The Reynell surname is an early form of the Reynolds (surname).
The coat of arms for the Reynell family is described as:
Reynells of Ogwell
Sources include Rev. John Prince's The Worthies of Devon (1697?), and John Lambrick Vivian (editor), The Visitations of the Heralds to the County of Devon (1895). Prince described the Reynell family as being 'descended from a very antient stock, transplanted hither from the county of Cambridge... above three hundred years since; where it still flourishes in worshipful degree'. The Heralds Visitations of 1620 traced earlier generations of the family and described the first of this distinguished line as 'Richard Reinell who had the custody of the Castles of Exeter (built by Baldwin de Redvers) and Launceston... 1191, Sheriff of Devon 1191-94'
Between the reigns of King John and Henry V, the Reynells 'were ever men of great credit, fidelity, and service, to their Kings, country and state as well in peace matters as wars' They had great 'revenues, offices, lordships and lands, in sundry shires' including Somerset, Cambridgeshire and Yorkshire, but their greatest possessions were in Devon and Cornwall.
By the end of this period these included Malston (Old and New), Netherton, Frogmere, East Ogwell, Butterley, Sandhulk, Ellacombe, Crews-Morchard, Upton, Hidswell, Nootcombe, East and West Thwangley, Nassey, East-Raddon, Colebrook, Trebarch, Trebligha, Hyerland, Watringdon, Overcombe, Upbutterley, Nethercombe, Carpenters Fosse, Cottesbury, Ley, South-Downs, Shernewicke, Pittes, Eastabrook, Snedon, Penmalth, Overhosdon, Polhele, Tremollow, Wiero, St. Germans, Bodmin and lands in other villages and in Plymouth.
Some Reynells were with Henry V at the winning of Harfleur (a port later replaced by Le Havre) and Agincourt in 1415, some were keepers of the Castle at Calais, one of the Cinque Ports, some were 'knights of this shire in Parliament' and some served 'their Kings with a band of their own men at arms'. One Reynell was secretary to Henry VI and travelled with him to conclude a peace with France. The most consistent association of the family was with the law, 'sitting with the judges of the kingdom, in taking assizes, and determining grievous enormities', and it is to this tradition that Richard Reynell (d.1585) belonged, being a commissioner of the peace for nearly forty years.
O'Hagan, Mary (1990). A History of Forde House. Teignbridge District Council. pp. 19–49.
People whose family name is or was Reynell include:
Bowden is a historic estate in the parish of Yealmpton in Devon, England. From the 15th century until 1748 the manor house was for eight generations the seat of a junior branch of the Copleston family of Copplestone. The manor house was largely rebuilt in the 19th century and, together with some of its outbuildings, now serves as a farmhouse.
Sir Richard Reynell, of Pitney in the county of Somerset, Sheriff of Devon in 1191-4, was a knight who lived during the successive reigns of Kings Henry II (1154-1189), Richard I (1189-1199) and John (1199-1216).
Richard Reynell (1519–1585) of East Ogwell, Devon, was an English Member of Parliament. An account of him and his sons is given by John Prince in his Worthies of Devon.
Sir Richard Reynell (c.1558–1633) of Forde in the parish of Wolborough, Devon, was an English lawyer and Member of Parliament. He built the surviving Ford House, now in the suburbs of Newton Abbot and his daughter and sole heiress Jane Reynell, married the Parliamentary general Sir William Waller.
The Reynell Baronetcy, of Laleham in the County of Middlesex, was a title in the Baronetage of Ireland. It was created on 27 July 1678 for Richard Reynell, subsequently Member of Parliament for Ashburton in Devon, and Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench in Ireland 1691–1695. The 2nd Baronet, his son, represented the borough of Wicklow in the Irish House of Commons, but in contrast to his father had a generally undistinguished career. The 6th Baronet was a distinguished soldier who fought at the Battle of Waterloo. The title became extinct on his death in 1848. They were a junior branch of the ancient Reynell family of East Ogwell and West Ogwell in Devon.
Sir Edmund Fowell, 1st Baronet of Fowelscombe in the parish of Ugborough in Devon, was a Member of Parliament for Ashburton in Devon from 1640 to 1648.
Thomas Reynell of East Ogwell, Devon, was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1654 and 1689.
Sir Carew Reynell was an English courtier, soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1593 and 1622.
Sir Richard Reynell, 2nd Baronet (1673–1723) was an Anglo-Irish politician, barrister and landowner who sat in the Irish House of Commons as member for the borough of Wicklow from 1692 to 1693.
Sir Edmund Prideaux, 1st Baronet (1554–1628), of Netherton in the parish of Farway, Devon, was a Councellor at Law and Double Reader of the Inner Temple and was created a baronet on 17 July 1622. He purchased the estate of Netherton where in 1607 he built a new mansion house, known today as Netherton Hall, a grade II listed building. He was one of John Prince's Worthies of Devon.
Langley was a historic estate in the parish of Yarnscombe, Devon, situated one mile north-east of the village of Yarnscombe. It was long the seat of a junior branch of the Pollard family of Way in the parish of St Giles in the Wood, Devon, 3 miles to the south.
Creedy is an historic estate in the parish of Sandford, near Crediton in Devon. It is named from its location on the west side of the River Creedy. It was the seat of the Davie family from about 1600 until the late 20th century. The mansion house on the estate has been called at various times New House, Creedy House, and as presently, Creedy Park. It was first built in about 1600, rebuilt in 1846, burnt down in 1915 and rebuilt 1916–21. It is surrounded by a large park, the boundary of which is enclosed by a stone and brick wall several miles long.
Netherton in the parish of Farway in Devon is an historic estate situated about 3 1/2 miles south-east of Honiton. The present mansion house known as Netherton Hall was built in 1607 in the Jacobean style, restored and rebuilt 1836-44, and is a Grade II listed building.
West Ogwell is a village and former civil parish and manor, now in the parish of Ogwell, in the Teignbridge district, in the county of Devon, England. It is located 2 miles south-west of the town of Newton Abbot and 1 mile west of the village of East Ogwell. The church and manor house "lie hidden away on their own". In 1891 the parish had a population of 39. In 1894 the parish was abolished and merged with East Ogwell to form "Ogwell".
Sandridge is an historic estate in the parish of Stoke Gabriel in Devon, situated on high ground at the head of the River Dart estuary. The estate was originally encompassed on three sides by the river, which meanders along its border, leaving it on the east side. The present grade II* listed Italianate style Regency mansion house known as Sandridge House was built in 1805 by Lady Ashburton, to the design of John Nash.
Sherford is a village and former civil parish and manor, now in the parish of Frogmore and Sherford, in the South Hams district, in the county of Devon, England. It is situated about 2 1/2 miles east of the town of Kingsbridge. It should not be confused with the new town Sherford to be built on the outskirts of Plymouth, about 18 miles to the north-west. The parish church is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. In 1961 the parish had a population of 258. On 1 April 1986 the parish was abolished and merged with parts of South Pool and Charleton to form "Frogmore and Sherford". Sherford was recorded in the Domesday Book as Sireford/Sirefort/Sireforda.
Walter Reynell was an English landowner, soldier, administrator and politician who sat as Member of Parliament for Devon in 1404.
Walter Reynell, of Malston in the parish of Sherford, was an English landowner, administrator and politician from Devon who sat as MP for Totnes in 1447 and as MP for Devon in 1453.
John Reynell was a Member of Parliament for Devon in 1427/28.
Scoble, is an historic estate in the parish of South Pool near the south coast of Devon, England. The present Scoble House, located about 1 mile west of the village of South Pool, is a Grade II* listed building built circa 1720-40, probably around a more ancient core, with early 19th c. additions. It is a "tall stone house in a remote position" which represents a "slightly provincial, but nonetheless interesting example of an early - mid 18th century gentleman's house which has a remarkably complete interior and has not suffered from any extreme C20 modernisation."