Everingham of Rockley and Stainborough

There were three main branches of the Everingham family of Yorkshire. The Everinghams of Laxton died out in the late fifteenth century, but two other branches; the Everinghams of Birkin and the Everinghams of Stainborough continued. The genealogy of the Stainborough branch is not well researched and there are many erroneous statements in print concerning the two men named Thomas Everingham, father and son, who served the Talbots, Earls of Shrewsbury in the fifteenth century.  The British medieval historian, Anthony Pollard says that it is probable that the retainer who fought with John Talbot in France was “the relatively humble Thomas Everingham of Stainborough near Barnsley, a near neighbour of the lord of Sheffield who died at the end of 1453”. [1] From which it follows that his son, Thomas Everingham of Newhall, Leicestershire was also of Stainborough, and not a completely different person as claimed in many accounts. Below is an account of the family, mainly from contemporary records, down to the end of the 15th century.

Sir Adam de Everingham of Laxton and Everingham, hereditary forester of Sherwood, died on or before 8 December 1280, when he was succeeded by his son and heir, Robert aged 24, ancestor of the lords Everingham of Laxton.[2] Hunter says that Sir Adam had four sons, Robert, Adam, John and Thomas.[3] Of Adam and Thomas I can find no conclusive records, but John de Everingham, son of Sir Adam was the ancestor of the Everingham family of Rockley and Stainborough.

1. John de Everingham of Rockley (c. 1260 – 1302).

John de Everingham married Margaret, daughter of Richard Duket of Fillingham and Ruskington in Lincolnshire by his wife Beatrice [de Rockley?]. By an undated deed, Peter son of William de Rockley granted lands in Rockley, Worsborough, Birthwaite, Penisale, Walton, Pilley and elsewhere in Yorkshire to John de Everingham and Margaret Duket, daughter of Richard Duket, his wife. [4] In another deed Peter, son of William de Rockley, granted to Sir John Duket, rector of the church of Dene, all his manor of Rockley, with appurtenances, which manor Sir John had by the gift of John de Everingham, son of Sir Adam de Everingham, knight.[5]

In November 1286, John de Everingham was in prison at Nottingham together with his brother Robert and others for forest offences.[6] In April 1296 he had protection going to Scotland [7] and in December 1298 he was summoned to appear before the king’s council at York.[8]

John de Everingham made his will on 17 November 1302, requesting burial at Laxton and leaving all his animals at Ruskington to Lady Beatrice Duket. He mentions his nephew Adam [son of Robert his brother] and sister Alice. He left his armour to his son Adam and to his daughter Elizabeth, he left the wardship of Richard de Rockley.[9] At his death, he was holding lands in Rockley and other places in Yorkshire as well as in Fillingham and Ruskington, Lincolnshire. It should be noted that he did not hold the manor of Stainborough, which had been granted by his father to his sister Margery when she married Robert de Percy III of Wharram Percy, Yorkshire.[10]

2. Sir Adam de Everingham of Rockley (c. 1295 – 1379)

Adam son of John de Everingham was probably born about 1295. He was still a minor in 1313 when he claimed a messuage and land in Stainborough from Thomas Saville.[11]  On 19 October 1317, Adam son of John de Everyngham gave a bond of £40 of silver to Hugh de Staynburgh and Amice his wife, and their heirs, payable whenever his heir should seek to recover from Hugh and Amice the lands and tenements in Stainborough they had of the grant of John de Everiingham, his father. [12] Of his early life not much information is available. His first wife is said to have been of the family of Greystoke. In August 1341, Adam de Everingham of Rockley, knight, presented to the church of Naseby in Northamptonshire.[13] This presentation may have been in right of his first wife.

By his first wife, he had a son and heir apparent John, who married Alice, daughter of Sir Thomas Neville of Rolleston and who predeceased his father, and two daughters, Margaret who married Sir William Fraunk [of Grimsby?] and Katherine who married Richard Torney. Adam married secondly, about 1340, Isabel, widow of nn de Stainton. By Isabel, he had three sons, Hugh, William and Thomas, and a daughter Isabel, who married Walter de Burton. [14]

On 4 June 1346, shortly before setting out on the Crecy campaign, Adam de Everingham of Rockley made a will in which he desired to be buried at Fillingham and making his son John his general heir. He left £50 each to his daughters Margaret and Katherine and £20 to his son Hugh by Isabel de Stainton. He also mentions his mother Margaret.[15] In July 1346 he joined the king at Portsmouth with two men-at-arms, however he became gravely ill and was allowed to return home. He later recovered and joined the king at the siege of Calais probably in late 1346 or 1347.[16]

In 1348, Eustache de Percy, granddaughter of Robert de Percy III of Wharram Percy, and her husband Sir Walter de Heslerton granted the manor of Stainborough to Sir Adam de Everingham of Rockley and his heirs.[17] This grant was probably made after the death of Edmund de Percy, son of Margery de Everingham, who had held Stainborough for life by the gift of his mother.

Adam’s first son John died before November 1368, when Adam’s feoffees granted the manor of Fillingham to Adam and his wife Isabel, with remainders to Hugh, William and Thomas his sons.[18] On 3 September 1378, the manors of Rockley and Stainborough with other lands were settled on Adam de Everingham of Rockley and Isabel his wife, for their lives, with remainders in tail male to their sons, William, Thomas, and Hugh, and to William Fraunke and Richard de Burton, son of Walter de Burton, with remainder to John Torneye for life, with reversion to Walter de Burton in fee simple.[19]

Adam de Everingham lived to a great age. He was still alive in 1379, when he and Isabel paid poll tax in Worsborough, Yorkshire[20] but probably died late in 1379 or in 1380. Isabel survived him and was alive in 1389-90, when Hugh de Everingham released to his mother, lady Isabel, widow of Adam de Everingham, knight, and to his brothers William and Thomas de Everingham, and their heirs, all right in the manor of Stainborough.[21]

3. Hugh de Everingham (c. 1342 – c. 1390)

Hugh, eldest surviving son of Adam de Everingham succeeded his father. He was alive in 1390, but appears to have died shortly afterwards, when William his brother was his heir.

3. William de Everingham (c. 1346 – c. 1395)

William son of Adam de Everingham succeeded his brother. It is uncertain when he died, but he was succeeded by his brother Thomas.

3. Thomas de Everingham of Rockley and Stainborough (c. 1348 – c. 1411)

Thomas son of Adam de Everingham succeeded his brother William. In 1361-2, Robert de Westmorland of Stow St. Mary's, and Agnes his wife granted their lands, etc., in West Burton, Stretton and Grymthorpe-in-le-Clay, Nottinghamshire to Adam de Everingham of Rockley, knight, Isabel his wife, and Thomas their son.[22] Thomas appears to have died in or before 1411.

4. Thomas Everingham of Stainborough (c. 1390 – 1453)

Thomas son of Thomas Everingham was probably born about 1390 and was married to a lady named Margaret in 1411-12, when Thomas Warde of Stainborough granted to Thomas de Everyngham and Margaret his wife, the land he had from Thomas de Everyngham, father of the grantee, in Royston and a rent in Stainborough.[23] Thomas became a retainer of John Talbot, First Earl of Shrewsbury, who as Lieutenant of Ireland, on 25 October 1415 (the day of the battle of Agincourt) approved the grant to Thomas and two others of the manors of Esker, Newcastle Lyons and Saggart, in Ireland.[24] On 20 May 1420, he had letters of attorney, going to France.[25] He was with Talbot at the battle of Verneuil on 17 August 1424 and served on the expedition into Anjou in 1425.[26]  On 7 December 1426, the king granted to Thomas Everingham, esquire, the office of constable of the castle of Dublin in Ireland, for his good service in France, Ireland and elsewhere.[27] On 14 March 1427, John Talbot appointed Thomas Everingham as his seneschal in the county and lordship of Wexford.[28] It appears that John Talbot later appointed Thomas Everingham as his steward in the manor of Sheffield, Yorkshire. On 3 August 1434, Sir Christopher Talbot, knight, Thomas Everingham the elder, esquire, and Thomas Soothill, chaplain, demised to Richard Oxprynge of Cudworth, for thirty years, lands in Cudworth, and other places near Sheffield.[29] Before 1441, Thomas was holding the Talbot manor of Painswick in Gloucestershire which he quitclaimed to John Talbot on 12 June 1441.[30]

On 1 January 1449, Thomas Everingham was one of the lieutenants of the earl of Shrewsbury at the surrender of Harfleur to the French, although this may possibly have been his son Thomas.[31]

On 8 September 1446, Thomas was one of the witnesses to the will of John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury.[32] On 1 July 1452, John, Earl of Shrewsbury, John Talbot, knight, Thomas Everingham, senior, esquire, and Thomas Everingham, junior, esquire, gave power of attorney to John Cobyn, their bailiff of Monyash and Chelmorton in Derbyshire, to demand, levy, distrain, and receive the rents and services due to them.[33] In the will of John Lord Talbot made at Portsmouth on 1 September 1452, before his last fateful journey to France, Thomas Everyngham is named as one of the executors and his yearly fee of £10 was granted to him for life.[34]

In most accounts, Thomas Everingham is said to have died at the battle of Castillon on 17 July 1453, together with his master, John Lord Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury.[35] However, he must have survived the battle, perhaps wounded or captured, because the rather short will of Thomas Everingham esquire of Stainborough, is dated 10 November 1453, and was proved on 10 January 1454. He desired to be buried where God wills. After gifts to the church of Silkstone he left the remainder of his goods to his wife Margaret.[36]

5. Thomas Everingham, of Stainborough and Newhall (c. 1410 – c. 1467)

Thomas Everingham of Newhall, Leicestershire, and Beverley, Yorkshire was probably born about 1410. His first wife was named Joan. On 14 September 1438, Thomas son of Thomas de Everyngham and his wife Joan granted to Sir John Talbot, Nicholas son of Nicholas de Wortlap, and John Ledes chaplain, the manors of Wickersley and North Lees in Yorkshire.[37] Before December 1442, he was appointed as collector of customs duties in Hull, and appears to have held property in nearby Beverley.[38] In April 1445, he was one of the “Keepers” of the town of Beverley.[39] It is possible that his first wife came from a Beverley family.

Through his second marriage, in late 1445, to Margaret Bugge, sister and heir of Baldwin Bugge, and widow of Richard Turville and Sir Reginald Moton (died 1445), Everingham became independently wealthy. In right of his wife, he held the manor of New Hall in Thurlaston, Leicestershire. On 4 November 1446, he was appointed as sheriff of Warwickshire and Leicestershire.[40]  On 22 June 1449, by a fine at Westminster, Thomas Everingham and Margaret his wife, granted to feoffees, the manors of Thurlaston and Wigston, and other land in East Leake, West Leake, Mackworth, and Litchurch. [41] On 6 February 1449 and 15 March 1453 Thomas was Member of Parliament for Leicestershire.[42]  On 15 June 1453, he was one of the commissioners appointed to negotiate for a loan to the king in the county of Leicester.[43]

In March 1455, he was confirmed as collector of customs duties on wool in the port of Hull.[44] Sir John Melton of Aston, Yorkshire, in his will dated 1 April 1455, left a bequest to his nephew, Thomas Everingham of Newhall.[45] Sir John Melton’s mother is said to have been an Everingham. In June 1456, Thomas Everingham, esquire and Margaret, his wife, sued William Maxse, knight, together with Ralph Cromwell, knight, deceased, for the next presentation of the church of Thurlaston, Leicestershire. The pedigree given in court shows that Margaret was the daughter of Edmund Bugge and Felicia his wife and sister and heir of Baldwin Bugge, who died s.p. Margaret's previous husband was Reginald Moton.[46]

In September 1457, Thomas Everyngham was a commissioner of array in Leicestershire and in October 1457, he and James Knyghley were appointed to arrest all ships and vessels in the port of Hull to serve against the king's enemies.[47] On 10 May 1460, Thomas Everyngham, esquire, for his good service to Henry V and the king in the wars beyond seas and against the rebels was granted the office of steward of Cottingham, Yorkshire forfeited by Richard duke of York.[48] The mention of Henry V, may refer to his father.

Some sources say that Thomas Everingham was killed at Towton in March 1461, but on 11 September 1461, Thomas Everyngham is named in the Patent Rolls as mayor and escheator in Kingston upon Hull.[49] He probably fought for Henry VI at the battle of Wakefield in December 1460, and because of this, in the first Parliament of Edward IV in November 1461, Thomas Everingham late of Newhall in the county of Leicester, knight, was one of those Lancastrians attainted and convicted of high treason.[50] This is one of the few references to him as a knight, which means that he was knighted by Henry VI between May 1460 and February 1461, possibly at Wakefield. On 6 March 1462, a warrant was issued for his arrest, together with many others.[51] Although he was attainted, and his lands confiscated, his life was evidently spared, because on 22 October 1465, Thomas Everingham late of Sheffield, Yorkshire, esquire, received a pardon of outlawry for not appearing before John Prysot and his fellows, justices of the Bench of the late king, when sued with Margaret Everyngham late of Sheffield, widow, [his mother] as executors of the will of Thomas Everingham late of York[shire], esquire, [his father] to answer a plea that they render £9 18s. 8d. to Thomas Goly, citizen and skinner of London.[52] The original Common Pleas case for debt was in Hilary term 1458 which is why Thomas is referred to as esquire. He died before Hilary term 1468 when John Smyth, executor of Joan Babthorpe, executor of Richard Leget of London, sued Margaret Everyngham, widow, of Newehalle, Leicestershire executor of Thomas Everyngham, esquire, and others in a plea of debt.[53] There is an inquisition post mortem in 8 Edward IV (1468-69) for Sir Thomas Everingham, knight, attainted. The only property mentioned is a messuage in Beverley.[54]

His widow Margaret died in 1474, when it was found that she was seised of the manor of Thurlaston called Newhall held of the king as of his duchy of Lancaster, and that John Turville her grandson was her next heir.[55]

5. Henry Everingham (c. 1446 – c. 1500)

On Henry VI’s brief return to the throne in 1470, those who had been attainted in 1461 had their lands restored to them and Henry Everingham came into possession of his father’s lands.  On 21 February 1476, Henry son and heir of Thomas Everingham of Staynburgh, co. York, esquire, gave power of attorney to Thomas Revell, to receive seisin of all the lands in Calvore and Bramelegh which his father had held jointly with John, Earl of Shrewsbury, and John, his son and heir, of the feoffment of Robert Staforthe of Eyam, Derbyshire.[56] In Easter term 1494, Henry Everyngham, esquire, sued John Rockley in a plea concerning fifty acres of arable land, ten acres of woodland and sixteen shillings worth of rent with the appurtenances in Worsborough, which Henry claimed in the king's court as his right and inheritance, and which the John has no entry except through Robert Rockley who granted them to him and who unjustly disseised Thomas Everyngham, father of the said Henry whose heir he is.[57]

Henry Everingham married Eleanor Wadsley, one of the three daughters and heiresses of Sir Edmund Wadsley, knight, and Alice his wife, of Wadsley Hall, near Sheffield. On 19 May 1497, William Harte, priest, was instituted to a moiety of the rectory of South Otterington by Robert Constable, son and heir of Marmaduke Constable, knight, patron by virtue of a grant by sealed letters patent from John Everingham, knight [of Birkin] and Katherine his wife; Henry Everingham and Eleanor his wife and Robert Keyle and Elizabeth his wife, their wives being daughters and co-heiresses of Edmund Waddesley, knight, the original patron.[58]

Henry Everingham appears to have died about 1500, when he was succeeded by his son and heir Thomas. His daughter Margaret married John Wickersley of Wickersley.

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[1] A. J. Pollard, John Talbot and the War in France 1427-1453 (1983), 76.

[2] William Brown, ed., Yorkshire Inquisitions in the Reigns of Henry III and Edward I. vol. 1, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, 12 (1892), 216.

[3] Joseph Hunter, South Yorkshire. The History and Topography of the Deanery of Doncaster in the Diocese and County of York, vol. 2 (London, 1831), 263.

[4] Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Ancient Deeds, Series DD, E 211/723/F&G

[5] Hunter, South Yorkshire, 2:264.

[6] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward I: vol. 2, 1279-1288 (1902), 404.

[7] Grant S. Simpson and James D. Galbraith, eds., Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland, vol. 5 (Supplementary), 1970, 398.

[8] Francis Palgrave, ed., The Parliamentary Writs and Writs of Military Summons, vol. 1 (London: Record Commission, 1827), 588.

[9] William Brown, ed., Yorkshire Deeds, vol. 1, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, 39 (1909), 143n.

[10] CP 25/1/266/58, number 43.

[11]  W. Payley Baildon, "Notes on the early Saville Pedigree and the Butlers of Skelbrook and Kirk Sandal," Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, 28 (1926), 398.

[12] W. Brown, ed., Yorkshire Deeds, vol. 1, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, 39 (1909), 155.

[13] John Mastin, The History and Antiquities of Naseby, in the County of Northampton (Cambridge, 1792), 94.

[14] William Brown, ed., Yorkshire Deeds, vol. 1, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, 39 (1909), 145.

[15] William Brown, ed., Yorkshire Deeds, vol. 1, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, 39 (1909), 143n.

[16] George Wrottesley, Crecy and Calais, from the original records in the Public Record Office (London, 1898), 166.

[17] Feet of Fines, CP 25/1/274/118, number 43.

[18] Feet of Fines, CP 25/1/141/131, number 3.

[19] William Brown, ed., Yorkshire Deeds, vol. 1, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, 39 (1909), 145n.

[20] Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, vol. 5 (1879), 420.

[21] William Brown, ed., Yorkshire Deeds, vol. 1, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, 39 (1909), 155n.

[22] Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Ancient Deeds, Series D, E 210/3925.

[23] Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Ancient Deeds, Series D, E 210/4215.

[24] TNA, E 101/248/11, m. 10.

[25] Forty-Fourth Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records (1883), App. 3, 637.

[26] Joseph Stevenson, ed., Letters and Papers Illustrative of the Wars of the English in France, vol. 2, part 2, Rolls Series (London, 1864), 394, 412.

[27] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Henry VI, vol. 1: 1422-1429 (1901), 383.

[28] Rotulorum Patentium et Clausorum Cancellariae Hiberniae Calendarium, Part 1 (Dublin, 1828), 241b.

[29] Chancery: Ancient Deeds, Series C, C 146/2946.

[30] Calendar of Close Rolls, Henry VI: vol. 4, 1441-1447 (1937), 155.

[31] Joseph Stevenson, ed., Letters and Papers Illustrative of the Wars of the English in France, vol. 2, part 2, Rolls Series (London, 1864), 629.

[32] J. Raine, ed., Testamenta Eboracensia: A Selection of Wills from the Registry at York, Part II, Surtees Society 30 (1855) 253.

[33] Isaac Herbert Jeayes, Descriptive Catalogue of Derbyshire Charters (London, 1906), 215.

[34] Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, Third Series, vol. 4 (1904), 372.

[35] Histoire des règnes de Charles VII et de Louis XI par Thomas Basin, vol. 1 (Paris, 1855), 267.
   Vallet de Viriville, ed., Chronique de Charles VII, Roi de France, par Jean Chartier, vol. 3 (1858), 7.

[36] J. Raine, ed., Testamenta Eboracensia: A Selection of Wills from the Registry at York, Part II, Surtees Society 30 (1855), 168.

[37] Derbyshire Record Office, Gell of Hopton Hall, D258/45/21/1.

[38] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Henry VI, vol. 4: 1441-1446 (1908), 135.

[39] Report on the Manuscripts of the Corporation of Beverley, Historical Manuscripts Commission, 37 (1900), 64.

[40] Calendar of Fine Rolls, vol. 18, Henry VI: 1445-1452 (1939), 57.

[41] Feet of Fines, CP 25/1/293/71, number 345.

[42] Members of Parliament: Parliaments of England, 1213-1702 (1879), 339, 348.

[43] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Henry VI, vol.6: 1452-1461 (1910), 53.

[44] Calendar of Fine Rolls, vol. 19, 1452-1461 (1939), 105.

[45] J. Raine, ed., Testamenta Eboracensia: A Selection of Wills from the Registry at York, Part II, Surtees Society 30, 1855, 184.

[46] George Wrottesley, "Pedigrees from the Plea Rolls," Genealogist, new series, vol. 18 (1902), 238.

[47] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Henry VI, vol. 6: 1452-1461 (1910), 402, 405.

[48] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Henry VI, vol. 6: 1452-1461 (1910), 580.

[49] Calendar of Fine Rolls, vol. 20, Edward IV, Henry VI: 1461-1471 (1949), 3.

[50] Chris Given-Wilson, et al., Parliament Rolls of Medieval England (2005).

[51] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward IV: vol. 1, 1461-1468 (1949), 55.

[52] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward IV: 1461-1467 (1897), 420.

[53] Court of Common Pleas, CP 40/826, dorse [AALT image 1029].

[54] Calendarium Inquisitionem Post Mortem sive Escaetarum, vol. 4 (1828), 346.

[55] Chancery: Inquisitions Post Mortem, Series I, Edward IV, C 140/49/21.

[56] Isaac Herbert Jeayes, ed., Descriptive Catalogue of Derbyshire Charters (London, 1906), 72.

[57] Court of Common Pleas, Easter 9 Henry VII, CP 40/928 m. 306.

[58] Eric E. Barker, ed., The Register of Thomas Rotherham, Archbishop of York: 1490-1500, vol. 1, Canterbury and York Society 69, 1976, 151.