LEGH OF KNUTSFORD BOOTHS
Norbury Booths Hall, Knutsford (Grid Ref.
SJ 765779) was the seat of the Leghs of Booths until sold in 1917. Peter Legh,
who died in 1804, built it in 1745 to replace an older timber-framed quadrangular
house. It was enlarged by his grandson, Peter, in 1845 to the design of E.
Habershon. (de Figueiredo and Treuhertz)
The Legh family had several branches in Cheshire
such as those of Lyme Park, Adlington, West
Hall and East Hall at High Legh. A brief family tree from the 13th century
is included here for the Legh family to show the connections with other branches
of the family. It is taken from Ormerod,
2nd edition with corrections found in Appendix 4 "Additions and Corrections".
Stuart Raymond, in Cheshire: A Genealogical Bibliography, Vol. 2 includes
as a source Legh of Norbury Booths Hall, Cheshire, by J. Paul Rylands
in Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica, 4th. series 1, 1906, 135-6
which contains family notes from a devotional book.
-
1. Sir William
Venables, Knight, of Bradwall, 2nd son of Sir William Venables, Baron of
Kinderton, alive in 1300.
- + Agnes, daughter and heiress of Richard
de Legh of the West Hall, High Legh. (Her first husband had been Richard
de Lymme and her son with him took the name Thomas
de Legh of West Hall). William Venables and Agnes had a son John, who became known as John de Legh.
-
2. John
de Legh of "Bothes" eldest son of William Venables, purchaser
of Knutsford Booths some time before 28 Edw. I. (1300). He was known
to be living in 1338.
- + Ellena, dau. of Sir William de Baggilegh
and sister and coheir of John de Baggilegh and heir of her kinsman,
Thomas de Corona. She was born in 1288.
-
3.
Sir John de Legh of Knutsford Booths, Knight, eldest son and heir.
- + 1st wife of Sir John was Maude,
daughter of Sir John Arderne of Aldford.
- + 2nd wife of Sir John was Isabel, (Note the main section on this family in Ormerod has Isabel as
sister and co-heiress of John Baggilegh of Baggilegh but the corrections
in the appendix state that her affiliation is unknown and the Baggilegh
connection is placed in the previous generation where Ellena's description
is changed to daughter of Sir William Baggilegh from daughter of
Thomas de Corona.)
-
3.
Robert de Legh, ancestor of the Leghs of Adlington, Annesley, Eggington,
Lyme Birch, Ridge, Rushall, Longbarrow, Adlestrop, Stoneleigh, Newnham
Regis and Stockwell. Living 10 Edw. II. (1317) and 1338.
-
3.
Sir William de Legh, Knight, ancestor of Legh of Isall, living 9
Edw. II. (1316) and 1338.
-
3.
Peter de Legh, ancestor of Legh of Bechton, living 9 Edw. II. (1316)
and 1338.
-
3. Gilbert
de Legh, living 1338. (Gilbert was said to be ancestor of the
Leghs who assumed the name of Townley, in the main section of Ormerod's
account but in the additions and corrections, it is stated
that the connection of this Gilbert to the Townley's has been disproved
as shown in the fourth edition of Whitaker's 'History of Whalley'.
I follow the line of the Legh of Booths. The
years in Ormerod do not appear to be consistent or two generations have been
confused. Further checking in alternative sources is required. However, this
family is descended from the John de Legh of Booths shown above in generation
number 3 and Isabel. According to the Lysons,
the Manor of Over Knutsford, alias Knutsford Booths together with Norbury
Booths was purchased in 1300 from William de Tabley by John Legh, ancestor
of the then proprietor, Willoughby Legh. John Legh was a younger son of William
Venables of Bradwell by his wife Agnes, daughter and heir of Richard Legh
of West Hall in High Legh. He assumed the name of his maternal grandfather
but retained the arms of Venables.
-
1. Sir John
de Legh of Booths, Knight, aged 24 in 16 Hen. VI (1438) was killed in the
Battle of Blore Heath, 38 Hen. VI (1460). He was great-great
grandson of John and Isabel shown in generation 3 of the tree shown above.
- 2. John
Legh of Booths, son and heir died 1470.
- + Emma,
daughter and co-heiress of Robert Grosvenour of
Hulme. They had one son and Emma subsequently married Raufe Egerton
in 1474.
- 3.
John Legh of Booths, Esq., son and heir, died 23 Edw. IV (1484)
- +
Ann, daughter of Sir William Boothe, Knight, of Dunham Massey. (Ann
married secondly Geoffrey Shakerley)
John Legh and Ann had two daughters of which Elizabeth married Peter
Shakerley and took with her the Hulme estate of her paternal grandmother.
The Legh of Booths estate then went to John Legh's uncle, Peter
Legh.
- 2. Peter
Legh of Booths, heir in tail to his nephew, aged 30 in 2 Ric. III (1485).
- +
Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Andrew Brereton of Brereton, Knight. They had
four sons and four daughters.
- 3.
Sir John Legh of Booths, knighted 1544, will of 1558.
- + Jane Sneyd, daughter of Richard Sneyd.
- 4.
John Legh of Norbury Booths, Esq.
- + Jane, daughter of Sir William
Brereton of Brereton. They had six sons and six daughters of whom
we follow the eldest son.
- 5.
William Legh of Booths, Sheriff of Cheshire in 1636
and died 1641.
- +
Dorothy daughter of Geoffrey Shakerley of Hulme. They had
one son and two daughters.
- 6.
John Legh, died 16 April 1660 aged 59, buried Knutsford.
He had three wives and the estate descended to the son
of his third wife.
- +
3rd wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Stanley, Esq.,
of Alderley, married 14 August 1652, with whom he had
three sons and a daughter.
- 7.
Peter Legh of Booths.
- +
Ruth, daughter and co-heiress of Robert Barcroft of
Barcroft who had one daughter.
- 8.
Ruth Legh, heiress, buried St. John's at Chester,
8 March 1715/16.
- +
Thomas Pennington of Chester and Knutsford,
baptised St. John's, Chester, 15 April 1680. He
assumed the name of Legh.
- 9.
Thomas Pennington Legh of Booths.
- +
Helen, daughter of Sir Willoughby Aston of
Aston
- 10.
Peter Legh of Booths, Esq., born 4 March
1727/8 and died 12 August 1804.
- +
Anne, eldest daughter and co-heiress of
Peter Wade of Middlewich, Gent., born
22 June 1724, married 20 October 1744
at Knutsford. She died 13 October 1794
at Knutsford. This couple had four sons,
of whom the first two, died without issue
before their father.
- 11. Peter Pennington Legh, baptised 26 Nov 1745, buried at Hackney about 1777, no issue
- 11. Thomas Legh, born 20 Nov 1746, died Calcutta 17 Nov 1790 and buried there, no issue
- 11.
Willoughby Legh, Esq., of Booths,
third son, born 25 May 1749, died
unmarried, buried 18 January 1824
and succeeded by his brother.
- 11.
John Legh, Esq., fourth son, initially
of Bedford Square London then from
1824 of Booths. He was born 7 April
1752, became a barrister and died
16 March 1826.
- +
Isabella, daughter and co-heiress
of Edmund Davison of Wharton in Lancashire
and of London. Married St. Dunstans,
Fleet Street, 29 March 1792. She had
three sons and a daughter and died
in 1849.
- 12 Anne Legh born 7 June 1793 married William Clowes, died April 1855.
- 12.
Peter Legh, born 10 June 1794,
died unmarried 29 August 1857.
- 12.
John Legh, born 10 December 1795,
died 30 January 1803.
- 12.
Edmund Dawson Legh, MA, born 2
March 1801, in holy orders, died
7 March 1845.
- +
Catherine, daughter of Sir Christopher
Robinson.
- 13.
John Pennington Legh, Esq.,
of Booths and of Ryde in the
Isle of Wight, heir to his
uncle, Peter Legh in 1857,
was born 20 November 1827
and died 12 August 1888.
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