Behind the village to the east rises the hill, locally known as 'The Mount', crowned with the earthwork remains of Beaudesert Castle of the De Montforts.

[4] It was believed to have been anciently known as Donnilee, the name implying the place of a fort;[7] However, recent writers such as the Victoria County History[4] have refuted this and Donnelie is now reckoned to be Honiley in the latest editions of the Domesday Book.

Cooper wrote, "Beaudesert does not occur in the Domesday Book and William Dugdale[8] conjectures that the place Donnele is identical with it, but recent investigation does not support this view".

[4] About the year 1140, Thurstan obtained from the Empress Matilda the right to hold a market on Sundays at his castle of Beaudesert.

Peter obtained on, 10 February 1227 the grant of a market on Monday and a yearly fair at his manor of Beaudesert to be held on 'the eve, feast, and morrow of St. Giles'.

This John was concerned in the execution of Piers Gaveston, but was afterwards pardoned and died fighting for Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

[4][8] As John left no issue, Beaudesert and Henley in Arden passed to Peter his brother who had one son named Guy, married to Margaret, daughter of Thomas de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick.

[1] The chancel and south wall of the nave including the fine south doorway are Norman, the north doorway is also of this date but the north wall is later, the width of the nave having been reduced from its original width, as it cuts into the Norman chancel arch.