-
William Cotton, Esq. of Landwade, Cambridgeshire
COTTON
1. HENRY-
m. ANNE FLEMING, d. of Sir Henry le Fleming, Kt.
Sir Henry Cotton, Kt, was lord of the manor of Cotton Hall in Ixning, Suffolk.
Issue-
2I. THOMAS-
2I. THOMAS (HENRY 1)
Issue-
3I. HUMPHRY- m. ANNE HOLBROKE
II. John-
3I. HUMPHREY (HENRY 1, THOMAS 2)
m. ANNE HOLBROKE, d. of Sir Thomas Holbroke, Kt.
Issue-
4I. THOMAS- m. ALICE HASTINGS
II. Robert-
4I. THOMAS (HENRY 1, THOMAS 2, HUMPHREY 3)
m. ALICE HASTINGS
By his marriage to Alice, daughter and heir of John de Hastings of Landwade, Cambridgeshire, Thomas supposedly acquired the estate of Landwade, although the primary sources seem to imply that Landwade was acquired by Thomas' "grandson", Walter Cotton (see below).
Issue-
?5I. JOHN- b.c.1344 Cotton, Cambridgeshire, m.c.1369 MARGARET ______, d.c.1393 Cambridge
II. William-
5I. JOHN (HENRY 1, THOMAS 2, HUMPHREY 3, THOMAS 4)
b.c.1344 Cotton, Cambridgeshire
m.c.1369 MARGARET ______
d.c.1393 Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
John is the earliest member of the Cotton family to be positively identified. He is referred to as John de Coton and originated in the small parish of Coton a few miles west of the city of Cambridge. Coton or Cotton means "cote-town", or, a village of cottages or small huts. The above decent from Henry Cotton and Anne Fleming was given in the 1619 Visitation of Cambridgeshire, however, it may be suspect as these generations cannot be supported from primary sources as being connected with John de Coton.
John was appointed Mayor of Cambridge in 1378 and was also a Burgess in several parliaments for Cambridge during the reign of Richard II.
By Patent Roll dated Westminster 4 Sept. 1378: Exemption for life, of John de Cotton, of Cambridge, from being put on assizes, juries, or recognisances, and from appointment as mayor, sheriff, escheator, coroner, arrayer, collector or other bailiff or minister of the king against his will.(4)
John was a witness to a deed of gift 7 May 1385 by Robert Wethersfeld, barber and burgess of Cambridge to his son Walter and Margaret, daughter of Thomas Caldebenkene of Conlyngg and their heirs to messuages in Cambridge.(3)
In the Chancery records for 1391 John Cotton, John Blankepayn, John Herrys, John Trippelowe, William Pursere of Cambridge, Thomas Caldecote, John Refham, Alexander Westmerland, John Wesenham, Thomas Colyns, Thomas atte Felde, Simon Holbeche, and John Ratford, granted messuages, land and rent in Cambridge and Chesterton to a chaplain in the church of St. Mary the Great by the market, Cambridge.(2)
There is a feoffment dated 1 July 1430 from Robert Gernoun of Wykehmmeskeyth (Wickham Skeith) and his son John to John Costyn, citizen and girdle maker of London, John Costyn of Suffolk, Thomas Gernoun of London, cap maker, and William Lombard, citizen and pouch maker of London, to all the lands and tenements formerly of John de Cotton of Cantebrigg (Cambridge) in Fynyngham (Finningham), Cotton and Baketon (Bacton).(1)
Issue-
I. Thomas- b.c.1373 Cambridge, d.s.p. Sept. 1436 Landwade, Cambridgeshire. Lord of the Manor of Trumpington.
6II. WALTER- b.c.1375, m.1. JOAN REDE (b.c.1376 Checkenden, Oxfordshire, m.1. c.1403 Roger Poure (b.c.1370 Bleckingdon, Oxfordshire, d.c.1405), d. before May 1445), 2. Margery Fressh, d. 14 May 1445 Landwade, Cambridgeshire
Ref:
(1) Suffolk Record Office- Ipswich Branch- HD 1538/221/17
(2) National Archives- C 143/415/18
(3) Nottinghamshire Archives- DD/P/CD/195
(4) Calendar of Patent Rolls- Richard II- Part I- 1378- p. 272
The Ancestry of Mary Isaac, c. 1549-1613: Wife of Thomas Appleton of Little Waldingfield, co. Suffolk- Walter Goodwin Davis, Portland, 1955- p. 249
Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America before 1700- Frederick Lewis Weis, 7th ed., Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1992- 246A-34
John Fressh, Lord Mayor of London in 1395- John B. Threlfall, The Genealogists' Magazine- vol. 21 no. 11 (Sep 1985), The Society of Genealogists, London- p. 396
The Ancestry of Hattie E. J. Bruce- Michael Joseph Roman, M. Roman, Northboro, MA, 1992- p. 318
The Baronetage of England- Richard Johnson, E. Kimber, London, 1771- Vol. 1, p. 382
The Visitation of Cambridge Made in 1575- John William Clay, Harleian Society, London, 1897- p. 21
6II. WALTER (HENRY 1, THOMAS 2, HUMPHREY 3, THOMAS 4, JOHN 5)
b.c.1375
m.1. Margery Fressh
2.JOAN REDE (b.c.1376 Checkenden, Oxfordshire, m.1. c.1403 Roger Poure (b.c.1370 Bleckingdon, Oxfordshire, d.c.1405), d. before May 1445), d. of John and Cecilia (Harlyungrugge) Rede of Checkingden, Oxfordshire.
d. 14 May 1445 Landwade, Cambridgeshire
bur. St. Nicholas, Landwade
On 30 Apr. 1399 John Borlee and Margaret his wife granted the advowson of the church of Kingston to Thomas Cotton, Walter Cotton, Henry Shelford, clerk, and William Salle.(16) In the Chancery records for 1399 Walter and his brother Thomas, along with Henry Shelford, clerk, and William Salle granted land in Kingston and the advowson of the church there to the prior and convent of Spinney who may appropriate the church, the grantor retaining the messuages, land and rent in the city of Cambridge.(15)
On 29 Sept. 1401 Walter Cotton, citizen and mercer of London was the creditor for John Freend, alias Chippenham, of Malmesbury, Wiltshire for £40. The writ was taken before William Brampton, Mayor of the Staple of Westminster. (10)
Walter Cotton, citizen and mercer of London, was the creditor to Walter Charlton of Charlton, Wiltshire for £40. The writ was taken 12 June 1403 before William Askham, Mayor of the Staple of Westminster. William Beauchamp of Powyk, Sheriff, replied that the writ was delivered too late to be executed.(9) On 2 Oct. 1415 Walter Cotton, citizen and mercer of London loaned 20 marks to Richard Hemington of Long Stanton, Cambridgeshire, Simon Fuller, fowler, of the same place, and William Otes of Haliwell in Huntingdonshire. The writ was done before Richard Whittington, Mayor of the Staple of Westminster.(13)
In the London Metropolitan Archives are letters of attorney dated 10 July 1409 by John Staverton and Walter Cotton to William Laarke and John Byrom to deliver to John Middleton, mercer, Robert Oteleye, grocer, John Fray, John Bally, Richard Osborn and John Graunt, clerk, a messuage called Knyghtcotes, a water mill called Ravenyngmyll and a fishery in the water of Colneye in Herefeld.(3) There is an indenture of fine in the LMA dated St. Martin's Day, Nov. 1411. John Stanerton, Walter Cotton, citizen and merchant of London, and William Marcheford, citizen and merchant of London, petitioners, John Hotoft, Esq. and Idonia his wife, Thomas Aleyn, citizen and merchant of London and Agatha his wife, deforciants, regarding the messuage of Knyghtcotes, the mill called Raveningmill, 260 acres of land, 12 acres of meadow, tenements, water, woods, fishing rights in the Colne River and 100 marks of Silver in Harefield.(14) In the Chancery records for 1411 is a writ concerning the debt of William Oxford, citizen of London who owed William Middleton, citizen, grocer of London 100 marks. The case was brought before Richard Whittington, Mayor of the Staple of Westminster 13 Feb. 1410. John Reynwell and Walter Cotton, Sheriffs had delivered to William Middleton the tenement mentioned in the writ 14 July 1411.(8)
At King's College is a grant of an advowson from William Somersham, Henry Thomeston and William Salle to Thomas Cotton, Walter Cotton and John Huntyngdon dated 24 Jun 1416.(7)
In 1420 John Spechewyke and Christina his wife, late the wife of William Balet, granted to Walter Cotton, Edmund Rede, Walter Walkestede, John Langeston and William Boneton, land of the late William Balet in East Enborne, Berkshire.(4) The release to Walter Cotton, Edmund Rede, and William Bondon of all their right in the lands of the late William Balet in Estenborne is recorded 19 Nov. 1428(5) In the records of the Exchequer for 1420 is a grant by Robert Herterygge to Walter Cotton, Edmund Rede, Walter Walkestede, clerk, John Langeston, and William Rovedon of all the lands in Endebourne which formerly belonged to Richard Langynow.(11) In 1428 William Walkestede, clerk, John Langston, and Laurence Hampton sold to Walter Cotton and Thomas Gladman all their right in the manor of Estenborne, near Newbury, Berkshire.(12)
From the records of the Chancery from 1404-1426 is a suit by Lowys Trevesan, merchant of Venice vs. Drew Barantyne, Walter Cotton, John Reynewelle and William Flete for the arrest of goods at Southampton.(6)
In 1423 Landwade was acquired by Walter and his brother Thomas through a succession of agreements with the Sibill and Grace families. Walter was named as the sole owner in 1428 holding the manor for one knight's fee, but may have held it jointly with his brother in 1431.(1) Thomas had died by 1436 and in 1437 Walter settled the estate on his son and heir William. The Cotton family held the manor for the next 400 years and built up a substantial estate including land in Exning and Fordham. Robert son of William may have built the original manor house, which still stood in the late 13th century. It may have been surrounded by a moat at a relatively early date. In 1407 the great gate of the manor house was 16 ft. wide. In 1448 William Cotton held free warren in his demesne at Landwade. The hall was probably in continuous occupation throughout the later Middle Ages, and was probably rebuilt on several occasions. It was rebuilt within the moated site in the earlier 16th century. In 1832 Landwade Hall was described as being "in a miserable condition" and today all that survives from the early 16th century is the bridge across the west side of the moat.(2)
Walter also built St. Nicholas church which has been essentially unaltered since its construction. The church contains the tombs of most of the Cotton family members from the 15th to the 18th centuries.
Issue-
I. Joan- b.c.1408, m. Richard Sturgeon
7II. WILLIAM- b.c.1410 Landwade, Cambridgeshire, m.c.1438 ALICE ABBOTT (b.c.1418 London, d. 21 Nov. 1473 Landwade, Cambridgeshire), d. 22 May 1455 St. Albans, Herfordshire
III. Walter- b.c.1412. ancestor of the Cottons of Cotton Hall and Stersome
IV. Thomas- b.c.1414
V. Edmund- b.c.1416
Ref:
(1) British Library- MS 37669, 28-29v., 34-6
(2) 'Landwade: Manors', A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume 10: Cheveley, Flendish, Staine and Staploe Hundreds (north-eastern Cambridgeshire) (2002), pp. 470-472. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=18944
(3) London Metropolitan Archives- ACC/0312/65
(4) National Archives- Records of the Exchequer- D E 210/4164; BX E 327/385
(5) Ibid- E 326/3757
(6) Ibid- C 1/6/30
(7) Cambridge University- King's College Archive Center- grant KIN/6 24 June 1416
(8) National Archives- C 131/224/24
(9) Ibid- C 131/217/28; C 241/193/93
(10) Ibid- C 241/193/26
(11) Ibid- E 210/558
(12) Ibid- B E 326/1389
(13) Ibid- C 241/211/19
(14) London Metropolitan Archives- ACC/0312/69- 13 Henry IV
(15) National Archives- C 143/430/1
(16) King's College Archive Centre- KIN/2 20 Apr. 1399
The Ancestry of Mary Isaac, c. 1549-1613: Wife of Thomas Appleton of Little Waldingfield, co. Suffolk- Walter Goodwin Davis, Portland, 1955- p. 251
Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America before 1700- Frederick Lewis Weis, 7th ed., Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1992- 246A-34
The Ancestry of Thomas Bradbury (1611-1695) and His Wife Mary (Perkins) Bradbury (1615-1700) of Salisbury, Massachusetts- John Brooks Threlfall, J.B. Threlfall, Madison, WI, 1988- p. 180
Ancestor Table for Thomas Bradbury of Agamenticus and Salisbury- Robert Charles Anderson, John Brooks Threlfall, TAG, Vol. 55, No. 1 (Jan 1979)- p. 4
John Fressh, Lord Mayor of London in 1395- John B. Threlfall, The Genealogists' Magazine- vol. 21 no. 11 (Sep 1985), The Society of Genealogists, London- p. 396
The Ancestry of Hattie E. J. Bruce- Michael Joseph Roman, M. Roman, Northboro, MA, 1992- p. 318
The Baronetage of England- E. Kimber, London: s.n., 1771- Vol. 1, p. 382
The Visitation of Cambridge Made in 1575- John William Clay, Harleian Society, London, 1897- p. 21
7II. WILLIAM (HENRY 1, THOMAS 2, HUMPHREY 3, THOMAS 4, JOHN 5, WALTER 6)
b.c.1410 Landwade, Cambridgeshire
m.c.1438 ALICE ABBOTT (b.c.1418 London, d. 21 Nov. 1473 Landwade, Cambridgeshire), d. of John & Agnes Abbott, Esq. of London
d. 22 May 1453 St. Albans, Herfordshire
bur. St. Nicholas, Landwade
William was Vice-Chamberlain to Henry VI, keeper of the wardrobe, receiver to the Queen and collector for the Duchy of Lancaster. William was killed at St. Alban's on 22 May 1453 fighting for King Henry VI.
The accounts of William Cotton, receiver general to Queen Margaret are listed in the records of the Chancellor and Council for the Duchy of Lancaster for 31-32 Henry VI.(1) There are also records in the Exchequer concerning William Cotton, Esq. as keeper of the Great Wardrobe.(2)
William Cotton and Henry Filyngley were granted the custody of Linton Priory for ten years from King Henry VI in 1440.(3)
In the Chancery records, c.1452, is a suit brought by Richard Caldcott, gent., son of Nicholas Caldcott against Sir William Babyngton, Kt., William Cotton, Esq., and other feoffees of Nicholas in the Manor of Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire.(4)
"Here lieth entombed William Cotton, esquire, and while fortune lasted, dear to Henry VI and to the queen. For his merits he was esteemed by both. He was continually collector of the entire duchy of Lancaster, and also a most earnest supporter of Lancaster, and he served faithfully as gentleman usher to the queen, and served as keeper of the royal wardrobe, and personally undertook many great tasks while the liberty of St. Edmund's Bury was in his care. In virtue he was second to none. Now the heavens holds his soul, the grave his bones."
Issue-
I. Thomas- b.c.1439, m.1. c.1466 Margaret Wentworth (b.c.1446 Nettlestead, Suffolk, d. 28 Apr. 1479 Landwade), 2. Joane Sharpe (b.c.1450 Coggeshall, Essex), d. 30 July 1499 Landwade, Cambridgeshire
II. William- b.c.1441, ancestor of the Cottons of Clavering, Essex
III. Joan- b.c.1443, m.c.1463 Sir Clement Heigham of Gilford, Suffolk
4IV. KATHERINE- b.c.1445, m. THOMAS HEIGHAM (b.c.1431, d. 23 Apr. 1492 Colne, Essex)
V. Andrew- b.c.1447, d.s.p.
VI. Edmund- b.c.1449, m.c.1484 Ellen Conyers (b.c.1464 Hornby, Yorkshire). of Redgrave, Suffolk and Conyers, Bramble Barton, Suffolk.
VII. John- b.c.1451, d.s.p.
VIII. Audrey- b.c.1453, m.1. Thomas Barton, Esq. of London (d.c.1478), 2. Sir Richard Gardiner, Lord Mayor of London (d. 18 Dec. 1489 London), 3. Sir Gilbert Talbot, K.G. (m.1. Elizabeth Greystoke (m.1. Sir Thomas Scrope (d.c.1475), d.c.1488 Grafton), d. 16 Aug. 1517 Grafton, Worcestershire), d. 1505 Grafton, Worcestershire
IX. Robert- b.c.1455
Ref:
(1) Records of the Duchy of Lancaster at the National Archives, Kew- DL 28/5/8
(2) National Archives- E 361/6; E 101/410/7; E 101/410/10; E 361/6
(3) Ibid- E LR 14/795
(4) Ibid- C 1/22/50
The Ancestry of Mary Isaac, c. 1549-1613: Wife of Thomas Appleton of Little Waldingfield, co. Suffolk- Walter Goodwin Davis, Portland, Maine, 1955- p. 251
Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America before 1700- Frederick Weis, 7th ed., Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1992- 7-35, 246A-35
The Ancestry of Thomas Bradbury (1611-1695) and His Wife Mary (Perkins) Bradbury (1615-1700) of Salisbury, Massachusetts- John Brooks Threlfall, J.B. Threlfall, Madison, Wisconsin, 1988- p. 135
The Visitation of Suffolke- William Harvey, Tymms, Lowestoft, 1866-71- Vol. 2, pp. 214, 283
Ancestor Table for Thomas Bradbury of Agamenticus and Salisbury- Robert Charles Anderson, John Brooks Threlfall, The American Genealogist- Vol. 55, No.1 (Jan 1979)- p. 4
Extracts Relating to the Church of Horseheath, co. Cambridge, Collectanea Topographica et Genealogica, John Bowyers Nichols and Son, London, 1834-1843- Vol. 4, p.34g
The Baronetage of England- E. Kimber, London, 1771.)- Vol. 1, p.382
The Visitation of Cambridge Made in 1575- John William Clay, Harleian Society, London, 1897- pp. 15, 21
Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families- Douglas Richardson, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 2004- p. 705
Visitation of England and Wales, Notes- Frederick Arthur Crisp, London, 1896-1921- Vol. 7, p. 14
Collectanea Topographica et Genealogica- J.B. Nichols, London, 1834-1843- Vol. 2, p. 138
PCC- Prob 11/4, 2 Aug. 1455
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