Anne le Despenser

Anne le DESPENSER was born ABT 1248 in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England, and died BEF 1280.

He [William de Ferrers] married, 1stly, Anne, said to have been daughter of Sir Hugh Le DESPENSER, of Ryhall, Rutland, Loughborough, co. Leicester, Parlington, co. York, &c., sometime justiciar of England, by Aline, daughter and heir of Sir Philip BASSET, of Wycombe, Bucks, &c., also justiciar of England. [Complete Peerage V:340-2, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]

(or was she daughter of an unknown first wife ?)

Disproved Marriage

Sir William de Ferrers of Groby was not married to Anne le Despenser

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ferrers-37

Complete Peerage states, with no sourcing, that William's first wife Anne was said to be a daughter of Hugh le Despenser.[4] Douglas Richardson disproved this in 2008 and provides several sources to prove William's marriage was to Anne Durward. See this 2008 conversation in soc.genealogy.medieval for detail. < link >

Disputed children

Lady Anne de Ferrers & Matilda (or Maud) de Ferrers are seen as children of Sir William de Ferrers of Groby and Anne le Despenser and have been disconnected from both as their children. There are no sources offered. [EH, 18 April 2022]

Disputed mother

From https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jweber&i...

The following post-em by Mike Lysell, mlysell AT comcast.net, tends to add support for the existence of an unknown first wife, but leaves Eleanor's ancestry in doubt (I have her also a daughter by the 1st wife):

Jim - Carl Boyer in "Medieval English Ancestors of Certain Americans" also shows an unamed first wife based on information from Vernon Noor's "Some Early English Pedigrees". He lists Ann who married William Ferrers as the only child of this union. He shows Alianor, born about 1257 as the first child by Aline Bassett.

Boyer shows a birth date of 1245 for Aline but says that in the inquistions taken in Nov. 1271 after the death of her father, she was said to be aged 22 and more, 24 and more 26, or 30 and more. This indicates a birth date of as early as 1241, making her 17 at the time of Ailanor's birth.

Disputed identity

See the notes in the profile for Anna Durward questioning her identity as the wife of Sir William de Ferrers of Groby

Old notes

From https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jweber&i...

She was the daughter of Hugh 1st Baron le DESPENSER , Sir and Unknown First WIFE.

She married William FERRERS , of Groby, Sir in 1st wife, son of William de FERRERS , 5th Earl of Derby and Margaret de QUINCY , Heir of Groby & Leuchars. He was born ABT 1240 in Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford, Essex, England, and died BEF 20 DEC 1287 in Groby Old Hall, Leicestershire, England.

Children

1. Anne FERRERS b: ABT 1268 in Groby Old Hall, Leicestershire, England
2. William 1st Baron FERRERS , of Groby, Sir b: 30 JAN 1271/72 in Yoxall, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England [NO - his mother was Ann Durward]