LITTLE BUDWORTH
Grid Ref: SJ 598 655
17 August 2001 & 25 March 2015
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| St. Peter's, Little Budworth, mid-morning in March 2015 |
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| South Door, 2015 |
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Sundial, 2015 |
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| The nave looking towards the altar, 2001 |
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Memorial window for Philip de Malpas Egerton and
Rowland Le Belward Egerton, 2001 |
The church of St. Peter's springs a surprise on visitors.
From the road one forms the view that this is an ancient church. However, as
soon as one steps inside, the extent of alteration is evident as shown in the
picture of the nave. The rebuilding took place in 1800 with subsequent
restorations. These must have swept away many features of historical interest.
The view towards the altar shows a number of brass plaques
on the wall in what would formerly have been the north aisle chapel. One records
all the members of the Egerton family buried in the vaults beneath. A further
brass is dedicated to Sir Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton, son of the Rev. Sir
Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton and also his wife, Anna Elizabeth the daughter
of George John Legh of High Legh; they died in 1881 and 1882 respectively. Their
son, Sir Philip Le Belward Grey Egerton, the 11th Baronet (1833-1891) is also
commemorated. He fought in the Crimean War and after the Battle of Balaclava
received the surrender of the Governor of that fort.
There is a framed description of the church on the wall
of the nave near the tower. It states that the village is named in the Domesday
book and that a church existed before 1190. The tower, built between 1490 and
1526, was formerly used as a beacon. In 1757 the church was described as having
two side aisles supported by wooden pillars. The rebuilding of 1800 was financed
by the bequest of Ralph Kirkham and restorations were carried out in 1870, 1919
and 1936. Of the earlier fittings the Geogian pulpit and a 17th century font
survive. The bells date from 1714 but were recast in 1969.
In some ways this is one of the saddest churches in Cheshire. On
the south side is a memorial window to twin brothers killed in action in the
Great War. They were Philip de Malpas Egerton and Rowland Le Belward Egerton,
the sons of the local landowning family of Oulton Park. The Egertons were formerly
the patrons of St. Peter's but the patron now is the Bishop of Chester. The
Egerton's house at Oulton Park was partly destroyed by fire in the 1926 and
demolished by enemy bombs in 1940. The park became the Oulton Park motor racing
track.
The following details of the brothers commemorated in the window were obtained
from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
web site:
P de M W EGERTON, Captain, 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars who
died on Tuesday 8 October 1918 . Age 23 . Son of Sir Philip Henry Brian Grey
Egerton, 12th Bart., of Oulton Park, Cheshire, and Mary Carolyn Campbell Grey
Egerton, his wife (now Mrs. Richard McCreery).
ROWLAND LE BELWARD. EGERTON, Second Lieutenant, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who
died on Monday 30 November 1914 .
Egerton Families of Cheshire
The Egerton family is very widespread across Cheshire and Lancashire with many
branches. The following brief account of the eary history attempts to show how
some of these groups are related. The Egertons trace their ancestry to John
Le Belward of Depenbeche, alias Malpas, in the reign of William Rufus. The surname
of Egerton was not assumed until the fifth generation, when Philip purchased
Egerton in Cheshire.
- 1. John Le Belward
- 2. William Le Belward, married Letitia, dau. and coheiress of Robert
Fitz Hugh first Baron of Malpas.
- 3. William Le Belward of Malpas, married Beatrix, dau of Hugh Kiveliock
Earl of Chester and coheiress of her brother Ranulph.
- 4. Sir David, 1st son, styled Dan, David de Malpas, also le
Clerk from his being secretary to Earl of Chester in 1252. Married
Margaret, dau. and heiress of Ralph ap Eynion, owner of a moiety
of the barony of Malpas.
- 5. Sir William de Malpas, first son, died without issue.
- 5. Philip Goch or Gough, 2nd son, purchased Egerton
and took that name.
+Catherine dau. of Jorverth de Hulton of Hulton in Lancashire.
One son David and a daughter Hova.
- 6. David de Malpas, alias de Egerton.
+ Cecilia dau. of Randle le Roter, Lord of Thornton. One
son.
- 7. Philip de Egerton, Sheriff of Cheshire
in 23 and 24 Edw. 1
+ Margaret, dau. of Richard de Wrenbury. 6 sons, and
a daughter. In addition to the three sons shown below
there were Richard, Philip, John.
- 8. David de Egerton, Sheriff of Cheshire, 7
Ed. 3.
+ Isabella, dau. of Richard de Fulleshurst lord
of Crewe.
- 8. Urian de Egerton, lord of Caldecote in right
of his wife, ancestor of the Egertons of Betley
and those of Wrinehill, married Amelia, dau. and
heiress of David de Caldecote.
- 8. Sir Brian de Malpas, Knt. of Rhodes.
- 5. Peter, 3rd son of Sir David, took the name of Clerk.
- 4. Robert, 2nd son of William Le Belward, had lordship of Cholmondeley
as a gift from his father, married Mahel, dau. of Robert Fitz
Nigil, Baron of Halton, from whom the Earls of Cholmondeley
- 4. Richard, 3rd son of William Le Belward, seated at Duckington.
We now continue with David de Egerton and his wife Isabella Fulleshurst. Their
son David died without issue. The two daughters, Ellena and Isabella both married
but eventually the Egerton estates went to issue of David Egerton's younger
brother Urian. Oulton was acquired in generation 13 below through marriage to
Isabella Done.
- 8. Sir David de Egerton and Isabella Fulleshurst had four sons and a dau.
- 9. Philip de Egerton called Le Large, inquisition post mortem 36 Ed.
3, married Elena dau. of John de St. Pierre, covenant of 9 Ed. 2. (1315)
- 10. David De Egerton married before 20 Ed. 3,
+ Isabella, dau. of Sir Hugh Venables of Kinderton, Knt. but died
without issue.
- 10. Ellena, dau. and finally sole heiress
+ Sir William Brereton of Brereton Knt. claimed a moiety of a fourth
of the barony of Malpas in 1368 from John Sutton and a moiety of a
fourth against Sir Walter Cokesay in 1379.
- 11. Sir William Brereton of Brereton Knt. succeeded to various
portions of the barony of Malpas on the death of his aunt Isabella.
- 10 Isabella de Egerton, became wife of 1st Robert de Bulkeley, 2nd
John Venables, 3rd Sir John Delves, Knt. recovered a moiety of a fourth
of the Barony of Malpas from John de Brunham, trustee of the Cokesays
in 1363 and another moiety of a fourth from John de Sutton in 1368.
She died without issue in 19 Rich 2. Thus the senior branch died out.
- 9. David Egerton died without issue, before 19 Rich. 2. (1395)
- 9. Urian de Egerton 3rd son, living 29 Ed. 3 died before 19 Rich 2.
(1395)
+ Amelia, dau. of John Warburton of Warburton in Cheshire. This couple
became the ancestors of several branches of the Egertons. We follow Philip
but other children were John, David and Ellen.
- 10. Philip Egerton, succeeded to part of the estates of Isabella
Delves, his cousin, 19 Rich 2. Inquisition post mortem 24 Hen 6. (1445)
+ Matida, dau. of David de Malpas of Hampton, and coheiress of her
neice, Ellen the wife of Urian de Brereton. Married 1 Sept. 1403.
One son Sir John and one dau. Jane.
- 11. Sir John Egerton, of Egerton, Knt. killed at the Battle
of Blore Heath, inquisition post mortem 38 Hen 6 (1459)
+ Margaret, d. of Sir John Fitton.. Sons Philip, William, Ralph,
Hugh, Peter.
- 12. Philip Egerton of Egerton, inquisition post mortem,
13 Edw. 4 (1473)
+ Margery, dau. of William Mainwaring of Ightfield, Shropshire.
They had four daughters, Anne, Catherine, Ellen and Elizabeth
all of whom had issue, and three sons, Willliam, John and
Ralph.
- 13. Sir William Egerton, Knt.
+ Margaret, dau. of Sir Ralph Egerton of Wrinehill, Knt.
but died without issue.
- 13. John Egerton, heir to his father on the death of
his brother. Possessed of Oulton, inquisition post mortem,
1 Rich. 3 (1483)
+ Elizabeth dau. and heiress of Sir Hugh Done of Oulton,
Chester, hence the Egertons of Egerton and Oulton.
- 13. Sir Ralph Egerton of Ridley in Cheshire, by gift
of Henry VIII, escheator of Cheshire for life, gentleman
of the bedchamber, knighted 1515, chief ranger of Delamere
Forest and Standard Bearer of England, treasurer of Princess
Mary, died 4 March 1528 buried at Bunbury.
+ Margaret, dau and heir of Ralph Bassett of Blore. From
this couple come the Egertons of Ridley and through
an illegitmate grandson, Sir Thomas Egerton, eventually
the Egertons of Tatton.
- 9. Robert de Egerton, seated at Bickerton.
So, looking at generation 13, from the 2nd son John there descends the Oulton branch and from 3rd son Ralph the Egertons of Ridley
Source:
Pedigrees of the County Families of England, Vol. 1, Lancashire, compiled
by Joseph Foster, Head Hole and Co. London, 1873.
The following details obtained from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
web site relate to a more recent member of this family, commemorated at Chester
Cathedral.
WION DE MALPAS EGERTON DSO, Vice Admiral, Commodore 2nd Class, H.M.S. Eaglet.,
Royal Naval Reserve, who died on Friday 1 January 1943 . Age 63 .Additional
Information: Son of Field-Marshal Sir Charles Egerton, G.C.B., D.S.O., A.D.C.,
and Lady Egerton (nee Hill); husband of Anita Adolphine Egerton, of Chilfrome,
Dorsetshire. J.P.
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