

This is the old Market Place, and   the remains of the 15th century Market Cross, one of the few still existing in Warwickshire - it is composed of local stone but only the raised base of three steps and the shaft are left. Originally the cross had a four-sided head. In the 17 century the cross was covered with a shed attached to the Old Market Hall which was pulled down in 1793. The head of the cross deteriorated and was lost in about 1894. Proclamations have been made from the Cross for five centuries and in our own time declarations of national importance such as the accession of Queen Elizabeth in 1952 and her Jubilee in 1977 were made from the Cross.

The one mile of Henley High Street is a conservation area and contains many buildings of architectural interest. The Guild Hall is a half timbered Elizabethan building and stands to the north of St. John's Church. It has been extensively restored though many of the original timbers remain. The meetings of the Court Leet and Court Baron, the feudal courts for the administration of justice within the Manor were revived in 1915 and take place annually with traditional ceremony, for the appointment of a high Bailiff and other officers of the Court. In 1976 under a new statute this court is exempt from the Act which abolishes extinct and antiquated courts and so will continue to meet annually to elect its officers and administer the Guild Hall Trust which owns the Guild Hall and other property in the town and also maintains the Riverside Garden in Beaudesert Lane.
The Guild Hall and walled garden can be viewed on application to the custodian at the Guild Cottage, on the right, through the passage to the north of the Guild Hall. The very beautiful garden is entered though the grille gate in the passage.
The Court Leet is now presided over by the current Lord of the Manor, Mrs Robin Hardy-Freed, daughter of the American lumber millionaire Mr Joseph Hardy of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who bought the title at auction in London and who has shown great interest and affection for Henley and it's inhabitants. Through his generosity the Guild Cottage has been completely renovated and he has provided substantial sums to provide a Heritage and Educational Centre for the town and its visitors.

The Norman Church of St. Nicholas

Useful Links
Beaudesert Castle - Henley
Henley in Arden Parish Church
Henley in Arden Heritage Centre
Beaudesert Castle - Henley