Leysing de Barton

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ⁸²⁶
Two sons of Leysing, named Sweyn and Leysing, owed money in 1129 for an agreement between themselves and Stephen, Count of Mortain, as lord of the land between Ribble and Mersey [Lancs. Pipe R. 1]. It is suggested that the younger Leysing may have been the grandfather of Edith de Barton, and it may be a confirmation of this that the Barton family were the successors in Cadishead of a certain Sweyn [Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 66]. Lescelina daughter of Matthew son of Leysing, lord of Barton, made a grant in Swinton [ibid. (quoting Ellesmere D.)] and Eda (Edith) daughter of Matthew, already married to Gilbert de Notton, was plaintiff in 1203; Cur. Reg. R. 26. The other sister, Maud, is probably the Maud de Barton who made a grant in Monton [Whalley Couch. (Chet. Soc.) iii, 894].

Under the lords of Manchester the great manor or fee of Barton was held by a family using the local surname. Originally the Barton fee appears to have been accounted as that of two knights, but, probably by division among co-heirs, a knight's fee and a half only was held in 1212 by Gilbert de Notton in right of his wife, Edith daughter of Matthew son of Leysing de Barton. Of Edith's father and grandfather nothing is certainly known. She was one of four daughters and co-heirs, and by her first husband, known as Augustine de Barton, she had a son John, who died young, and a daughter Cecily, who married William, a son of Gilbert de Notton by a former wife, and carried to him the manor of Barton, and also in right of her father that of Breightmet.

~A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4, pp. 363-376