Sir Hugh de Venables, of Kinderton

Archive.org (chapter of book not named): "The Barons of Kinderton"

8. HUGH III VENABLES
Hugh II’s eldest son was named William, but it seems he died before he reached his majority and so his younger brother Hugh became the heir.27 Hugh was a minor when his father died (born about 1305) and so the barony was controlled by the Earl of Chester and in 1315/6 rents totalling £19 7s 3d from Kinderton and 69s 0¾d from Eccleston were paid into the exchequer.28 For a time the Venables lands, or part of them, were under the control of William Mobberley, Hugh’s guardian, for in 1326/7 Hugh Venables paid £50 into the exchequer as part of a total of £240 due from Mobberley whilst he had custody of the Venables estate.29 This would suggest that Hugh had only then recently come of age. The cost of his relief was 80 marks (£52 16s) which apparently, he never paid for in 1358 he paid 16s 4d for a charter pardoning him for taking possession of his father’s lands without licence.30 he was given two years to pay the money due and paid an instalment of £26 13s 4d the following year.31 He is named as a knight ‘chivaler’ by 1350.32
To digress. On 26 August 1346, the famous battle of Crecy was fought. In the retinue of Edward, Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, there served a knight names Sir Alexander Venables – but who was he? Also serving, under the earl of Arundel, was Sir Richard Venables of Bollin, who according to the Visitation of Cheshire 1580, was a younger son of Sir Hugh II.
In 1354, Hugh created a park in the woodland area at Kinderton for which he paid £6 13s 4d for the privilege, and a further £7 11s 8d to have warren in his demesne lands of Kinderton, Sproston, Marston, Witton and Eccleton.33
He was involved in an enquiry into his rights as the baron of Kinderton.34 In mid-January 1358, Hugh appeared in court at Chester to plead against the Earl of Chester that he had a view of frank pledge in his demesne lands, along with ‘infangtheif and outfangtheif’, ‘wayfe and straye’, gallows, pillory, tumbrel, thew, stallage, stocks and pelfe. Each of these was explained to the court. ‘Frank pledge’ meant that he had the right to hold a court each Michaelmas to hear cases of bread and ale, breach of the peace, assault, hue and cry, and the obstruction of roads, before a jury of twelve men summoned by his steward. He had the right to fine people for wrongdoing, and in some cases by using other means. Bakers could be punished by the pillory for a fourth offence, butchers by tumbrell, and scolds by the thew.‘Infangtheof meant that when a person was accused of robbery he would be brought before the local court within three days and if he agreed be dealt with by the court, but if he wished to be tried by the court at Chester he would be taken there. If convicted and liable to the death penalty he would be returned to Kinderton for execution. ‘Outtfangthief’ meant that if any of his tenants were convicted in any court then he ought to be brought back to Kinderton for any execution. ‘Wayfe’ meant the right to retain stolen goods left by the thief in his manor. ‘Straye’ meant the right to retain animals found grazing on his waste lands which were not reclaimed with one year. ‘Stallage’ was the right to charge merchants and butchers trading in his manor 4d a year. ‘Pelfe’ was the right to seize the goods and chattels of anyone convicted of a felony, and after allowing the earl his rights to any items, then to take the best of all the rest. The jury found in favour of the baron at a subsequent hearing in September 1358.
The right of execution continued for centuries and in the Kinderton court rolls for April 1598 there is reference to the fact that John Croxton of Ravenscroft held his lands by the service of finding for the said Thomas Venables and his heirs one hangman to hang murderers and felons whenever such work is required to be done within the manor This right, which may not have been exercised very often, resulted in Hugh Stringer being executed for murder of Ann Crannage and her daughter Cecilia at Sproston. John Croxton, gave John Lingard, alias Barratt, 5s to carry out the execution on the 26 September.35
Hugh married twice. First, he was married to Elizabeth, the daughter of his guardian William Mobberley. He then married Katherine Houghton from Houghton, Lancashire.
Hugh died on 22 October 1367. On the day he died he held: Witton and Le Cross (part of Witton), from the earl as of fee, worth £10 a year; Kinderton, Sproston, Marston, other parts of Witton and Le Cross, from the earl in tail, all worth 200 marks; and the advowson of the church of Rostherne and property in Middlewich. He was eventually survived by a son of the same name from his second wife.
During his time, 1337, as lord of Kinderton, Hugh witnessed the arbitration between his cousin Thomas Venables of Budworth and the abbot of Vale Royal. The abbey possessed the manor of Darnhall where the pool often overflowed into Venables’ property and when it did so Thomas was in the habit of fishing in the pool. When opposed he resorted to arms to enforce what he considered his ‘right to fish’. On one occasion he assaulted one of the monks, stole his and his companions bows, arrows and swords, and assaulted one of those men. In compensation Thomas paid 100s to the monk with a replacement bow, and 6s 8d to the man, and swore before the abbot not to fish in Darnhall Pool again. A Sir John Venables is also named as being present when the agreement was drawn up but he has not been identified. This Thomas Venables was brother of William Venables of Bradwall and both were sons of Sir William of Bradwall.36 William was one of a number of armed men who set out to ambush the abbot of vale Royal on his return from Westminster. The abbot had been to plead his case with the king and queen against the ‘bondmen of Darnhall’ who were rebelling against his authority. The peasants were supported in their cause by many Cheshire gentlemen of whom William Venables was one. In an altercation in Rutland one of the abbot’s servants was killed, whereupon Venables fled the scene and hastily returned to Cheshire.37

10. HUGH IV VENABLES
Hugh, the fourth lord of Kinderton to be so named, was aged at least 21 years when his father died and so was able to take control of the barony from October 1367. His first marriage to Ellen Huxley, produced two children who died young. He next married Margaery Cotton and from her the family continued.
Before considering Hugh’s life it is worth mentioning some members of the family of this time who cannot be identified. The first is Piers Venables, ‘esquire’, who was active in the summer of 1380, serving first under Sir David Hulgrave, and then under Sir Hugh Calveley, in the retinue of Thomas, earl of Buckingham, later to be duke of Gloucester. On 19 July 1380, the duke landed at Calais for an expedition which consisted of 5,060 men, about half being archers, which Richard II had funded by pawning the crown jewels for £10,000. The army advanced to Burgundy and at the gate of Troyes a skirmish was fought lasting about an hour. The expedition took a wide detour through northern France, swinging as far west as the County of Champagne, pillaging and burning. The French refused to be drawn into a general engagement. When Buckingham's army finally arrived in Brittany, the political situation had changed and peace seemed likely. In March 1381, the expedition returned to England. Also present were Thomas Venables, an archer, who served in the same company, and John who served under Sir William Windsor; both may be Piers’ brothers. A Peter, a man-at-arms, also occurs in 1389 with the Duke of Norfolk in Scotland, with John and Andrew, who were also men-at-arms, in the same contingent. A John Venables, archer, occurs somewhat earlier on the Rheims campaign of 1359, and in March 1378, under the captaincy of Sir Ralph St Ledger with the earl of Arudel. A Thomas had ‘letters of protection’ in going with Sir Thomas Cheyne to the castle of Marck, Calais, in December 1385. A Nicholas, archer, and a Henry, man-at-arms, served the king under in 1372. In May 1383, a Peter (Piers) Venables had ‘letters of protection’ on serving overseas in what was known as the ‘Norwich Crusade’ led by Henry le Despencer, bishop of Norwich, during which Sir Hugh Calveley was the military commander. Whilst a Thomas and a John appear in Ormerod’s pedigree and may be the men mentioned there is no reference to any Peter, or Piers, Venables and yet his rank of ‘esquire’ suggests he was son of a knight. Did this member of the family die on active service during his father’s lifetime? Assuming he was in his 20s when serving and therefore born about 1355, his father may have been Hugh III.40
Hugh IV became sheriff of Cheshire in 1380 and remained in that office until his death six years later.[math error], but apart from that nothing is known of him and his name appears rarely in Middlewich documents. In 1380, he paid £400 to obtain from the king the wardship of Richard Bulkelegh, the young heir of the Cheadle lordship.
He died in first week of Lent, on Friday, 13 February 1383, and his son and heir, Richard, reached the age of 18 on 25 July that year. According to the inquisition post mortem held later that year his estates of Kinderton were valued at £100 a year and half of the manor of Newton, Wirral. An inquisition the following year stated that he held his estates by the performance of ten knights’ fees, worth 200 marks, together with the advowsons of Rostherne and Eccleston. The widow Margery was awarded custody of two-thirds of the barony and the guardianship of her son Richard and a third part of the Cheadle estates which were still in wardship.

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Hugh de Venables, (son of Sir Hugh de Venables, Baron of Kinderton by his 2nd wife, Katherine Houghton) succeeded his father as baron of Kinderton and was sheriff in 1378, died 6 Ric II.

1st wife Ellen dau of Robert de Iluxlegh and had issue William and Richard who both died without issue.

2nd wife Margery, dau of Hugh de Cotton of Rudheth, 1398. In addition to sons William and Richard whom we follow below, this couple also had a son Thomas de Venables of Horton in Hartford, 2 Ric II, ancestor of the Venables of Agden and a daughter, Margery wife of Richard Bulkeley of Cheadle and afterwards of Randle Mainwaring of Peover, living 3 Hen IV.

Links

• http://www.thornber.net/cheshire/htmlfiles/venables.html
• http://www.multiwords.de/genealogy/Ve20%20Joan%20Venables.html
• http://www.thepeerage.com/p21157.htm#i211570

Hugh de Venables was born in 1330 at Kinderton, Cheshire, England.1 He was the son of Hugh de Venables and Katherine de Houghton.1 He died in 1383.1

Child of Hugh de Venables and Margery Cotton
1.Margery Venables+1 b. 1369

Citation: [S1916] Tim Boyle, "re: Boyle Family," e-mail message to Darryl Roger Lundy, 16 September 2006. Hereinafter cited as "re: Boyle Family."

Book & Quoted Matter

• Great Britain, Public Records Office. 1875. “Appendix II. Welsh Records: Calendar of Recognizance Rolls of the Palatinate of Chester, to the End of the Reign of Henry IV.” In The Thirty-Sixth Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records [18th February 1875], 548. London: George E. Eyre; William Spottiswoode. Archive.org, p. 488.
  • No. 1. — Welsh Records: Recognizance Rolls of Chester— Continued
  • VENABLES, cont.…
    • 27 Oct 1377. – “Hugh de, appointment of, by the King, as sheriff of the county of Chester during pleasure. [1 & 3 Ric., 2. m. 1 d. (12).]”
    • 23 Apr 1378. – “Hugh de, of Kynderton, grant to, by the King, on a fine of 400l. of the custody of two parts of the lands and tenements in the eounty of Chester, late of William de Bulkylegh, of Chedle, together with the wardship and marriage of Richard his son and heir, and should the said Richard die within age, then of the next heir, and so on from heir to heir; also of the reversion of the 8rd part of the same lands, which Alice, who was the wife of the said William, held in dower. [1 & 3 Ric., 2. m. 8 (4)]”
    • 19 Apr 1379. – “Hugh de, of Kynderton, writs directed to John de Scolehall, escheator of Chester, and John de Wodehoose, chamberlain, for livery of the – 24 Apr 1379 – above lands and wardship to. [1 & 3 Ric., 2. m. 8 (1), (2), (5).]
    • 22 Jun 1379. – “Hugh de, of Kynderton, lease to, by the King, for life, at 100s. yearly, of the lands and tenements in Alpram, late of WiUism de Bnflnrlegh, of Alpram, in the King's hands by the oudawry for felony of Tnomaa de Bulkylegh brother and heir of the aforesaid William. [1 & 3 Ric., 2. m. 3 d. (11).]

References

• Brown, Henrietta Brady. 1961. “Some Venables of England and America and Brief Accounts of Families into Which Certain Venables Married.” In The Venables of Normandy and England, 68. Cincinnati Ohio: Kinderton Press. Archive.org.
• Highet, T. P., ed. 1960. “The Fourteenth Century Davenports: The Early History of the Davenports.” In Remains, Historical and Literary Connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester, 9:18. Manchester, Lancashire, England: Chetham Society. Archive.org, p. 26.
• http://www.wallace-venable.name/Venable_Genealogy/Some_Venables_of_...
• https://cybergata.com/roots/355.htm
• Wikitree: Hugh "of Kinderton" de Venables Knt...Sheriff of Cheshire
  • Please review the Wikitree webpage (last update, 14 Sep 2022) to determine the merit of data and information.
  • At last update, two significant things are missing:
    • A title of Baron or Lord.
    • Hugh's 1st wife, by whom he had no surviving children. The quoted source above indicates there were two children by the 1st wife who didn't survive.

Sir Hugh Venables, Baron
Male 1295 - 1368
Prefix: Sir
Suffix" Baron
Birth: Abt 1295 Kinderton, Cheshire, Eng
Gender: Male
Died: 1368
Person ID : I5607 penrose

Father: Sir Hugh Venables, Baron
b. Abt 1272, Kinderton, Cheshire, Eng
d. Abt 1341

Mother: Agatha Vernon, b. Abt 1248, ,Shipbrook,Cheshire,Eng
Family ID: F3577 Group Sheet

Family 1: Elizabeth Mobberley
Children
1. William Venables, d. 1350
2. Anilla Venables, b. Abt 1365, of Kinderton, Cheshire, England

Family ID : F3575 Group Sheet
Family 2: Katherine de Houghton, b. Abt 1305, of Houghton, Lancashire, England
Married: Abt 1328
Children
1. Joane de Venables, b. Abt 1329, of Kinderton, Cheshire, England
2. Sir Hugh Venables, b. Abt 1330, Kinderton,Cheshire,England, d. 1383
3. Roger de Venables, b. Abt 1332, Kinderton,Cheshire,England,Eng
4. Thomas de Venables, b. Abt 1334, Kinderton,Cheshire,England
5. Richard Venables, b. Abt 1336, ,Kinderton,Cheshire,Eng

Sources:
1. A Short History of the Mainwaring Family Finley, R. Mainwaring London, Griffith Farran Okeden & Welsh - 1890

An important natural resource of Cheshire was salt: Below the surface of the county lie large deposits of saline rock, the presence of which may well have been known to the Romans. . . In the Middle Ages, the saltproducing towns were called, collectively, the Wiches, — Nantwich, Middlewich, Northwich. Mediaeval Cheshire, pp. 108-9. Large areas of salt lands were owned by abbeys and clerics, but: Lay owners of salt houses, where salt pans filled with salt water were boiled, were even more numerous and diverse in status. . . . Among the proprietors of salt houses, land, or messuages in the Wiches were Venables ... [and many other Cheshire families]