Sir Robert Booth, Sheriff of Cheshire

http://www.thornber.net/cheshire/htmlfiles/dunham.html

The Booth family inherited most of the Massey lands in 1409, with Dunham Massey remaining at the heart of the estate. In 1409 it was acquired by Sir Robert Booth, son of Sir John (Lord of Barton) on his marriage to Dulcie Venables then aged only nine.

• ■+ Richard Venables, younger son of Hugh Venables, baron of Kindeton. In addition to the eldest son, William there was a son John Venables of Antrobus.
• ■5. Sir William Venables of Bollin, knight, died 1421.
• ■+ Joan, daughter of Sir John Massy of Tatton and had a son Richard who was drowned aged about 8 years and two daughters.
• ■6. Alice Venables married Sir Edmund Trafford de Trafford in Lancashire
• ■6. Dowse married Robert Booth younger son of John Booth of Barton in Lancashire and afterwards Sir Robert Booth of Dunham Massey.

Sir Robert Bouth was the son of John Bouth and Joan Trafford.1,2 He married Douce Venables, daughter of Sir William Venables.2 He died on 16 September 1450.1

    He held the office of Sheriff of Cheshire.1 He was also known as Sir Robert Booth.3 He lived at Dunham Massey, Cheshire, England.2 Children of Sir Robert Bouth and Douce Venables Sir William Bothe+1 d. 1476 Philip Bouth1 Lucy Bouth1 Ellen Bouth1 Joan Bouth1 Margery Bouth1 Raufe Bouth+4 Geoffrey Bouth4 Hamond Bouth4 Robert Bouth4 Edward Bouth4 Peter Bouth4 Alice Booth+5 d. 17 Sep 1495

http://www.thepeerage.com/p32761.htm#i327604

Added by; HRH Prince Kieren de Muire Von Drakenberg

~'Rufford', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 6, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1911), pp. 119-128. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol6/pp119-128 Manor of Rufford The manor was a member of the Penwortham fee, and Richard Bussel about 1150–60 gave to St. Werburgh's Abbey, Chester, one plough-land in RUFFORD in alms, which the abbot was holding in 1212 Somewhat later one Richard Fitton held it of the abbot by a rent of 5s., and gave a moiety to his daughter Maud, who married William de Hesketh. The other moiety went to another daughter, Anabil or Amabel, who married Edmund de Lea, and in 1285 the two daughters and their husbands were in possession. The grant to Richard Fitton may have been for life or a term of years, for in 1292 the Abbot of St. Werburgh's claimed Rufford, described now as 4 oxgangs of land, and in the following year made a fresh agreement with William and Maud de Hesketh and Edmund and Anabil de Lea, by which the annual service was raised to 40s., at which it continued down to the Dissolution. This rent is now paid by the lord of Rufford to the Dean and chapter of Chester. Anabil appears to have had no issue, and in 1318, as Anabil Fitton, she settled her moiety of the manor of Rufford upon John de Hesketh, who had inherited the other moiety, and thus became sole lord. William de Hesketh, whose parentage is unknown, was apparently a 'landless man,' the possessions of the family in Rufford, Great Harwood and Tottleworth being acquired from his wife, Maud Fitton, or by purchase. He had two sons, the above-named John, who succeeded, and Adam. The former, in 1323, made a settlement of the manor of Rafford and two-thirds of the manor of Harwood, the remainders being to his children—William, Alice, Katherine and Margaret. He is described later as Sir John de Hesketh, and was succeeded by his son William, also a knight. In 1339 Sir William obtained the king's charter for a weekly market and annual fair at Rufford; free warren also was allowed. He fought at Crecy in 1346, and for his services in France was exempted from serving on juries, &c. He was knight of the shire in 1360, and was soon afterwards followed by a son or grandson Thomas, and he by a son Nicholas, from which time the descent of the manor is clear. Nicholas died in 1416 holding Rufford of the Abbot and convent of Chester in socage by a rent of 40s., also the manor of Harwood and a messuage in Rishton. His son and heir Thomas was ten years old. Thomas Hesketh died in 1458 holding the same estate and leaving as heir a son Robert, thirty-one years of age. Robert, married to Alice daughter of Robert Booth in 1454, died in 1491, leaving a son Thomas, who, in default of legitimate issue, bequeathed his manors to his natural son Robert, with remainders to Charles and Ellen, brother and sister of Robert. Thomas Hesketh appears to have added very largely to the hereditary possessions of his family, and died at Rufford on 14 August 1523. Robert Hesketh, afterwards knighted, thus succeeded to Rufford, and, after defeating the claim put forward by the heirs-at-law, died in February 1540–1 holding much the same possessions as his father, but Rufford was now held of the king, 'by reason of the surrender of the Abbot of Chester,' the ancient rent of 40s. being payable. The heir was his son Thomas, then fourteen years old. Thomas Hesketh was made a knight at the coronation of Queen Mary in 1553, and he and his family are stated to have adhered to the Roman Catholic religion for some time after the accession of Elizabeth. He died in June 1588, leaving a son Robert, then about forty years old, who had in 1567 been contracted to marry Mary daughter of Sir George Stanley of Cross Hall in Lathom, and who died in 1620, being then succeeded by a son Thomas, fifty years of age. In the inquisitions for Sir Thomas and Robert the manor of Rufford was found to be held by a rent of 5s. Thomas is stated to have died in 1646 without issue, and was succeeded by his brother Robert, who, when about eighty years of age, was threatened with sequestration by the Parliamentary authorities in 1652, though he protested he had ever been 'a most perfect and firm assistant to the utmost of his ability to the Parliament and their just and honourable undertakings.' His son Robert had in 1649 asked leave to compound for his estate, his 'delinquency' being that he had adhered to the forces raised against the Parliament. A pedigree was recorded in 1664, showing that the younger Robert's son and heir, Thomas Hesketh, was then seventeen years of age, having succeeded to Rufford. The hall in 1666 had nineteen hearths to be taxed; it was occupied by John Molyneux. The manor has since descended regularly in the male line to Sir Thomas George Fermor Hesketh, bart., the present lord, who resides at Easton Neston, Northamptonshire. The estates have recently been offered for sale and considerable portions have been disposed of.