Avora Swillington

Family

Robert Swillington (62a) was born 1325 at Swillington, Yorkshire, England, the second son of Sir Adam de Swillington and his first wife Joan de Dyne. He died in 1391 at his Gonalston seat in Nottinghamshire.

He became the richest, if not also the greatest, man of his house.

He married first in 1348 to Avora, daughter of Sir Stephen Walys and Alice St. Philibert, with issue.

He “subsequently entered into an irregular alliance with some member of the neighboring knightly family of Hopton.”

About 1370 he married again, this time to a lady much younger than himself and a great heiress, Margaret, the daughter and coheiress of Sir Roger Beler, a Leicestershire magnate, by another Margaret, the elder co heiress of Sir Richard de la River, also of Leicestershire. It seems to have been this marriage which led him to practically forsake his Yorkshire home, and to live for the most part on his more southern estates.

At his death he left an enormous fortune, including seventy-five estates, thirty-five of which were manors.

Robert Swillington's 2nd wife was named Margaret Bellars.

In his will, no date given but proved July 22nd 1391, he lists:

Margaret his wife,

Margery Swyllington his daughter,

Richard Swyllington his son,

Rawlyn Swyllington his son,

Roger Swyllington his son,

Thomas Hopton his bastard,

Joan, wife of Roger Swyllington

Richard, evidently the oldest son by his first wife, finds no place in any pedigree.

Rawlyn, probably his brother, is perhaps the foundation for the the mysterious Reyner.

Margery is daughter of the second wife and married Sir John Grey.

Thomas Hopton was the natural son of Robert de Swyllington and is certainly the ultimate successor to the settled estates.

Richard and Rawlyn must have both died without issue.

References

• The Publications of the Thoresby Society, Volumes 14-15. Page 193. “Sketch pedigree of the Swillingtons of Swillington”. < GoogleBooks >