William Gerard, IV, of Kingsley and Cattenhal

William Gerard, IV, of Kingsley and Tattenhall

• Birth: 1322 Kingsley, Cheshire, England
• Death: 1352 Bryn, Lancashire, England
• Son of William III Gerard, of Kingsley and Cattenhal and Lady Matilda de Glasshowse
• Husband of Joan de Bryn, Heir of Bryn
• Father of Peter Gerard; Anne Leyston and John Gerard
• Brother of Thomas Gerard

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsley,_Cheshire:

Kingsley is first listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Chingeslie" in the Roelau Hundred. The village is listed as having been held from Earl Hugh d'Avranches by a Saxon named Dunning. It has land for two ploughs, and home to five serfs, one villein, and three bordars. It also mentioned one and a half fisheries, four hays for roe deer, and a hawk's eyrie. The earl brought the woodland of one league long and one league wide into his forest.[3] The forest mentioned was the ancient forest of Mara and Mondrem which was greatly reduced in size subsequently and is now known as Delamere Forest.

In 1260 the village was listed as "Kingisleg". The name of the village ultimately derives from "king's lea" – the meadow of the king.[4]

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41396

MANORS

Before the Conquest ASHTON was no doubt one of the fifteen berewicks or dependent manors of the royal manor of Newton. (fn. 7) Later it was a member of the fee of Makerfield, which had Newton for its head. (fn. 8) At the survey of 1212 it was found to be held by Thomas de Burnhull or Brindle, being three plough-lands of the three and a half held by him in thegnage for 35s., and providing a judge and a half at the court of Newton. (fn. 9) Two plough-lands he had in his own hands, embracing, it would appear, Ashton proper, or Brynn, north of the Millingford Brook; the third plough-land, probably Garswood, was held of him by Henry de Ashton, 'of ancient feoffment,' (fn. 10) and under this Henry appears to have been held by Henry son of Roger, 'of ancient marriage.' Henry de Ashton had also granted 20 acres to the Hospitallers. (fn. 11)

Thomas de Burnhull was followed by a son Peter, (fn. 12) who married Avice, the heiress of Windle and other manors. (fn. 13) In 1254 he obtained the right to erect a mill in Ashton. (fn. 14) The son of Peter and Avice was Peter, who dying about 1295 (fn. 15) was succeeded by his brother Alan. Alan, who was living in 1315, (fn. 16) left a son Peter, and two daughters, Joan and Agnes. The son died before 1330, and his sisters became heirs of the property. (fn. 17)

Joan married William Gerard, son of William Gerard, lord of a moiety of the manor of Kingsley, near Frodsham; (fn. 18) and Agnes married David Egerton of Egerton, near Malpas, but probably died without issue, as nothing is known of any claim to the Burnhull manors by her descendants. (fn. 19) The heiresses and their husbands were children at the time of their marriage, William Gerard being but thirty years of age in 1352, when his father died. (fn. 20) Two years later he made a settlement of the manor of Ashton, the remainders being to his son Peter, and then to the heirs of Joan daughter of Alan de Burnhull. (fn. 21) Little is known of the son, except that he became a knight. (fn. 22) Sir Peter Gerard died in 1380, and was succeeded by his son Sir Thomas Gerard, who like others of the family is traditionally said to have been engaged in the wars of the time. (fn. 23) At his death in 1416 he was found to have held the two-thirds of the manor of Ashton of Henry de Langton, baron of Newton, in socage by the service of 20s. a year, besides many other manors and lands in Lancashire. (fn. 24) His son and heir John, aged thirty at his father's death, succeeded. He died 6 November 1431, leaving a son and heir Peter, then twenty-four years of age. (fn. 25) This son, afterwards Sir Peter Gerard, had a comparatively short life, dying on 26 March 1447, when the manors devolved on a minor, his son Thomas being but sixteen years of age. (fn. 26)

Sir Thomas Gerard, who came of age in 1452, (fn. 27) was married in childhood to Douce daughter of Sir Thomas Ashton; afterwards he married Cecily, daughter of Sir Robert Foulshurst, by whom he had a son and heir Peter, and other children. (fn. 28) He died on 27 March 1490; (fn. 29) his widow Cecily afterwards made a vow of chastity. (fn. 30) The son Peter, aged thirty at his father's death, married Margery daughter of Sir Thomas Stanley of Hooton, and granddaughter and coheir of Sir John Bromley, by whom the estate of Gerard's Bromley came to this family. Peter Gerard died four years after his father, (fn. 31) leaving as heir his son Thomas, only six years of age. He was made a knight, but showed himself a turbulent and lawless man, (fn. 32) and died at Berwick in 1523, during an expedition against the Scots. (fn. 33) His son, another Sir Thomas, was only eleven years of age at his father's death; but little is known of him. He died between 1550 and 1560. (fn. 34)

His son Sir Thomas Gerard sold his interest in the Kingsley estates of the family, (fn. 35) and purchased the other third part of the manor of Ashton from John Atherton, thus becoming sole lord. (fn. 36) His wife was the heiress of Sir John Port of Etwall in Derbyshire, and this manor-house became a favourite residence of the family. (fn. 37) After a brief period of compliance he became conspicuous for his resistance to the religion established by Elizabeth, and suffered accordingly. He was sent to the Tower in 1571, perhaps being suspected of a share in the rising of the previous year or for sympathy with Mary Queen of Scots; his release is said to have been purchased by the surrender of Bromley to Sir Gilbert Gerard, Master of the Rolls. (fn. 38) He was again committed to the Tower in 1586, but liberated about three years later, having been induced to give evidence against Philip Earl of Arundel, then in the Tower also, to the effect that he had prayed for the success of the Spaniards. (fn. 39) In 1590 he was reported as having 'made show of conformity' while in Lancashire, but was 'in general note of evil affection' in religion. (fn. 40) His younger son John became a Jesuit, and laboured in England until the storm aroused by the Gunpowder Plot, when he escaped to Belgium, and became the chief agent in the foundation of the English College at Liège. (fn. 41)

Sir Thomas Gerard is said to have died in September 1601. (fn. 42) His son Thomas, made a knight in 1603, and a baronet in 1611, succeeded him. (fn. 43) Like his father, he was in 1590 reported as 'of evil affection in religion'; his wife Cecily was then a 'recusant and indicted thereof.' (fn. 44) He died at the beginning of 1621, holding the manors of Ashton and Windle in Lancashire, and Etwall and Hardwick in Derbyshire; the tenure of Ashton was stated to be 'in free socage, by fealty only.' His heir was his son Thomas, aged thirty-six and more. (fn. 45) This Sir Thomas, second baronet, was succeeded in 1630 (fn. 46) by his son Sir William Gerard, who warmly espoused the king's cause at the outbreak of the Civil War, (fn. 47) and was appointed governor of Denbigh Castle; he sold the Derbyshire estates to provide money for the campaign. (fn. 48)

Charles II lodged at Brynn 15 August 1651, on his way from Scotland to Worcester. (fn. 49) Sir William's estate was of course sequestered by the Parliament, and being a convicted recusant he was not at first allowed to compound even for the third part retained by recusants who were not 'delinquents' also. The estates were sold under the confiscation Act of 1652, the purchaser being John Wildman. (fn. 50) All or most was recovered in some way, probably by composition with the new owner, and Sir William Gerard of the Brynn recorded a pedigree at the Visitation of 1665. (fn. 51) He was buried at Winwick in 1681.

His son Sir William, aged twenty-seven in 1665, succeeded. The family had been greatly impoverished by their fidelity to their religion and to the cause of Charles I, and it is said that even the stipends of the priests serving the domestic chapels at Ashton could not be paid. (fn. 52) Sir William's son, another William, married about 1696 the heiress of the Cansfield family, and this probably helped to restore the fortunes of the Gerards. (fn. 53) Sir William died in 1702; his son as 'a papist' registered his estate in 1717, and died four years later. (fn. 54) For the succeeding century there is but little to record of the family. They were shut out of public employments by the legal proscription of the ancient religion, and do not seem to have produced any distinguished ecclesiastics.

The development of the coal mines in Ashton during the 19th century brought great wealth to the family.

The Sir William Gerard last mentioned was succeeded by his son and grandson, each named William. (fn. 55) The last was followed by his brothers Thomas and Robert Cansfield; the latter, who died in 1784, had sons, Robert Clifton, (fn. 56) and William who succeeded; a younger son John, drowned at Southport in 1822, (fn. 57) was father of Sir John Gerard, who succeeded his uncle William in 1826, and held the manors of Ashton and Windle for nearly twenty-eight years. His heir was his brother, Robert Tolver, created Baron Gerard of Brynn in 1876. He has been followed by his son William Cansfield and his grandson Frederick John, second and third lords. The latter, who succeeded to the title and estates in 1902, on the death of his father, came of age in 1904.

In 1836 courts leet and baron were held twice a year; (fn. 58) but they seem to have been discontinued.

A description of Brynn Hall, as it existed near the end of the 18th century, is given in Baines's Lancashire. (fn. 59)

The third part of the manor held in 1212 by Henry son of Roger cannot be traced for some time. It became the possession of the Athertons of Atherton, (fn. 60) who held it down to the middle of the 16th century, when it was sold to the Gerards of Brynn (fn. 61) as above stated.

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• William Gerard1
• M, #32150, b. circa 1322
• Father William Gerrard d. b 1352
• Mother Mathilda de Glasshowse
• William Gerard married Joan de Bryn, daughter of Peter de Bryn. William Gerard was born circa 1322 at of Kingsley & Catenhall, Cheshire, England.
• Family Joan de Bryn
• Child
  • Peter Gerard+ d. b 1380
• Citations
• 1.[S9897] Unknown author, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, by George Ormerod, 1819, p. 62; Burke's Peerage, 1938, p. 1079.
• From: http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p1071.htm#...

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• Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of the peerage, baronetage and ...
• http://books.google.com/books?id=RVggAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1189&lpg=PA1189&...
• Pg.841
• WILLIAM GERARD, who m. the dau. and heir of Peter de Bryn, of Bryn, co Lancaster, and was s. by his son
• SIR PETER GERARD, Knt. of Bryn, temp. EDWARD III., who had three sons,
  • 1. Thomas, his heir, whose line failed 1437.
  • 2. PETER, whose great grandson, SIR THOMAS GERARD, became the representative of the family.
  • 3. John, m. Helen, dau. and heir of Richard de Ince, co. Lancaster, ancestor of GERARD, of Ince, and GERARD, Earl of Macclesfield (extinct).
• Sir Peter d. 1381. His great-great-grandson, above mentioned,
• SIR THOMAS GERARD, Knt. of Bryn, m. Dowse, dau. of Sir Thomas Assheton, Knt. of Assheton-under-Lyme, co. Lancaster, .... etc. ________________________
• The Victoria history of the county of Lancaster; (1906)
• https://archive.org/details/cu31924088434554
• https://archive.org/stream/cu31924088434554#page/n451/mode/1up
• Pg.368
  • (7) .....
  • In 1354 half their moiety of the manor was granted by William Gerard and Joan his wife to Peter Gerard and Katherine his wife ; Final Conc. ii, 142. In 1416 it was found that Sir T. Gerard had held a moiety of the manor of Rainhill of the heirs of Henry de Eccleston by knight's service and a rent of 18d. ; but in 1447, in the inquest after the death of Sir Peter Gerard, nothing is said of any manor here, though he had held of John Eccleston 'certain messuages, with all the lands and tenements, rents, and services' belonging to them ; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc), i, 123 ; Towneley MS. DD. n. 1465, The manor of Rainhill was included, with other lands there, in a settlement of the Gerard estates made in 1511 ; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 11, m. 246.
• https://archive.org/stream/cu31924088434554#page/n455/mode/1up
• Pg.372
• .... etc.
• Alan de Windle III, later called Sir Alan,(6) was acting as juror at various inquests from 1242 onwards.(7) In 1252 William de Ferrers, earl of Derby, was pardoned for a false claim against him,(8) and next year Alan de Windle and Thurstan de Holand joined in resisting an encroachment by the earl.(9) Alan died between 1256 and 1274, and was succeeded by the above-named Peter de Burnhull and his wife Alice, the daughter and heir of Alan.(10) The new lord died before 1292,(11) leaving two sons, both under age ; Peter, the elder, died without issue before 1298, and Alan his brother succeeded.(12) He was living in 1318,(13) but did not enjoy the manor long, for his son Peter was in possession in 1324,(14) but died soon afterwards, when his sisters Joan and Agnes inherited his manors. The former married William Gerard, of Kingsley, in Cheshire, and the latter David de Egerton.(15) Ultimately the whole inheritance was held by the Gerards, so that it may be presumed there was no issue by the other marriage. The manor has descended regularly to the present Lord Gerard of Brynn(16) in Ashton.
• .... etc.
  • (16) In 1354 a settlement of the manors of Windle and Rainhill was made by fine between William Gerard and Joan his wife and their son Peter and Catherine his wife ; at that time Joan's sister Agnes was still living, so that the Gerards had only half the Burnhull manors; Katherine, the widow of Peter de Burnhull, was also living, and was in the enjoyment of her dower; Final Conc. ii, 142. Katherine had married Hugh de Venables by the beginning of 1331 ; De Banc. R. 284, m. 119.
  • In 1383, Agnes and Katherine being dead, another settlement was made of the same manors by Thomas Gerard, son of Peter, and Maud his wife ; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 2, m. 29.
  • Sir Thomas Gerard, who died in 1416, held Windle by knight's service and the rent of 20d. a year ; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc), i, 123. The Duchy Feodary of 1483 states that Sir Thomas Gerard then held Windle of Thomas Boteler. For a settlement in 1703 see Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 251, m. 61.
  • (17) Kuerden MSS. iv, W. 38. From Sir Thomas Gerard 20d. for Windle appears in the list of Boteler properties in Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 13, m. 142. _________________________
• 'Gerard01'
• William Gerard of Kingsley (d before 1316)
• Ormerod starts with William as son of Gerard of Hawarden and father of the William who m. Matilda de Glasshowse by Emma de Kingsley. The continuation, which follows BP1934, shows this William as son of William (m. Emma de Kingsley) son of William son of Gerard. Ormerod is therefore missing out a William (son of Gerard & grandfather of this William) and this William. Wotton includes the first William (son of Gerard) but omits this one.
• m. Margaret
  • 1. William Gerard of Kingsley & Catenhall (d before 1352)
  • m. Matilda de Glasshowse (dau of Henry de Glasshowse of Kingsley)
    • A. William Gerard of Kingsley & Catenhall (b c1322)
    • m. Joan de Bryn (dau of Peter de Bryn of Brynhill or Brindle)
      • i. Sir Peter Gerard of Kingsley & Bryn (d before 1380)
        • a. Sir Thomas Gerard of Kingsley & Bryn (d 27.03.1415-6)
        • BP1934 shows this Sir Thomas as father of the John who m. Alice le Boteler. Provisionally, we follow Ormerod & Wotton in showing John as son of Thomas's brother Peter.
          • (1) .... etc.
        • b. Peter Gerard of Kingsley (d 27.03.1415-6)
        • m. Isabel Strangeways (dau of Thomas Strangeways)
        • NB. There is dispute as to whether Peter or his elder brother, Sir Thomas, was father of ...
          • (1) .... etc.
        • c. John Gerard
        • m. Ellin Ince (dau/heir of Richard de Ince of Ince)
        • d. Helen Gerard probably of this generation
        • m. Henry Eccleston of Eccleston (a 1399)
    • B. .... etc.
• Main source(s): BP1934 (Gerard) with support/input from Ormerod (Cheshire, vol 2, 'Gerard of Kingsley and Gerard of Crewood', pp61-62), Wotton (Kimber & Johnson, 1771, vol 1, 'Gerard of Bryn', p31+) with some support from Visitation (Dugdale, Lancashire, 1664-5, 'Gerard of Brynne'), DBART1840 ('Gerard of Bryn')
• From: Stirnet.com
• http://www.stirnet.com/genie/data/british/gg/gerard01.php __________________________