Thomas Fitton, of Gawsworth & Norcliffe

notes

From East Cheshire: Past and Present: Or, A History of the Hundred of Macclesfield, in the County Palatine of Chester. From Original Records, Volume 1 (Google eBook). John Parsons Earwaker The author, 1877 - Cheshire. Wilmslow Parish. Page 140.

This Thomas de Orreby died in 1290, in which year the following Inquisition post mortem was taken :

v—18 Edward I [1290J. Inq. p. m. Thomas de Orreby of Gawsworth. "Also he held the day he died tlie manor of Northcliff and the third part of the fee of Pownehale, held of Edmund Fytton, by the payment for all "Fitton charters. Dodsworth MSS. Bodl. Library, vol. xxxix. "General Inquisitions post mortem.—Record Office, f. 119, &c. 'Id. ibid. r General Inquisitions post mortem.—Record Office.

services of 5" 9a at the feast of All Saints; and the Jury also say that ' le Warlond' of the said manor is to feed (pascore1) the servants of the Queen at Maklesfeld, month by month, each month for one day. And they say that the said manor finds 2 men at ' le Heywork' [/'. e. to make hays or fences for deer] when summons shall have been made in the hundred of Macclesfeld. Richard his son and heir aged 6 years."

This Richard de Orreby died young and without heirs, when Gawsworth and the other possessions of the family, including Norcliffe, passed to Isabella, his sister and heiress, who had married for her first husband Roger, the son of Thomas de Macclesfeld. In the rst Edward II. [1307-8], a fine was levied between this Roger, son of Thomas de Macclesfeld and Isabella his wife, and Andrew de Ashton, chaplain, concerning the manor of Northclyff, excepting two carucates of land, one mill, and 60s. rent in the same manor.w

On the death of Roger de Macclesfeld without heirs, Isabella was twice married, her third husband being Thomas Fitton, the second son of Edmund Fitton, lord of Bolyn, and the founder of the long line of the Fittons of Gawsworth. He thus became possessed of the manor of Norcliffe, and, as shown by the following Inquisitions post mortem, it passed from father to son for several generations :*—

20 Richard II. [1397]. Inq. /. m. Thomas Fyton of Gawsworth, Esq., died seised in his demesne as of fee of certain lands and tenements in Pounale which are called NortMyve, and certain lands and tenements in Chorleigh as parcel of the fee of Pounale, and the same lands and tenements are held (in capite of the King as Earl of Chester, as of his manor of Macclesfeld by knight's service and) by the rent and service of 5s 9a payable to the Lord of Bolyn r for the time being, the whole being worth per annum xx marks. Laurence Fitton, son and heir, aged 22.1

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• http://www.gordonbanks.com/gordon/family/2nd_Site/geb-p/p492.htm#i1...
• 1. Carl Boyer 3rd, Medieval English Ancestors of Robert Abell, p. 107.