Robert Chester, II

GEDCOM Note

knighted 1603
Robert was born about 1566. He passed away about 1640. “Sir Robert Chester of Cocken Hatch, near Royston in com. Hertford, Kt., living 1634.” [1] "Sir Robert Chester, of Royston and Cockenhatch, who served the office of High Sheriff co. Hertford, 1599. This gentleman, entertaining King James I. in his progress from Scotland, received the honour of knighthood at Whitehall, 23 July, 1603. He was b. July, 1566; m. Anne, dau. of Sir Henry Capel, Knt. of Hadham Hall, by Katherine his wife, dau. of Thomas Manners, K.G., 1st Earl of Rutland, and dying 3 May, 1640, left by her, with daus., I. Edward (Sir), of Royston, whose descendants alienated all the Hertfordshire estates. II. Granado (Rev.), D.D., Rector of Broadwater, Sussex, d.s.p. Jan. 1647. III. Robert, whose line we follow. IV. Henry, m. Ann, dau. of Theodore Reade, Esq. of Barkway, Herts. His grand-dau. and representative, Elizabeth, m. 1696, Thomas White, Esq.)"

Sir Robert Chester's Will made by Dr Joseph Lemuel Chester, London.

  I, Robert Chester of Royston, in the county of Herts, Knight - dated 3 May 1638 - to be buried in Royston, next to the body of my sister Mrs. Mary Thornburgh - to my wife all my plate, jewels, household stuff, goods, chattels, &c., in my mansion house called Cockenhatch and in and upon my lands in Barkway and elsewhere on co. Herts - my said wife to provide for the weekly distribution forever of 16d worth of bread to the poor of Barkway and 8d to the poor of the hamlet of Northampsted in Barkway aforesaid - to my son Robert Chester, Doctor of Divinity £100., with which to educate my godson Robert Chester son of Henry Chester till he reach the age of fifteen, and then £100, more to bind in apprentice or make him a scholar - to my said godson Robert Chester £300. when 24 years of age - to my said son Henry a mourning cloak, and to his wife £10. for mourning - to my son Granado Chester, Doctor of Divinity £100. - to my son Robert Chester D.D. and his wife each £10 for mourning and to his son Rober my godson £100. - to my brother in law Mr John Stone a mourning gown - to my son Edward Chester a gown, my horse, and my seal ring with arms - to my brother in law Mr Edward Capon a cloak - to my son in law Sir Thomas Nightingale Baronet, a cloak - to my son in law Edward Radcliffe Esquire, a cloak, and to my daughter his wife £20. for mourning and a ring - to my daughter Theodosea Nightingale widow £20 for mourning and a ring - to my son in law Samuel Hinton, Dr of the Civil Law a gown, and to my daughter his wife £20. for mourning and a ring, and to their daughter Anne Hinton £20. when 18 years of age - and to my son in law John Piggott Esq. and my daughter his wife, mourning - to each of my grandchildren a ring of the value of 20 shillings, with this posy, "Christus unica salus" - to my kinsman Thomas Smith, Gent, a cloak - to the poor of Royston £5. - to the poor of Barkway and Northampsted £5. to my cousin Magdalen Deane alias Addams 40 shillings a year for life, and to her daughter Anne, my cousin, wife of (blank) Tymberell, 20 shillings - to my nephew Henry Thornburgh £20. and mourning, and to each of his children £5. - to Mr More, vicar of Royston, 20 shillings and a gown - to my godson Chester Green 20 shillings - to Dr Smith. vicar of Barkway, 20 shillings - all residue of personalty to my son Edward Chester, Esquire, whom I appoint my sole executor. Citation: Royston', in A History of the County of Hertford: Volume 3, ed. William Page (London, 1912), pp. 253-265 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/herts/vol3/pp253-265 [accessed 8 December 2015]. The charter of Ralph of Rochester proves that the greater part of Royston originally lay within the manor of Newsells in Barkway. The latter was held in 1086 by Eudo Fitz Hubert. (fn. 191) It was attached later to the honour of Boulogne, (fn. 192) of which it was held by Eustace de Merk and subsequently by his nephew Ralph of Rochester.(fn. 193) Ralph endowed the Priors of Royston with manorial rights over the lands which he granted to them. (fn. 194) The manor of ROYSTON thus formed was retained by the priors until the dissolution of their house, (fn. 195) which took place in 1536. (fn. 196) The priory buildings, the demesne lands and the scattered lands in 'Elfeld Clepitsholte Redfeld Tharfeld Milbournefeld and Newsells' were leased to Robert Chester before Michaelmas 1537. The market rights were let for twenty-one years to Richard Cromwell, who acted also as steward of the manor, (fn. 197) and was probably the person by whose 'importunate labours' Dr. Wendy, physician to the Earl of Northumberland, was prevented from obtaining a lease of the demesnes and market rights. (fn. 198) Robert Chester had a new lease of the priory 20 May 1539, (fn. 199) and in 1540 he received a grant in fee of the house and site of the priory, the lordship and manor of Royston and all the lands of the late prior in the counties of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. (fn. 200) He was gentleman usher of the chamber to Henry VIII and in July 1544 left Royston with twenty-five archers, who formed the king's bodyguard when he left Calais for the siege of Boulogne. (fn. 201) In 1551 Chester (who was knighted about this date) (fn. 202) entertained Mary of Guise at Royston on her return to Scotland from France. (fn. 203) In 1565 he served as Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire. (fn. 204) In November 1564 there took place at Royston a double marriage between Sir Robert Chester, then a widower, and Lady Magdalene, widow of Sir Jaques Granada, kt., and between Sir Robert's son and heir Edward and Katherine daughter of the Lady Magdalene by her former husband. (fn. 205) At the same time Royston was settled upon Edward and Katherine in tail-male. (fn. 206) Sir Robert Chester died 2 5 November 1574. (fn. 207) Shortly afterwards Edward Chester, 'getting greate credytt in respect of his good service' in the Low Countries, received an annuity from the Estates of 400 marks to himself and his eldest son for life. He died 25 November 1577 beyond the seas, having transported a band of volunteers to the Netherlands at his own cost. (fn. 208) His son and heir Robert was then aged twelve. (fn. 209) He had livery of Royston Manor about 1586, (fn. 210) and was engaged in continual litigation in respect of the annuity due to his grandmother Lady Magdalene, the extent of the possessions of the late priory and the market rights of Royston. (fn. 211) He was knighted in 1603 by James I, (fn. 212) whom he had entertained upon his first journey to London from Edinburgh. (fn. 213) Sir Robert Chester resided at Cockenhatch in Barkway, (fn. 214) and died in 1640, having settled Royston Manor upon his son Edward, who married Katherine daughter of John Stone of London. (fn. 215) The manor evidently passed to their second son John. (fn. 216) His son Edward was Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 1675 and died in his year of office. (fn. 217) He was succeeded by his son Robert, (fn. 218) whose son Edward Chester (fn. 219) sold the manor in 1759 to Thomas Plumer Byde of Ware Park. (fn. 220) Royston was purchased in 1770 by Thomas Brand and bequeathed by him to his grandson Thomas (Brand) Lord Dacre. (fn. 221) His heir was his brother Henry Otway (Trevor) Lord Dacre, whose second son Sir Henry-Bouverie-William Brand was created Viscount Hampden. His grandson Thomas Walter, Viscount Hampden, is the present lord of the manor. (fn. 222)