Sir John Radcliffe Kinght of Ordsall

  General Notes:

de Radeclive | Henry de Radeclive, temp. Henry II | Possible son: Wiiliam de Radeclive, of Radcliffe Tower, temp. Richard I and John, married Cecilia de Montebou, lady of Kirkland and Hornby | Adam de Radeclive of Radcliffe Tower, living Henry III, married a daugher of Alan Culwen, and brother of Geoffrey and Hugh de Radclive | Robert de Radeclyye, of Radcliffe Tower, died before 20 Edward I (1291) | Richard de Radclyve, of Radcliffe Tower, married a daughter of ____ Butler of Bewsey | Sir John Radcliffe of Ordsall, temp. Edw II and III, died in 1358, brother of William Radclyffe, married Johanna, eldest daughter of Sir Robert Holland, and sister of Thomas Earl of Kent, widow of Sir Hugh Dutton "Radcliffe Parish," The History of the County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster, Volume II, Radcliffe Pedigree, p. 422-425 1530a

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information: ⁷⁴⁵
John de Radclyffe is the founder of the line of Radclyffes of Ordsall. John was the youngest son of Richard the Seneschal. His family's attachment to the cause of the insurgent barons under the Earl of Lancaster, led John into the service of the Queen's party, and where he was rewarded with the favor of Queen Isabella and the friendship of young Prince Edward, to whose personal service he was attached. He accompanied the Queen and the Prince to France, where they sought the protection of comté William de Hainault, to whose daughter , Phillipa, the boy Prince was contracted in marriage. In Sep 1325, Isabella landed with her son at Orwell in Suffolk, support by a force of men. She was joined by the great nobles who hated the Despensers, and Edward II fled with his favorite to the Welsh Marches, where he was captured.

The following spring Sir John Radclyffe was despatched to Hainault to bring Lady Philippa to England for her marriage to King Edward III, and to act as King's Proxy in the preliminaries concerning the marriage.

Sir John was engagd with the King against the Scots, and in 1337, was sent to Flanders to open negotiations for a treaty between the English King and the Flemish trading cities, which were anxious to secure the support of the powerful King of England against their oppressor, the King of France.

Sir John was in Flanders for several years, rendering valiant service in counsel and in arms to Jacob van Artevelde, For this he was given a reward. His request was that a number of the Flemish crafsmen should be permitted to return with him to England, there to teach their arts of manufacture to his own people. Sir John turned a quiet village into a thriving center of commercial intercourse, and to him belongs the credit of firmly establishing the textile industry in Lancashire. In 1340, Sir John was appointed Kinght of the Shire in Lanchashire.

Sir John married Lady Joan de Holland, the widow of Sir Hugh Dutton. She was the daughter of Sir Robert Holland.

Sir John de Radclyffe died in the spring of 1362. There had been a outbreak of the pestilence in the winter of 1361 that lasted for nine months, and decimated his tenantry. The post-mortem inquisition shows him holding Ordsall by knight's service and a rent of 6s 8d, as well as lands in Fliston and elsewhere, including 40 acres in Salford held by knight's service and 20s rent. The Ordsall estate was described as including a hall with 5 chambers, kitchen, chapel, 2 stables, 3 granges, 2 shippons, garner, dovecote, orchard, a windmill, 80 acres of arable land and 6 acres of meadow. Shir John had two sons and three daughters.

Richard, elder son and heir.

John, the second son, served with his father in the wars in France and was knighted after the Battle of Crécy. His first was was Ellen, daughter of Thomas del Bothe of Salford and Barton. After the death of Ellen, Sir John married Margaret, daughter of Sir Thomas d'Anyers, of Bradley-in-Appleton, Cheshire. Sir John died without issue, and Margaret married first to Sir John Savage, then six years later to Sir Piers de Legh, younger son of Robert de Legh of Adlington.

Ellen, married William de Fairfax, of Walton, Yorkshire

Julia, married henry de Lacy of Cromwellbotham.

Amabil, married Robert de Neville, of Hornby Castle.

~The Book of the Radclyffes, page 139-140

• Background Information: ¹⁰⁴⁴
Sir John Radclyve, of Ordsal, a younger son of Sir Richard, accompanied Edward III in his wars in France, and introduced the honor of knighthood into the family in 1347.

~ History of the Borough of Bury and Neighbourhood in the County of Lancaster, p.225

John married Joanna de Holand, daughter of Sir Robert de Holand Knight and Elizabeth de Samlesbury. (Joanna de Holand was born about 1285 and died after 1347.)