William Clifton

He is not the same person as William Clifton, esq., of Barrington

Primary Sources

Will of Gervas Clifion, knyght, dated 27 April 1491, proved 22 August 1491.
mentions: "my sonnes Roberte and William Clifton, clerkes"

Notes

According to the very detailed Clifton of Clifton pedigree found in the Visitation of Notts 1569 William Clifton of Barrington was a younger son of Sir Gervase Clifton (d 1491) & his wife Alice Nevill.

The Norfolk Visitation records John Clifton of Walsingham Parva had two sons, both named William. The eldest is simply recorded as "William Clifton" without any further particulars being given. The second is recorded as "William Clifton of Buxton".

In the will of William Clifton of Buxton, Norfolk proved in the Consistory Court of Norwich in 1579 the testator mentions "my nephew Sir John Clifton of Barrington in the County of Somerset", to "Hester Sandys my niece", to "Theophilia daughter of my brother William Clifton my niece" and to "Jane daughter of the said William my other niece".

Sir John Clifton of Barrington, Hester Sandys, Theophilia Clifton and Jane Clifton were all indisputably children of William Clifton of Barrington (d 1564).

William Clifton of Barrington was therefore the son of John Clifton of Walsingham Parva, Norfolk, not Sir Gervase Clifton of Clifton (d 1491).

Source: Robert O'Connor, soc.genealogy.medieval newsgroup