Sir John de Swinnerton of Hilton, Sheriff of Shropshire and Staffordshire, Knights of the Shire for Staffordshire, Commissioner of Array for Shropshire and Staffordshire. was born in England to Roger de Swinnerton (-c1298) and Joan de Hastang (-1298) and died circa 1340 England of unspecified causes. He married Anne de Montgomery (-c1340) .
Collections for a History of Staffordshire, Volume 7
"...John de Swynnerton, second son of Roger de Swynnerton, son of Stephen (de Uselwall), and younger brother of Sir Roger de Swynnerton, the baron.
John de Swynnerton had his advancement by marriage with Anne, the daughter and heiress of Philip de Montgomery[1], Seneschal of the Forest of Cannock; in whose right he held the hereditary Seneschalcy of the said forest, together with certain lands in the county of Stafford; and through which marriage his son or grandson eventually inherited the manor of Whelton, in the county of Northampton, and other lands in the counties of Northampton, Lincoln, and possibly also in Sussex.
They were probably married in the year 1306, when Anne will have been about fifteen or sixteen years of age, for it was in that year that John de Swynnerton became Steward of the Forest of Cannock. In the same year William de Nevill and Felice his wife sued John de Swynnerton and Avice (Anne) his wife for a third part of the bailiwick of the Stewardship of the Forest of Cannock with appurtenances in Wednesbury, Dorlaston, Wilnenhale, Wodnesfeld, Newbrigge, Oxeleye, Molleseye, Bissebury, Esington, Pendeford, Covene, Sharshull, Hulton, Great Shardon (Sardon), Little Sardon, Bentleye, Fetherstone, Teddeleye, Pilatenhale, Huntingdon, Wolgaveston, Pencrich, Alrewas, Orgrafe, Fordleye, Bomleye-Regis, Little Corburgh, Elmhurst, Gauleye, Kinwaston, Eton, Otherton, Rodbaston-Hamelet, Haterdon, Oggeleye, Overe Stonhale, Nether Stonhale, Allrewyz Russenhale, Peleshale, Great Blockeswyz, Little Blockeswyz, Hopewas, Bollenhull and Cheteling, which they claimed as dower of Felicia. The defendants did not appear, and they had a day given to them at this date prece partium. They afterwards appeared (sic. left unfinished). Again William de Nevyle and Felice his wife sued John de Swynnerton and Avice his wife for a third of two messuages, three virgates of land, forty acres of wood, and 10 marks of rent in Repindon (co. Derby) as dower of Felice. The defendants had made default at the last Octaves of St. Martin, and the process had been contiued till this day; and the sheriff had been ordered to take the dower claimed into the King's hand; and the Sheriff now returned that he had done so; and John and Avice (Anne) now appeared, and William and Felice by their attorney claimed the dower by their default; but John and Avice denied the summons, and offered to wage their law; they are therefore to come with their compurgators at three weeks from St. Michael.
Their son and heir John de Swynnerton was born in or before 1309.
At the general profer of Knight's services due to the King, made at Twedemouth on 19th September, 4 Edw. II., 1310, John de Swenerton was one of those who accepted the obligation to serve on behalf of the Earl of Lancaster in the Scottish War as a Serjeant-at-arms.
In the following year he acquired the manor of Hulton or Hilton, in the county of Stafford. In 6. Edw. II. he had letters of protection to go to parts beyond the sea in the retinue of John de cherleton, dated 3rd May, 1313; and on 16th October of the same year, as one of the followers of the Earl of Lancaster he received the King's pardon for his action in the matter of Piers Gaveston.
In 7 Edw. II. Robert de Esenington (Easington), senior and Margaret his wife sue John de Swynnerton, Richard, Roger and Nicholas, his brothers, Ralph de Byshebury, Hugh, parson of Byshebury, John de Levynton, and others for unjustly disseising them of their tenement in Esenington. The jury says the four messuages and two and a half virgates of land in dispute were in seisin of a certain Ralph de Hyengham who died seised thereof, after whose death John de Ratynden entered in right of Beatrice his wife, the heir of Ralph, and enfeoffed John de Swynnerton who now holds. John and Margaret are in misericordia for a false claim.
In 9 Edw. II., 5th March, 1316, John de Swynnerton is certified to be one of the Lords of the township of Roton (Repyngdon or Repton) in the county of Derby.
In 12 Edw. II. he was serving in Scotland, in the retinue of John de Somery, the Baron of Dudley, and again in the following year.
In 15 and 16 Edw. II., i.e. from Christmas, 1321, to Michaelmas, 1322, he was Sheriff of the counties of Salop and Stafford; and on the 1st January, 1322 the two counties, together with the castles of Shrewsbury and Bridgenorth, were committed to his custody, Robert de Grendon, the previous Sheriff, being commanded to give them up to him. On the following day, 2nd January, he was appointed of the the Commissioners of Array in the counties of Salop and Stafford; and again, on 25th March of the same year, one of the Commissioners of Array in the county of Salop (the towns of Shresbury and Ludlow being excepted from his commission).
In the same year he was returned as Knight of the Shire of the county of Stafford to serve in the Parliament summoned to meet at York in three weeks of Easter, 2nd May, 1322.
By writ tested at York on 16th May of the same year, he was commanded not to proceed in the execution of the above-mentioned commission of array of the 25th of March. Having adhered to the Earl of Lancaster and the Barons in their rebellion, he was now placed under confinement; but on payment of a fine of L40, his life was spared, and he was discharged from prison on making oath and giving surety for his good behavior, his bond and recognizance being dated at York on 11th July, 1322.
In the following year, 17 Edw. II., Sir John de Swynnerton, Knight, was returned by the Sheriff of the county of Stafford, pursuant to writ tested at Westminster on 9th May as summoned by general proclamation to attend the Great Council at Westminster on Wednesday next after Ascension Day, 30th May, 1324.
It has been shown, when treating of the senior line that in the early years of the reign of King Edward II., John de Swynnerton was implicated in several of the enormities perpetrated in Staffordshire during that lawless period. In Trinity Term, 17 Edw. II. he produced, at the Stafford Assizes, the King's Pardon for himself and others, for the shameless abduction of Joan the relict of Peter de Greseleye.
In 18 Edw. II., he was summoned, as from the county of Stafford, by writ tested at Ravensdale 7th January, 1325 to perform military service in Guyenne, having obtained a pardon on condition of his serving the King in his wars; and by writ tested at Westminster 20th February, he was summoned to pass into Guyenne under the command of the Earl of Warrenne; muster at Portsmouth on Sunday next after Midlent, 24th March; having been previously required to perform such service by letters of Privy Seal.
In 20 Edw. II. he was Knight of the Shire returned for Stafford in the Parliament summoned at Westminster on 14th December, 1326, and by prorogation on the morrow of the Epiphany, 7th January, 1327; and in the same year of our Lord, 1327, 1 Edw. III., he obtained his writ of expenses for his attendance at the said Parliament, tested at Westminster, 9th March, 1327. He was again returned as Knight of the Shire for Stafford to the Parliament summoned to meet at York, 26th May, 1335 (9 Edw. III.).
In 4 Edw. III., 1330, John de Britannia, Prior of Repyndon, William de Clynton and Julian his wife, Robert le Beck, Philip de Strelle, William de Handesacre, Emma who had been the wife of Robert de Montalt, and John de Swynnerton, were summoned to answer the King by what warrant they, together with Christian who had been the wife of John de Segave, claimed to have, in the manor of Repyndon, view of frankpledge with all that appertained to the said view, with pillory, tumberell, theam, infangethef, gallows and wayf, and to have a market weekly on Wednesday in the said manor, and a fair yearly on the first of July, and to have the Hundred of Repyndon with the appurtenances and view of frankpledge in the same Hundred. The said parties appeared and said that the said Christiana who claimed the said liberties jointly with themselves was now dead. This was confirmed by the Sheriff. Therefore no further action was taken at present on the said brief.
On 19th November, 6 Edw. III. 1332, Thomas son of Otwell Purcell, Lord of Sharshull, conveyed to Sir John de Swynnerton, Knight, the manor of Shareshull with all rents, services, villeins, &c. Witnesses, Sir Roger de Swynnerton, Sir John Gifford, Sir Henry de Bisseburi, Sir John Trussell of Acton, Sir John de Weston, Griffin de la Pole, William Trumwine, William de Pilatenhale, Robery le Flemyng, John de Mollesleye, William le Champyon senior.
By writ dated at Roxburgh, 24th December, 1334, Sir John de Synnerton was commanded to be in readiness with horses and arms, for the Wars of Scotland. On 10th February, 1336, he received a similar mandate by writ tested at Knaresborough; and again on 6th May, by writ tested at Westminster. On 3rd October of the same year he was commissioned to array 2,000 men in the county of Stafford for service in the wars of Scotland.
Sir John de Swynnerton died in or about February 1340. The writ of diem clausit estremum was issued 27th February, 14 Edw. III. and the Staffordshire Inquisition was held at Penkridge, 8th March of the same year. He held of the King in capite on the day of his death, by the courtesy of England, of the inheritance of Anna daughter of Philip de Montgomeri, formerly his wife, by reason of the offspring had between them, the stewardship and bailiwick of keeping the King's Forest of Cannock and one half virgate of land in Frodeleye, and one assart and one meadow in Hopewas, without rendering antyhing therfor to the King. The said stewardship together with the said half virgate, assart, and meadow, ard holden of the King in capite by grand serjeantry, viz., the custody of the said forest; and they are worth annually 20s. John, the son of the said John and Anna is the next heir of the said Anna and the said stewardship, land, assart and meadow. The aforesaid John de Swynnerton also held in his demesne as of fee, on the day of his death, of the Dean and Chapter of Wolverhampton, in Hulton, two messuages, ten acres of land, and half an acre of meadow by service of 3s. 4d. a year. The said two messuages are worth annualy 2s. and the said ten acres of land are worth 40d., and the said half acre of meadow is worth 6d. He held also in the same vill ten shillings worth of annual rent of the said Dean and Chapter, payable at four terms, viz., at the Feat of St. Michael, St. ANdrew, the Annunciation of the Blessed Mary, and St. John the baptist, by equal portions, and there are no other profits. he aldo held in his demesne as of fee in Esyngton, two virgates and half a land of Robert de Esyngton, by the service of 2s. by year, and they are worth annually half a mark and no more, because the land is sandy and the third part of the same lies fallow every year and in common. He held also in his demesne as of fee in Pylatenhale the fourth part of one virgate of land of William de Pylatenhale by the service of 6d. by the year, and the said fourth part is worth annually 40d. The aforesaid John son of the said John and Anna is the nest heir of the same John de Swynnerton of the tenements of Hulton, Esyngton, and Pylatenhale aforesaid; and he was thirty years of age and more at the Feast of All Saints last past.
Besides the above mentioned lands and tenements of which John de Swynnerton (the father) had died seised, the King's writ to the escheator directing him to put the said John son of John and Anne de Swynnerton in seisin of his estates, mentions a rent of L4 14s, arising from free tenants in Repyngdon, Melton, and Tykenhale (in the county of Derby), which he had held by the service of the twentieth part of a Knight's fee, and a yearly rent of L4 to be received from certain free tenants in Wadynton, a rent of 30s to be received from certain free tenants in Beltesford, a rent of 20s in Aldeberwe to be paid from certain free tenants there, and a rent of 14s to be received from certain tenants in Donnington (in the county of Lincoln), which said rents together with other lands and tenements in Derby are holden of the King in Capite by the service of the fortieth part of a Knight's fee. It further states that he held also in his demesne as of fee divers other lands and tenements of divers other lords by divers services. The said writ was dated 30th March, 14 Edw. III.; and the King having taken the homage of the said John de Swynnerton, the escheator is to take security of him for his releif, and to give him seisin of all the lands and tenements.
The manor of Hulton or Hilton, was acquired by Sir John de Swnnerton in 5 Edw. II. [[1311]-12), in which year John de Ratingen grants his whole manor of Hulton in the county of Stafford, with all his lands etc., in Essington, Wyrley, Sardon and Wolverhampton, to Sir John de Swynnerton, Knight, and his heirs; which Sir John de Swynnerton being possessed of the manor, and having purchased of John the son of Simon Bercarius of Hulton, all his rents and services, with the wards, releifs, escheats, and heriots of a messuage here which Sir Ralph de Hengham held, and afterwards another messuage of Robert the son of John de Hulton, made this the place of his residence. Sir John de Swynnerton gave his coat: Argent, a cross formee flory sable, adding a bordure engrailed, gules, to distinguish him from the older house."
Notes and references
- ^ Philip de Montgomery was probably a cadet of that house of Montgomery which held seven Knight's fees of the Honor of Lancaster. He acquired the bailiwick and stewardship of the Forest of Cannock by the concession of Thomas d Weseham who held it in fee; which concession was confirmed to him and his heirs by King Edward I., on 20th July, 1284, in the 12th year of his reign. He also held lands of Thomas de Weseham in the county of Lincoln. Philip de Montgomery died in 1295. The writ of diem clausit extremum was issued 11th May of that year. The Staffordshire Inquisition, which was held at Weford on Monday before the Feast of St. Margaret (18th July, 1295), states that he held of the King the bailiwick of the Stewardship of Connock in the county of Stafford, at the time of his death, for 10 marks, and it is worth L13, 18s, 9d. per annuml and he held also two acres of waste in Fredeleg in the same county, of Robert de Somerville by homage and one farthing rent, and ward and marriage when it should fall due, and it was worth 2s. Anna, his daughter, is nearest heir, and she will be four years of age at the Feast of St. Michael in the present year (1295). The Lincolnshire Inquisition states that he held a number of small tenures in Wadington and Brante worth L4, 14s, 1d, annually; and all these lands and tenements here held of Thomas de Wesham by service of a grain of pepper; his daugher Anna is stated to have been three years of age at the Feast of Easter last past. The Northamptonshire Inquisition, taken at Northampton, states that he held nothing in capite in that county, but he and his wife Felicia were conjointly enfeoffed of the manor of Welton, held of John Wake by the service of one Knight's fee, and it is worth L25, 8s. They held also in Staveron 56s, 4d. of annual rent, of which they paid 30s to the capital lord. And they held in the vill of Trop, of William de Fenis (or Feyns), by the sernice of half a Knight's fee, a messuage, with lands and tenements specified, woth annually 150s. His daughter Anna is stated to have been three years and more from the Feast of St. Michael. The Sussex Inquisition states that Philip de Montgomery married Felice, daughter and heir of Nicholas de Welton, and Felicia had in Watlinton, in the county of Sussex, 23s, 7 1/2 d. of rent from various tenants, and held the said rent of the Honor of Aquila, whi is in the King's hand, rendering annually 16s, 8d for the guard *and wardam) of the Castle of Pevensey. The jurors believe Felice to be now living, but as regards the heir they know nothing (inq., 23 Edw. I., No. 30). Felicia, the widow of Philip de Montgomery, was dead in 3 Edw. III. She had been married secondly to Sir William Nevill, of Holdenby, younger son of Sir Robert Nevill, of Brampton, by whom she had an only son, Sir James Nevill, of Whelton, who died without issue, when the inheritance of his mother Felicia's estates should have reverted to his kinsman John de Swynnerton. the son of his half-sister Anne, daughter of Philip de Montgomery. But SIr James appears to have devised the manor of Whelton, for term of life, to his wife Joan, daughter of Geoffrey de Cornwall, Baron of Burford; who, in her widowhood, styled herself Lady of Whelton, and by deed of 49 Edw. III. (1375), granted to John Holt, of Brampton, near Dingley, the manor and avowson of Whelton, with all her lands in Whelton and Staverton. After the death of Dame Joan, John de Swynnerton, by his deed dated in 3 Ric. II. (1380) granted and confirmed the manor of Whelton to John Holt and Alice his wife, for their lives, and to the executors and assigns of the survivor of them for one whole year, rendering for or instead of the said John de Swynnerton and his heirs, the services due and accustomed to the chief lords of the fee. This grant was probably the result of a comprimise, and the price paid for the renunciation of rights acquired by the tenants under the deed of Joan, Lady of Wheltonl and it was not till after their death that the Swynnertons fully recovered their maternal inheritance. After Philip de Mongomery's death the Stewardship of Cannock Forest was held by Sir Robert de Bures, Lord of Chartelegh, for eleven years (i.e. till 1306), when he was succeeded by John de Swynnerton (inq., 45 Edw. III. No. 65, 1st Nre).
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| John de Swinnerton (-1380) | 1309 England | 11 December 1379 Hilton, Staffordshire, England | Christiana Unknown |
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Roger de Swinnerton (-1337) | |||
| John de Swinnerton (-c1340) | England | 1340 England | Anne de Montgomery (-c1340) |
| Richard de Swinnerton (-aft1350) | |||
| Nicholas de Swinnerton (-1357) | |||
| Stephen de Swinnerton (-aft1348) | |||
| Alexander de Swinnerton (-1324) | |||
| Ellen de Swinnerton (-1340) | |||