Legh

The following history on the Warren line includes segments from the book:
"Kin of Mellcene Thurman Smith"

01. Hamon Legh of West-Hall in High Legh, in Cheshire, about the time of Henry II. It is incontrovertibly clear from Domesday Book that the Saxon lords of High Legh were ejected at the Conquest, and that a new lord was then introduced, Gilbert Venables, Lord of Kinderton, from whose grants, or from those of his descendants, all subsequent proprietors must have derived their possession. In or about the time of Henry II (1154-1189) the Manor of High Legh had been granted out in moieties to two families, who assumed the local name, the earliest known ancestor of which are Hamon de Legh, Progenitor of the West-Hall family, and Edward de Legh, progenitor of the East-Hall family. Both of these were as nearly contemporaries as possible, as can be gathered by marriages and dates of their immediate descendants, and both were most probably original grantees from the Venables family. There is not, however, anything which can induce a belief in Hamon and Edward being common stock. The origin of Hamon de Legh is referred to the Venables family by strong probabilities. Dr. Williamson, historian, who quotes a deed in his possession, for Hamon being original grantee, expressly states him to be descended from Gilbert Venables. Of the Moiety of West-Hall, later one moiety was given by Thomas Legh to his half brother, Ralph Hawarden. (See Generation No. 5.)

02. William de Legh, son of Hamon of West-Hall in High Legh, Cheshire.

03. Richard de Legh, son of William, had issue Richard and Madoc, "cui pater dedit medietatem de Sworten in High Legh," and a daughter, Margery.

04. Richard de Legh, had an only daughter and heiress, Agnes.

05. Agnes de Legh, daughter of Richard Legh, Lord of the Moiety of High Legh, had three husbands:  (1) Richard de Limme, by whom she had a son, Thomas Legh of West-Hall, in High Legh, surnamed de Legh from the place of his birth and residence, as was very usual in those ages, which surname his posterity ever since retained to this day.  (2) William de Hawarden, by whom she had Ralph de Hawarden, who received one moiety of West-Hall from Thomas Legh.  (3) William Venables, of Bradwell was still surviving in 1300. He was a younger brother of Hugh Venables of Kinderton.  William Venables and Agnes Legh had a son, John Legh, surnamed also from his place of education and residence, which surname of Legh his posterity also ever since retained.  Thus the three sons of Agnes Legh, Thomas Legh, John Legh and Raufe Hawardyn, were half brothers.

06. John de Legh, eldest son of Agnes and William, purchased of William de Tabley Knotsford Booths cum Norbury Booths in 21 of Edward I, 1300.  He married Elena de Corona, daughter of Thomas de Corona of Adlington, which Thomas, in 10th of Edward II, 1317, obtained a portion of the Manors of Little Neston and Hargreaves against Henry de Manchester, settled successively on Robert. William and Peter, sons of this John Legh and wife Ellena. From the omission of John, eldest son of John Legh, there can be no doubt that he was a son by a former marriage, but the name of this first wife is unknown. Beside these sons there was a son Gilbert, and they were all born before 1317.

07. Sir Robert de Legh, son of John and Elena.  Eldest of the sons of Ellena de Corona, here named, succeeded to the Adlington estate under the settlement of his grandfather Corona, made in 1317, but by the inquisition Ellena was found to have held Adlington for life.  He married Matilda de Worley, daughter and heiress of Adam de Worley. Adlington and Macclesfield appear from Domesday to have formed two great manors held in demesne by the Saxon Earls before the Conquest and Norman Earls after, and in one or the other of these, nearly all the unnamed districts of Prestbury, Cheadle and Wilmslow parishes seem to have been comprehended.  Robert's eldest brother inherited the estates of Booth, which had been purchased by their father.

08. Robert de Legh, son of Robert and Matilda, of Adlington, 2nd of that name and place.  He was born abt. 1341.  He married Matilda Arderne, or Maud, daughter and heiress of Sir John Arderne, Knight, by Ellena de Wasteneys, his wife. They had Robert, the eldest son, and Piers.  I descend from both sons through 2 separate lines listed below. 

09. Sir Piers de Legh, or Peter de Legh, son of Robert and Matilda, Knight of Macclesfield and later of Lyme, was born abt. 1375.  He was the 3rd husband of Margaret Danyers, daughter of Thomas Danyers and Isabelle Baggiley. They were married in November, 1388. Piers Legh was beheaded at Chester August 1, 23rd of Richard II, 1399.  Her first husband was John de Radcliffe and 2nd John Savage.  Being the younger son of Robert of Adlington, he received Lyme Hanley from his mother whose father, Thomas Danyers of Bradley in Appleton, when the flower of Cheshire chivalry were engaged under their Earl of Chester, the Black Prince (Edward, son of Edward III, who died before his father) at the Battle of Cressy, was pre-eminently distinguished above the rest of that chosen phalanx; and that in the most hazardous part of the battle, most probably when King Edward refused his succors and bade "his boy win his spurs and the honour of the Day" for himself, the said Thomas Danyers relieved the banner of his Earl and took prisoner the Chamberlain of France, Tankerville. For this service Edward the Black Prince, Earl of Chester, settled on him an annuity of 40 marks per annum, issuing out of his manor of Frodsham, until a convenient grant of land of the value of œ20 per annum could be made. In 21st of Richard II it was finally settled that this estate should be the lands of Hanley in Macclesfield Forest, which that sovereign, who in this year assumed the title of Earl of Chester, accordingly granted to the daughter of Sir Thomas Danyers, and her third husband, this Piers Legh. With this daughter, Margaret Danyers Legh, the account of Lyme must commence. Hanley subsequently assumed the additional name of Lyme from the antient designation of the forest of which it formed a part--placed on the Limes or border of Cheshire, and is now ordinarily known by the name of Lyme only. The Hall of Lyme is situated within an extensive park, which partakes much of the varied surface and lonely character of the neighboring moors, and gives a fine effect of contrast to the magnificence and antique stateliness of the mansion itself, built with dark stone, screened by woods on the northwest and high grounds of the park in the other directions. The park of Lyme, which is very extensive, is celebrated for the fine flavor of its venison and contains a herd of wild cattle, and is situated near the road from Manchester to London, adjacent to the picturesque Village of Disley. Piers Legh was knighted about the time of this grant, but he lived only two years to enjoy it. In 1399, when the insurgent forces of the Duke of Lancaster advanced into Cheshire, piers was seized upon by that nobleman, and in consequence of this well-known attachment to his unfortunate sovereign Richard II was beheaded at Chester August 1, 1399. His wife Margaret long survived him.

10. Sir Piers Legh, son of Piers and Margaret and heir, was born abt. 1375 in Lyme.  He largely increased his estates by marriage with Joan Haydock, daughter and heiress of Sir Gilbert Haydock, a Lancashire knight of considerable family and possessions. Following his grandfather's Thomas Danyers', example, he engaged in his sovereign's continual warfare, and dying at Paris of honorable wounds received in the field of Agincourt, was brought over to England and interred with his father at Macclesfield.  He died in 1422.

11. Piers Legh, son of Piers and Joan, was born abt. 1405 in Lyme.  He married Margaret Molyneux, daughter of Richard Molyneux of Sefton, in Lancashire. The attachment of the Legh family of Lyme to the House of York was, however, in no degree diminished by participation in the wars and triumphs of their rival. This next Peter Legh joined himself to Richard, Duke of York, and was knighted at the Battle of Wakefield. He survived this for 18 years and died in 1478.

12. Piers Legh, eldest son of Piers and Margaret and heir, died ten years before his father.  He was born abt. 1433 in Lyme.  He increased the family estate by marriage with Mabel Croft, daughter of Sir James Croft of Dalton. She was the heiress of Croft.

13. Sir Piers Legh, son of Piers and Mabel, Knight banneret.  He was born abt 1450 in Lyme.  He succeeded his grandfather in 1478. By the inquisition in 19th of Henry VIII he is shown to have held lands in Lyme Hanley from the king in socage, by fealty. He held also half the manor of Gropenhall and lands in Broome, Heteby, Trephurst, Sutton and Macclesfield. He died at Lyme August 11, 1527. He married Ellen Savage, daughter of Sir John Savage of Clifton in 1467. They had Peter, or Piers, James, John and Margaret. (Ellen Savage was daughter of John Savage and Catherine Stanley, daughter Sir Thomas Stanley, who was summoned to Parliament as Lord Stanley, 34th of Henry VI, 1456. He was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and his wife was Joan Goushill of Hoverington in Nottinghamshire, daughter of Sir Robert Goushill and Lady Elizabeth Fitz-Alen, Knight of the Carter, daughter of Richard Fitz-Alen and Elizabeth de Bohun, through this last marriage. Margaret Legh was descended from eight of the sureties for the Magna Carta: De Quincey, de Lacie, Richard and Gilbert de Clare, Henry de Bohun, de Vere and Rogers and Hugh Bigod.) 

14. Margaret Legh, daughter of Piers and Ellen was born abt. 1494.  She married Lawrence Warren, son of John Warren and Eleanor Gerrard.  I descend from their daughter Margaret Warren who married Hamnet Hyde.

09. Sir Robert Legh, son of Robert and Matilda was born abt. 1363.  He was Sheriff of Cheshire in 1394 and 1399.  He was still living in 1412.  He was heir to his father of the manor of Adlington, and also lands juxta Lyme, Northwich, Stokeport and Hyde.  He married Isabel Belgrave, daughter of Sir Thomas Belgrade of Pulford, and Joan de Pulford. This marriage of Joan de Pulford with her first husband, Thomas de Belgrave, took place in her minority, when she was a ward of the Earl, in consequence of her lands in Dunham Massy being held from the earldom by military service. The marriage took place without the license of the Earl, and for this breach of feudal privileges Thomas de Belgrave was fined 400 marks. The fine appears to have been paid by installments of 50 marks each, one of which was paid 35th of Edward III, 1361, and the third payment occurs in the ministers accounts, 37th and 38th of Edward III, œ166-13s-4d being then due. The inquisition taken 35th of Edward III states Joan to be 14 years of age. It has been stated in the accounts of Pulford that the estates of this family name were settled 40th of Edward III, on the issue of this marriage, namely, Maud, Elizabeth or Isabel and Joan. Joan, wife of Thomas, de Belgrade, died before 1397. She married 2nd, before 1289, Sir Robert Grosvenor. It is proved that one of the heirs of Thomas Belgrave did marry and have issue, in the following record: Robert Legh of Adlington was asked, as the principal agent in a singular and impressive ceremony, to relinquish his claims to Joan's estate in favor of his half-brother, Sir Thomas Grosvenor, Joan's son by her 2nd husband. This relinquishment was made with very unusual circumstances, devised probably from a wish to add to its impressiveness and notoriety, it was then agreed that Sir Thomas Grosvenor should take a solemn oath on the body of Christ, in the presence of 24 gentlemen or as many as he wished. Accordingly, the Chaplain celebrated a mass of the Holy Trinity, and Thomas Grosvenor swore on the Lord's body that he believed in the truth of these charters. (This was in 1412, when England was all Catholic; in fact, this was before the Reformation. E. E. W.) On April 24, 1412, Grosvenor, Robert Legh and Henry de Birtheles, counsel for Grosvenor, read in the Macclesfield Chapel a series of deeds relating to successive settlements by the Pulford family of their several manors. Then Robert Legh acknowledged the right of all said lands to be vested in Grosvenor and his heirs and an instrument to that effect was drawn by the notary, in the presence of the clergy, and attested by the seals and signatures of 58 knights and gentlemen. Seldom will the reader find a more goodly group collected together, nor will he devise a ceremony which would assory better with the romantic spirit of the times, and which turned a dry legal conveyance into an exhibition of chivalrous pageantry. (Among the names of those 58 signers were many of your ancestors, William Stanley, Hugh Venables, Hugh Dutton, Randle Maynwaringe, Lawrence Warren, Robert Winnington, John Legh and Robert Davenport. E. E. W.) Belgrave's paternal estates remained in the Legh of Adlington family until the reign of Elizabeth, when they were sold in parcels, the Manor of Belgrave being sold and conveyed to the Grosvenors. Pulford at the time of the Domesday survey was divided into unequal shares, between the secular canons of St. Werburg, the former possessors, and Hugh FitzOsborne, who had ejected the Saxon proprietor. There is strong reason for believing the Pulfords to be descended from Hugh FitzOsborne, the Norman grantee.

10. Robert Legh of Adlington, Esq., was born abt. 1384.  Son and heir, according to the inquisition 3rd of Henry V, 1416. He married Matilda who remarried William de Honford. He held in demesne as of fee, two parts of the manor of Adlington, also Iands in Bollington, Macclesfield and Stockport.

11. Robert Legh, son of Robert and Matilda was born abt. 1407.  Of Adlington, inquisition 18th of Edward III, 1479, held Manor of Adlington, also in addition to those of his father, lands in Hyde, Northwich, Lamelode, Chester, Belgrave and Fulshaw. He married 1st Isabel, daughter of John Savage of Clifton. She died sine prole, and he married 2nd Isabel Stanley, daughter of Sir William Stanley, of Hoton or Hooton, and his wife Blanche, daughter of Sir John Arderne of Aldford. They had Robert, Margaret, Margery, Matilda, Agnes and Isabel.

12a. Isabel Legh, daughter of Robert and Isabella was born abt. 1440 in Holford, Cheshire, England.  She married Lawrence Warren, son of Nicholas Warren and Agnes Winnington.  I descend from thir son John Warren who married Isabel Stanley.

12b. Maud Legh, daughter of Robert and Isabella was born abt. 1446 in Holford, Adlington, Cheshire, England.  She married (1) William Davenport, son of John Davenport and Cicely Warren.  I descend from thir son William Davenport who married Blanche Warburton.  She married (2) John Mainwaring, son of William Mainwaring and Ellen Butler.  I descend from their son John Mainwaring who married Katherine Honford.

ADERNE

DAVENPORT

VENABLES