The Vavasour family are an English Catholic family whose history dates back to Norman times.
They are featured on the Battle Abbey Roll and lived at Hazlewood Castle from the time of the Domesday Book until 1908.
[1] The Vavasours are of Anglo-Norman descent and the various branches of the family are said to have descended from William le Vavasour, paternal grandfather of Maud le Vavasour, Baroness Butler.
During the years between the English Reformation up until the Catholic Emancipation, the Vavasours were noted as a recusant family for remaining staunchly Catholic despite being fined numerous times.
By showing up at services several times a year and pretending to conform to Anglicanism, they largely escaped persecution and managed to retain their property and wealth.