Sir Richard Radcliffe, Kt., of Ordsall

Richard Radcliffe was born betw ABT 1301 / 1324, probably Ordsall, Lancashire, England and died: ABT 19 Jul 1380, Rossendale Water.

Father: John RADCLIFFE of Ordsall (Sir) Mother: Joan HOLLAND

Married

1. to Maud (Matilda) LEIGH (dau. of John Legh and Elizabeth Sandbach)
2. to Sybil CLITHEROE (dau. of Robert De Clitheroe) (m.2 Richard Mauleverer - m.3 Sir Roger De Fulthorpe)

2 known children of Maud Leigh and Richard Radcliffe include:

1. John RADCLIFFE of Ordsall (Sir)
2. Joan RADCLIFFE

1 known child of Sybil Clitheroe and Richard Radcliffe include:

1. Joan RADCLIFFE

Notes

Known as 'Le Puigne' to distinguish him from his cousin Richard of the Tower. In addition to the Ordsall estates he succeeded to his father's offices of Bailiwick of Rochdale and the Stewardship of Blackburn. By his marriage he vastly enhanced his noble status and landed possessions. His wife was Matilda, daughter and heir of Sir John Legh of Booths and Sandbach. She was descended in the paternal line from Hamon de Legh, Lord of the Mediety of High Legh in the reign of Henry II, whose descendants had absorbed by marriage the notable families of Swineshead, Oughtrington, Corona, and Sandbach. By her grandmother, Margaret de Arderne, she was descended from Ralph, Viscount of Bayeux, from the family of Averanches Earls of Chester, and from the noble lines of St. Hillery, Montalt, Orreby, Glanville, and Sackville. Matilda brought to her husband the manor of Sandbach, a moiety of Mobberley, and other extensive possessions of the Arderne inheritance in the county of Chester.

Richard was one of the greatest landowners in the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire, for in addition to the wide domains that his wife brought him, he had acquired other portions of the former lands of his own family. Besides Ordsall, he held the manor of Hope within Pendleton, a messuage and 60 acres of land, held by knight's service and a rent of four pounds and two shillings, and Shoresworth, which with Hope had come to the Radcliffes from Margaret de Shoresworth. On his father's death, Richard petitioned for the restitution of lands in Livesey and Tockholes in Blackburnshire, which had been granted to Roger de Radcliffe by Thomas of Lancaster, and had been seized by the Crown on account of the debts which Robert, son of Roger, had left unpaid at his death. His second wife was Sybil, dau. and heiress of Sir Robert de Clitheroe of Salesbury.

Richard was drowned in Rossendale Water, while exercising his official duties, on the Thursday before the feast of St. Margaret in 1380. After Richard's death Sybil was married again to Sir Richard de Mauleverer, to whom she bore a daughter, Isabella, who was married to John Talbot, and whose descendents had Salesbury for their inheritance. Sybil's third husband was Sir Roger de Fulthorpe, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in Ireland. In 1388 Sir Roger was convicted at Westminster of 'divers betrayals of trust' and his lands were made forfeit to the King. These properties on the death of Sybil reverted to the Lord of Ordsall. Sybil was living in 1406, when the Bishop of Lichfield granted her a licence as Lady of Salesbury for Mass to be celebrated 'submissa voce' within her manor of Salesbury.

From FAG:
Richard Radcliffe, bailiff of Rochdale, was lord of the manor of Ordsall, described in his IPM as having a hall with five chambers, kitchen, chapel, two stables, three granges, two shippons, a windmill and dovecote, as well as arable and meadow lands and an orchard. He also held a portion of Flixton manor and the adjacent estates of Hope and Shoresworth, together with lands in Salford and Tockholes.

His first wife and the mother of his heir was Maud, daughter and heiress of John de Legh and his wife, an heiress named Elizabeth de Sandbach, which marriage brought the manor of Sandbach and other lands in Lancashire to the Radcliffes of Ordsall. This John de Legh was lord of a moiety of Mobberley manor, which he held in right of his mother Maud de Arderne, wife of John de Legh of Booths. Maud de Arderne was a daughter of Sir John de Arderne (b. c.1266-d. by 1317) of Aldford, Alderly, Alvanley, and Elford, Commissioner of Array for Cheshire, by his wife Margaret de Bromfield, daughter of Gruffudd ap Madog (d. 1277), lord of Dinas Brân and a descendant of the Princes of Powys Fadog.

Links

• http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/RADCLIFFE3.htm#Richard RADCLIFFE2

Sources

• A genealogical and heraldic history of the commoners of Great ..., Volume 4 Pg.399
• Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry, Volume 2 By John Burke Pg.1091-

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A Knight of the Realm whose last name was also spelled De RADCLYFFE. He served as Bailiff of Rochdale. At the time of his death he was in possession of the Manor or Ordsdall, also parts of Flexton, Hope and Shoresworth Manors together with lands in Salford and Tocholes. He met his death on July 19, 1380 drowning in the Rossendale River.