William Greene

William Greene of Barnby on Don was probably the son and heir of Thomas Greene. He married about 1540, Mary Hotham, the youngest of the three daughters of Sir John Hotham X and Elizabeth Headlam.

In Michaelmas term, 1546, William Grene, gentleman, were granted the rectory and parochial church of Staynton with the advowson of the same church and all the great and small tithes in Staynton and Helluby, and the advowson and right of patronage of the vicarage of the church of Staynton, from Sir George Darcy, knight, and Dame Dorothy his wife [1].

On 30 April 1551, Robert Saunderson, gentleman, granted his manors of Barnby upon Don alias Donne and Bramwyth, Yorks, late of Roche monastery, Yorkshire, with appurtenances in Barnby upon Don alias Donne, Bramwith and Kirkebramwith, to William Grene, gentleman, his heirs and assigns [2].

In Easter Term 1553, William Grene, gentleman, and Mary his wife sold 6 messuages with land in Wakefelde, Folbye, and Sharelston [3].

Hunter writes, "On Sept 28, 1556, William Green of this place, [Barnby Dun] esq. directed that he should be buried near his father's sepulchre. He married a Hotham" [4].

The will of William Grene, of Barnebie on Done, esquire is dated 28 September 1556, and was proved on 17 February 1557 [5].

William Greene died on 15 January 1557 [6]. The inquisition post mortem of William Grene esquire in Yorkshire was ordered on 13 February 1557 [7]. His son and heir Thomas Greene was under age and the Court of Wards, granted the custody of William's lands and heirs to Leonard Vavasour of Addingham [8], who later married his widow Mary [9].

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[1] Feet of Fines of the Tudor period: part 1: 1486-1571 (1887), 125.

[2] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward VI, vol. 4: 1550-1553 (1926), 75.

[3] Francis Collins, ed., Feet of Fines of the Tudor period, part 1: 1486-1571 (1887), 169

[4] Joseph Hunter, South Yorkshire. The History and Topography of the Deanery of Doncaster in the Diocese and County of York, vol. 1 (London, 1828), 210.

[5] Wills in the York Registry, vol. 15, part 1, fo. 159.

[6] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Philip and Mary, vol. 3: 1555–1557 (1938), 494.

[7] Ibid., 372.

[8] Ibid., 494,

[9] Blair, Visitations of the North, Part IV, 40: “Leonard married ... d. to Sr. Jn Hootham widow to Green of Baneby uppon don”.