Robert Bolling, IV

Robert Bolling was the son of Robert de Bolling and wife Margaret Thornoe. He was born in 1396 in Bolling Hall, Bradford, Yorkshire England and died htere on October 23, 1457. He married Isabel Thornton. Robert named seven children in his will. There may have been more.

In 1487 for this Robert de Bolling it all went wrong!

The War of the Roses was a terribly destructive, long-lasting, civil war in England between two families with rival claims to the throne, the Yorks and the Lancasters. Robert was on the Lancs side and lost the lot. He begged for his land back and said that he was forced to work for the other side!! He asked again ten years later and they let him have the Manor back. When they moved back to Bolling it had been left and they had a lot of work to do to get it back in shape. When Robert died 1487 his son Trisrtam held the manor. He had an only daughter called Rosamund who was left the whole estate when he died.

She was the last of the Bolling line. worth a fortune! and she out lived all her Children

Tristam Bollyng was also in the "War of the Roses". He deeded Bolling Hall to his daughter Rosamund and deeded Chellows to his son Edward. "Bowling Hall" was owned 172 years at Bradford , England.

Robert Bolling, Esquire, in the reign of King Edward IV. of England, owned "Bolling Hall," near Bradford, County Yorkshire. This Robert Bolling d. 1485 and was buried in the family vault in Bradford church, upon which is carved the Bolling arms. Bolling Hall passed to Tristam Bolling, whose daughter and heiress, Rosamond Bolling, married Sir Richard Tempest, and to their heirs the old Hall descended.

Passing over a century, we come upon an interesting episode in the past history of Bolling, namely, the attainder for high treason of one Robert Bolling and the confiscation of his estates. In the Wars of the Roses many of the landowners of this neighbourhood were implicated, and none more deeply than Robert Bolling of Bolling Hall. Like many others of Yorkshire he espoused the cause of the Lancastrians, under the banner of Lord Clifford of Skipton Castle, and was at the battle of Towton on Palm Sunday, March 29th, 1461.

In that sanguinary encouter 36,000 men were slain, and the Lancastrians were uterrly defeated. The result was very disastrous to the Bollings. For the part taken in it by Robert Bolling, he was convicted of high treason, attainted by order of Parliament, and deprived of his estates, the manor of Bolling being made over to a partisan of the King named Thomas Radclyfe.

John James, in his 'History of Bradford,' gives an interesting account of this event, and quotes the following extract from a petition of Robert Bolling to King Edward IV. in 1475: "Humbly beseeching your Highness, your true liegeman, Robert Bolling, in the Shire of York, gentilman, sheweth, that in the Parliament holden at Westminister, the 4th November, in the first year of your Highnesss's reign, the said Robert was attainted of high treason, and that his lands were forfeited from the 4th March preceding; that suppliant was never against your Highness in any field or journey, except on Palme Sunday, in the first year of your most noble reigne, whereto he was dryven, not of his oune proper wille, nor of malice towards your Grace, but oonly by compulsion, and by the most drad proclamations of John, then Lord Clyfford, under whose daunger and distresse the lyvelode of your suppliant lay."

Notwithstanding that letters of pardon were granted him, Robert Bolling and his family of ten children were reduced to great straits from the loss of his estates, but these he subsequently recovered and added much to them.

Robert Bolling made his will at Bolling Hall, October, 1485, desiring to be buried before the high altar of Bradford Church, to which he left benefactions.

To Amica his daughter he left 10.

The residue of his personalty, in three parts, one to James, William, Umphrey, Raynbron, and Troilus, his sons; one for masses for his soul; and a third to Isabel, his wife.

The testator thus disposes of his lands: --

    	'I have enfeoffed Edward Goldsborough, one of the barons of our Lord the Kyng, of his escheaur; Ed. Redmanye, one of the esquiers of his body: Ed. Cresacre, parson, of Arksey; and James Bolling, my son, in the manors of Bolling, Thornton, and Denholme, and of all the halfendole of my manor of Haynesworth--to myself for my life. 

In suffrance, Isabel, my wyfe, to have all the yerely issue of thehalfendole of the landes at Mikill Bolling, and to have her dower of Haynesworth.

I do order a gyft to Jamys, William, Umfre, Raynbron, and Troilus Bolling, my sons of 40s., by the yere out of thornton, Hethlee, and Sowden; after their decease to remayne to Trystram Bolling, my son and heir, and the heires males of his bodie.

From the BBC website on Bradford and West Yorkshire:

"Bolling Hall is one of the most interesting historic houses in Yorkshire. Perched overlooking the city of Bradford - and now incongruously in the middle of a housing estate - Bolling Hall has a rich history. In fact the first known reference to the manor of Bolling was in the Doomsday Book compiled in 1086.

"Bolling was first held by Ilbert De Laci and then by 1316 passed to William Bolling [born abt 1258]. Over many centuries Bolling Hall passed through several families including Tempest, Lindley and Wood. It was presented to the City of Bradford in 1912 after falling into disrepair. Three years later it was opened as a period house and museum."