Sir Piers de Legh, of Lyme

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Peter Legh, Esq.

Birthdate:
Birthplace: Booths Hall, Cheshire , England (United Kingdom)
Death: August 10, 1399 (69-78)
Lyme Hall, Disley, Cheshire , England (United Kingdom) (beheaded)
Place of Burial: Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom
Immediate Family:

Son of Robert de Legh of Adlington and Matilda “Maud” de Norley
Husband of Cicely Legh and Margaret Legh, of Clifton
Father of Jenkin Legh; Sir Piers Legh II, of Lyme Hall; John Leigh, of Ridge and Matilda Legh
Brother of Margaret Susannah Assheton; Lady Susannah Radcliffe, of Adlington; Thomas Legh, of Adlington; William Legh, of Knottsford; John Legh, of Lyme and 4 others
Half brother of Robert de Legh, of Adlington and Margaret Ashton

Managed by: Kira Rachele Jay
Last Updated:

About Sir Piers de Legh, of Lyme

Sir Piers de Legh of Lyme

  • 'The house of Lyme from its foundation to the end of the eighteenth century (1917)
  • http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924027932320
  • http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924027932320#page/n26/mode/1up
  • ' The House of Lyme has its origin in the person of Peter or Piers — afterwards Sir Piers Legh — eldest son of Robert Legh of Adlington — and a descendant of the Leghs of Booths — by his second wife Maude, daughter and heiress of Sir John Norley. This Sir Piers Legh married, in 1388, Margaret, daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas Danyers, the owner of a small domain or manor called Bradley within Appleton, in Cheshire — and widow of Sir John Savage — and founded the family of Legh of Lyme.
    • http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924027932320#page/n30/mode/1up
    • With the eldest son of the first Sir Piers, Peter Legh of 1403 Lyme and Haydock, afterwards Sir Peter — began the Lancashire connexion, he having been married about 1403 when a child, as was so much the fashion in those early days, to Joan, daughter and heiress of Sir Gilbert de Haydock. Through her the Legh family became possessed of very large estates in both Lancashire and Cheshire . . . .
  • __________________________
  • 'Remains, historical and literary, connected with the palatine ..., Volume 97 By Chetham Society
  • http://books.google.com/books?id=cfoMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA126&lpg=PA126&dq...
  • Pg. 123
  • LEGH OF LYME.
  • The pedigree of this family has been drawn by Dugdale, Glover, Yardswick, Ormerod, and others. Errors have crept into the draughts of Dugdale and Ormerod.
  • Dugdale rightly deduces that descent of Legh of Lyme from Robert Legh of Adlington; but instead of making John legh of Ridge a brother of the last Legh of Lyme, he makes him a nephew, by a roundabout and inexplicable connexion.
  • Dr. Ormerod's pedigree errs in making Maud Arderne the mother of 'Sir Piers Legh the first of Lyme'; and, by so doing, the maternity and succession are alike vitiated, as the Lyme Leghs are placed two generations behind those of Adlington, instead on one.
  • Dr. Ormerod quotes Mr. Browne's note at the foot of his pedigree, which is the true account.
  • ' . . . . . In the accompanying pedigree I have endeavoured to show the descent of the family of Danyers, or Daniel, up to the time when Margaret, daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas Dayners, became the wife of Sir Piers Legh the first of Lyme.
  • Pg. 124 CHART
  • GENERATION
  • Sir Thomas Danyers of Clifton. Ob. 1353. Vita Patris. Lord of Gropenhall & Broome m. Isabel, d. and h. of Sir Wm. Baggiley, by Clemence, d. and h. of Sir Roger Chedle.
    • GENERATION
    • 'Margaret Danyers, d. and h. and one of the heiresses of Thomas Danyers of Bradley. Thrice married, 1st to Sir W. de Radcliffe; 2nd, to Sir John Savage; and 3rd, to Sir Piers Legh, Ob. 1428 m. Sir Piers Legh, son of Robert Legh of Adlington and Maud Norley.
  • Pg. 125
  • The following pedigree of Legh of Lyme was in possession of Mr. Sampson Yardswick in April 1576. It was copied into Bostock's Cheshire Collections, and now forms a part of the Harleian MSS., from which is was extracted by me in 1857:
  • Sir Rob. Leighe of Adlington knight married for his second (or later) wife . . . doughter and heir of Adam de Norley, knight, by which their descended to her son and heir 'Peter Leigh, Norley, Pemberton, over Walton, and Hoole.'
    • ' Peter Leighe Esquire, justicer stuard of Macclesfield in the forest thereof, married Marg't d. and one of the heirs of Thomas Danyers, knight of Bradley, by whom descended Gropehall and Broome, to which Peter and Margaret, and their heir male, K. R'd2 gave Hanley not only for the . . . .
      • Peter Leghe K't Ban't m'd Joane d. & h. of Sir Gilbert Haydocke, by whom descended Bradley, Burton wood, Newton, Waryngton, Onfeth, Sonkey, Bold, Hadocke, Lawton, Golbron, and Walton-le-dale, and he was slayin at the battle of Agincourt in An. dom. 1422. Ossa sepelita apud Macclesfield.
    • Pg. 126
    • ' Sir Piers Legh of Norley, and the first of Lyme, was the son of the first Robert Legh of Adlington, by his second wife Maud, daughter and co-heiress of Adam de Norley of North Leigh, in Lancashire, and grand-daughter of Thurstan de Norley. . . .
    • Pg. 127
    • ' The release of Norley manor determines the age of Sir Peter Legh. He attained his majority in 1382, and was decapitated in 1399, and hence could not have reached the age of forty years at the date of his death.
    • Pg. 128
    • ' Margaret Danyers had been twice a widow when she was married to her cousin, Sir Peter Legh, in 1388. She was the daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas Danyers and Isabel, daughter and heiress of Sir William Baggiley. A papal dispensation for this marriage had to be obtained on account of the consanguinity. It is dated 1388, and is preserved at Lyme. . .
    • Pg.131
    • ' Sir Piers Legh suffered death by decapitation at Chester in 1399; whilst Margaret, his widow, survived till 1428, as appears by her post mertem record in the reign of Henry VI.
    • ' . . . Henry of Lancaster, beheaded Sir Piers Legh, commonly called Perkins a Legh, a faithful adherent of Richard, . . . His body was buried at Macclesfield, where the following . . .
    • Pg. 132
    • ' Sir Piers Legh the first of Lyme was justiciary stewart of Macclesfield, and of the forest of Macclesfield. He left issue Piers, or Peter Legh the second of Lyme, who was a minor when his father suffered decaptitation for loyally serving his fallen master and king. If the respective dates of the father's marriage in 1388 and of the beheadment in 1399 be compared, it becomes plain that the eldest son was about eight, or from that to nine years old when he succeeded. Later on he was knighted, and afterwards created a bannaret.
      • He married Joan, daughter and heiress of Sir Gilbert Haydock of Haydock, near Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, by whom he had a son also named Peter.
    • Pg. 135
  . . .  an armorial bearing to which Margaret Norley became entitled as heiress of Waren de Walton. She had two daughters, co-heiresses, one of whom, Maud, by marriage with Robert Legh of Adlington, became the mother of ''''''Sir Peter Legh of Lyme''''''; whilst the other, Catherine, became the wife of Robert de Radcliffe. 
  • *Pg. 154
    • LEGH OF RIDGE.
    • This family derives from John Legh, younger brother of 'Sir Peter Legh the first of Lyme'. It is the more necessasary to insist on this point, as in many genealogical charts he is styled brother to Sir Peter Legh the second of Lyme. A reference to the indictment of Maud Norley (see Legh of Adlington, p. 84) shows that John was her younger and apparently favourite son. Again, in the dispute that arose between Robert Legh and his kinsmen, it is expressly stated that 'Peter' and John Legh were brothers. (p. 86.)
  • _____________________
  • 'A general and heraldic dictionary of the peerages of England, Ireland, and ... By John Burke
  • http://books.google.com/books?id=aB0IAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA310&lpg=PA310&dq...
  • Pg. 310
  • ROBERT LEIGH, of Adlington, in Cheshire, m. Sibil, daughter of Henry Handford, of Handford, in the same county, and had issue,
    • ROBERT, (Sir), his successor, at Adlington, and progenitor of the Leighs, of that place.
    • 'Peter (Sir), of whom presently
    • Alice.
    • Joan.
  • The second son,
    • ' SIR PETER LEIGH, of Maxfield and Lyme, m Margaret, widow of Sir John Savage, of Clifton, Kent, and daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Danyers, Jun., of Bradley and Clifton, and had a son and heir,
      • SIR PETER LEIGH, who serving under the victorious Henry V., in his French wars, was made a knight banneret, and was slain at the battle of Agincourt, 24th October, 1415. This gallant person m. first, Joan, daughter and heir of Sir Gilbert Haydock, Knt., by whom he had,
  • _____________________

Previously lived at Lymm, Cheshire before moving to Lyme Hall, Disley, Cheshire. He fought at the Battle of Crecy in August 1346 where he bore the Black Prince's standard, also capturing the French Count of Tancarville. Unfortunately he was beheaded in 1399 for backing the deposed Richard II.



Beheaded by Richard IV for his support of Richard II.

After Duke John of Gaunt died on February 3, 1399, King Richard II confiscated his property while his son and heir, Henry Bolingbroke of Lancaster, was in exile. When Richard II went to Ireland, Henry returned from France to Yorkshire in July to claim his inheritance. He gained support in the north. When Richard came back on July 28, his followers dwindled. Henry’s men seized Richard on August 19. As Steward of England Henry began issuing legal forms in the King’s name. Richard II signed his resignation on September 29, 1399. The next day a convention of notables assembled at Westminster Hall heard the grievances against Richard II and established a commission that quickly declared he was unfit to rule. Henry Bolingbroke claimed the throne based on his descent from Henry III through Edmund of Lancaster. He summoned the Parliament to meet on October 6.

Immediately judges and other governmental officials who had their offices terminated by the abdication had their commissions renewed. Arundel, the Archbishop of Canterbury, continued as Chancellor but resigned on November 5 and was replaced by John Scarle. Henry’s companion John Norbury was made Treasurer and handled the finances of the new government. Thomas Erpingham became chamberlain. Richard Clifford submitted to Henry and retained the privy seal. Henry made his second son Thomas Steward of England.

The first Parliament on October 6 was attended by 74 knights from 37 counties and 173 citizens and burgesses from 85 cities and boroughs. Arundel declared that Henry would be “counselled and governed” by the wise persons of the kingdom, would protect the liberty of the Holy Church, and would maintain the statutes and ordinances of his predecessors. Then they adjourned until October 14, the day after Henry was crowned. On that day John Doreward was appointed speaker to replace John Cheyne, who was suspected of Lollard opinions. The Parliament repealed all the laws passed under Richard II in 1397 and 1398 and the punishments authorized against Richard’s adversaries.

On October 15 King Henry IV’s oldest son Henry of Monmouth was declared Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester, and heir apparent. The next day knights demanded that Richard’s evil counselors be arrested, and these included William Bagot, the dukes Edward of Albemarle, Thomas Holland of Surrey, and John Holland of Exeter, Marquis John Beaufort of Dorset, and Earl Thomas Despenser of Gloucester. On October 27 the new King informed Parliament that Richard had been condemned to perpetual imprisonment without a trial. The next day Richard was moved from the Tower, and he ended up at Pontefract. While the Percies and Westmorland, who guarded the northern border, were in London for the Parliament, the Scots invaded Northumberland, pillaged Wark castle, and ransomed Thomas Grey. On November 19 political amnesty was declared, and Parliament was dissolved.

The demoted dukes of Kent, Rutland, Huntingdon, and Salisbury met with Thomas Merke, the ex-bishop of Carlisle, and Richard’s partisans Thomas Blount and Benedict Cely at the home of Abbot William Colchester of Westminster. They plotted to attack the new King and his sons at a Windsor tournament. Henry IV learned of it on January 4, 1400 and withdrew to London with his sons. They arrived at Windsor with about 400 armed men a few hours after Henry and his family left. The King recruited an army that quickly grew to 20,000. The rebels proclaimed Richard king but were caught at Cirencester. Kent and Salisbury were beheaded on January 8. Despenser escaped but was lynched at Bristol. John Holland was turned over for revenge at Exeter. Eighty rebels were caught and tried before Henry IV at Oxford. Nearly thirty were executed including the knight Thomas Blount. Richard II may have starved himself to death, though tradition indicates he was killed at Pontefract in January or February.


  • 'Sir Piers Leigh1
  • 'M, #328416, d. 1399
  • Last Edited=30 Dec 2008
  • ' Sir Piers Leigh was the son of Robert Leigh and Maud de Norley.2 He married Margaret Dammery, daughter of Sir Thomas Dammery.1 He died in 1399 at Chester, Cheshire, England, executed as a supporter of the deposed Ling Richard II.1
  • ' He lived at Lymm, Cheshire, England.1 He fought in the Battle of Crécy in 1346, where he bore the Black Prince's standard and captured the Count de Tancarville.1
  • 'Children of Sir Piers Leigh and Margaret Dammery
    • 1.John Leigh+2
    • 2.Sir Peter Leigh1 d. 24 Oct 1415
  • Citations
  • 1.[S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 2, page 2292. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
  • 2.[S37] Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
  • From: http://www.thepeerage.com/p32842.htm#i328416
  • _____________
  • 'Sir Piers Legh
  • 'M, #45445, d. 1 August 1400
  • Father Robert de Legh d. 9 Nov 1382
  • Mother Matilda de Arderne
  • ' Sir Piers Legh married Margaret Daniell, daughter of Sir Thomas Daniell and Isabel Baggiley, in November 1388. Sir Piers Legh died on 1 August 1400 at Chester, Cheshire, England; Beheaded.
  • 'Family Margaret Daniell d. 24 Jun 1428
  • Children
    • Sir Peter Legh+ d. c 25 Oct 1415
    • John Legh+
  • From: http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p1512.htm#...
  • John SAVAGE
  • Born: 1343
  • Died: 1386
  • Father: Robert SAVAGE (Sir)
  • Mother: Avice De WALKINGTON
  • 'Married: Margaret DANYERS (b. 1347 - d. 24 Jun 1428) (dau. of Sir Thomas D'Anyers of Bradley-in-Appleton and Isabel be Bagguley) (w. of Sir John Radcliffe - m.3 Piers Legh) ABT 1369
  • etc.
  • From: http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/SAVAGE.htm#John SAVAGE1

www.findagrave.com

Sir Piers Legh I
BIRTH 1325
England
DEATH 1399 (aged 73–74)
Cheshire, England
BURIAL
St. Michael's & All Angels Churchyard
Macclesfield, Cheshire East Unitary Authority, Cheshire, England
MEMORIAL ID 95255608
Surname variously spelled "DeLegh," "Legh," and "Leigh." Son of Robert Legh and Maud (DeNorely) Legh of Adlington, Cheshire.

Husband of Lady Margaret (Danyers) Legh of Bradley and Clifton, Cheshire who was predeceased by her first husband Sir John Savage.

Father of Sir Piers Legh, II who fought at the Battle of Agincourt (24 Oct 1415), and passed away in Paris seven years later due to wounds received during the siege of Meaux.

Tragically, he was executed by Henry of Bolingbroke (King Henry IV) due to his support of King Richard II.

Grandfather and great-grandfather.

Requiescat in pace.

Inscription
"Here lyeth the bodie of Perkin a Legh
that for King Richard the death did die
betrayed for righteousness
And the bones of Sir Piers his sonne
that with King Henrie the fift did wonne
in Paris."
Gravesite Details
Burke, John, Esq. "A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerages of England, Ireland, and Scotland." London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, 1831.

Family Members
Spouse
Margaret Danyers Savage
1347–1428

Children

Piers Legh
1389–1422

view all 12

Sir Piers de Legh, of Lyme's Timeline

1325
1325
Booths Hall, Cheshire , England (United Kingdom)
1389
1389
Lyme, Disley, Cheshire, England (United Kingdom)
1390
1390
1391
1391
West Hall,High Legh Rosthern,Cheshire,England
1399
August 10, 1399
Age 74
Lyme Hall, Disley, Cheshire , England (United Kingdom)
1933
October 28, 1933
Age 74
1935
April 8, 1935
Age 74
1960
October 6, 1960
Age 74
????