Richard Radcliffe Esquire of Radcliffe Tower

  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 | "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
Richard de Radclyffe, elsest son and heir of his father was already a man of considerable experience on his succession. He had his own suit and service of men at the manor-house. Shortly after his inheritance, he had a writ of "novel dessezin" for the recovery of the lands in Tottington which Henry de Lacy had taken from his father. He strenghthened his position by marrying a daughter of William le Boteler, Baron of Warrington.

Richard was a gallant soldier, and served the King with distinction in the Scottish wars, supplying considerable forces of armed men to the king's service. His name occurs frequently in the Charter Deeds of Whalley, and as a juror at the Hundred Court of Salford he is often mentioned in escheator's inquisitions. At a Privy Council, 12 July 1291, held at Stirling, a grant was issued to Richard de Radclyffe, as lord of lancashire border and to Hugh de Elland, as occupying a similar status on the Yorkshire side, to levy custom on goods for sale taken across the causeway of Blakesteynegge, the main commerce route between the two counties, to be applied to its repair.

Richard also held the appointment of Seneschal and Minister of the King's Forests of Blackburnshire. He had to defend his lands against a claim by the Gorhull family, who sought to establish a claim to certain portions of the Radclyffe estates, by plea of a family titled to 30 messuages, 20 acres of pasture and 20 acres of moorland. Richard's reply was that Geoffrey de Gorhull had legally enfeoffed him of these lands, and he was accordingly confirmed in possession.

Richard was given a grant at Stirling, dated 11 Aug 1304, of free warren and free chace in all his demesne lands of Radclyffe and Quarlton by the King as a royal favor for his public service.

Richard died in 1326. He left a family of five sons and four daughters. His children were:

Richard, entered the Holy Orders, but though an ecclesiastic, he had inherited the fiery spirit and military qualities of his Montbegon blood, and conflict marked the whole of his career. In 1307, he became Rector of Radclyffe, and was immediately called upon to defend his title to the Rectory lands against William de Markelow, Rector of Prestwich. The following year his names appears as a witness to a marriage agreement for the espousal of Agnes, daughter of William de Radclyffe to Henry, son of Henry de Shackerley. In this he is described as "the lord Richard, Rector of the Church of Radclyffe." Eight years later, his sister Margaret appointed him to the Rectory of Bury. He died at Bury in 1324.

William, the second son, succeeded his father at the Tower

Robert, third son, came into possession of the manor of Pilsworth. He first married Mary, daughter of Adam de Bury, with whom he had a son, Ralph, who died without issue. He married, Margaret, Lady of Booths as his second wife in 1305. She was the daughter of Robert de Shoresworth and the widow of Henry de Worsley. By Margaret he had two sons, William Radclyffe of Smithills, and John, Rector of Bury. After his death, Margaret was married again to his cousin, Robert, son of Roger de Radclyffe, who was in possession of Ordsall.

Adam, the fourth son, entered the Holy Orders, and was nominated to the Rectory of Bury on 23 Dec 1323. He was only a minor at the time, for he was not ordained Sub-deacon until Sep 1325, and a priest a year later. Adam died in 1331.

John, the fifth son was the founder of the line of Radclyffe of Ordsall.

Elizabeth, the eldest daughter was married to Nicholas de Townsend.

Amabel, the second dauhgter was married to Adam de Tetlow, and had a daughter, Joan, who married Richard de Langeley of Agecroft. Amabel's name occurs frequently in deeds and suits regarding claims against her husband's estates after his death.

Margaret, the third daughter, married Henry de Bury. Her husband was slain at Bury in 1315, by partisand of Adam de Banastre, whereupon Margaret became the ruler of Bury Town, in the annals of which she is known as the "Great Dame Margery, Lady of Bury." Two years before the death of her husband made settlement of his lands, which were to remain to margery, daughter of Richard de Radclyffe, for life; then to Henry, son of henry de Bury, and in default of heirs, to Alice, Agnes and Isabel, daughters of the elder Henry, failing whom, to Adam, son of Matthew de Bury, and his heirs. Shortly before the death of her husband, another son, Adam, was born to Margery, but his father's untimely end prevented any alteration of the settlement. Margery's elder son, henry, was slain in another affray in 1318, one of the ringleaders which was a relative of Roger de Freckleton, whom Margery had appointed Rector of Bury. She thereupon arranged an exchange of livings, sending Frekleton to Radclyffe, and bring to Bury, Richard de Radclyffe, her brother, that in the midst of a host of enemies she might have the support of one of her own indomitable clan. In the County Rolls, under the date of 1323, it is recorded that "Margt. de Burie held Manor of Burie, and renders Socage 8s. and the same Margery holds the town and renders for ward of the castle 10s." On the death of Lady Margery, the Bury estated passed to the Pilkingtons, by marriage of Alicia, eldest daughter of Margery, to Roger de Pilkington.

Alicia, the youngest daughter married a Hesketh of Hesketh.

~The Book of the Radclyffes, pages 9-12

• Background Information: ¹⁰⁴⁴
In 4 Edward I, 1276, Richard de Radclyve had a writ of novel disseisin, and held lands in Tottington, of the fee of Roger de Montebegon. Richard accompanied the King in his wars in Scotland, and obtained from him a charter for free warren in his manors of Radcliffe and Querndone, dated from Strevelin, 32 Edward I, 1302.

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

• Background Information: ^1530a
The parish of Radcliffe, in Salford hundred, doubtless gave name to the family of Radcliffe before that lace was in the possession of the Earls of Chester. In the record of fees held in the reigns of John and Henry III., as exhibited in the Testa de Nevvill, William de Radeclive occurs in the Inquisicio Comitatus Lancastr', [fo. 401-405], where he is said to hold by 6s. a carucate of land of the fee of Ranulf Fitz-Roger's heir, a ward in the custody of Eustace Fitz-Moreton, for the king, besides twelve bovates of land in Edgworth.

In 30 Henry III. (1246), Adam, son of the William de Radeclive above named, petitioned a against Roger de Oswaldtwisel for the lands demised in Radclive, for a term of years, by his grandfather, of whom he was the heir. In 4 Edward I. (1276) Richard, son of Robert and great grandson of William de Radclyve, had a writ of novel disseisin, and held lands, &c., in Tottington, of the fee of Roger de Montebegon. This Richard accompanied the king in his wars in Scotland, and obtained from him a charter for free warren in his manors of Radcliffe and Querndone, dated from Strevelin, 32 Edward I. (1304). [Rot. Chart., 32 Edward I, mem. 17]

Sir John Radclyve of Ordsal, a younger son of this Sir Richard, who married Johanna, daughter of Sir Robert, and sister to Thomas de Holland, Earl of Kent, accompanied Edward III. In his wars in France; he introduced the honor of knighthood into the family in 1347, and was founder of the line of Radcliffe of Ordsal and of Foxdenton. The Radcliffles enjoyed the privilege of free
warren and free chase in the territories of the duchy, and held at various times the offices of seneschal and minister of the forests of Bowland an Blackburnshire; and the stewardship of Rossendale also devolved upon them. The chiefs of the family, as well as several collateral branches, filled the station of high-sheriff in the county in successive reigns; a rank which, in the early period of history, was equal to that of lord-lieutenant.

Ralph de Radclyffe, grandson of Richard above named, dying without issue before 5 Edward III. (1331), bequeathed his manors of Radcliffe, 850., to his uncle William, son of Richard de Radclyffe, of Radcliffe Tower, and brother of John, the founder of the line of Ordsal, called the "Great William," lord of Edgeworth and Oswaldtwistle, who became seized of Culcheth in 20 Edward I. (1292), in right of his wife Margaret, one of the two (Grand) daughters and co-heirs of Gilbert de Culcheth. From this "Great William" ennobled successively by the titles of Baron Fitzwalter and Earl of Sussex, now extinct, descended the Radcliffes, Earls of Derwentwater who suffered such a fatal eclipse on the execution of the unfortunate James, Earl of Derwentwater, for his share in the rebellion of 1715, and his no less unfortunate brother Charles who had assumed the title, and who was father of another Charles who became Earl of Newburgh. Robert Radcliffe, the eldest brother of the "Great William," was the father of William, 316 founder of the line of Smithells; and also of William, rector of Bury, 16 Edward III. (1342), who became lord of Chadderton and from whom descended the Radcliffes of Chadderton. William de Radcliffe-the "Great William," was succeeded by his son Richard, the grandfather of James Radclyffe.

"Radcliffe Parish," The History of the County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster, Volume II, pp. 421 & 426

Richard married Daughter of William le Boteler, daughter of Sir William le Boteler Knight, Lord of Warrington and Dionysia de Lostock. (Daughter of William le Boteler was born about 1260 in Lancashire, England.)