LITTLE MORETON HALL
Grid Ref. SJ 833 589
13 July 2002, 4 April 2010 and 24 May 2012
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| The Hall in 2012 |
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| Little Moreton Hall as one approaches from
the car park |
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Approach to the entrance across the moat
bridge |
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| The entrance across the moat |
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Entrance to house from the courtyard |
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| The gardens behind the house |
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Inscription over a window facing the
courtyard |
Little Moreton Hall belongs to The National Trust and there is a
booklet on it that can be obtained at the shop on the premises.
In Ormerod's History of Cheshire,
this property is indexed under Moreton cum Rode and the area is also
known as Odrode. The site is mentioned in the Domesday
Survey, where it is stated that it was two manors in Saxon times.
Ormerod regards it as two manors, Moreton and Rode in one vill. Those
taking possession at the Norman Conquest were Hugh de Mara, ancestor of
the barons of Montalt and William FitzNigel of Halton. There is
evidence that Stephen de Swettenham held Moreton by knight's service
under Hugh de Mara and that he subsequently relinquished the property
in favour of Gralam de Moreton. In a document of 3 Henry IV (1401) the
Baron of Halton is mentioned as being the overlord of the Moreton share
of Oddrode. Moreton and Rode were taken as surnames by early Norman
landlords.
At the Norman Conquest, Hugh de Runchamp was granted a moiety of the
manor of Lostock, between Knutsford and Northwich. His great-grandson
was Gralam de Lostock. He had three sons, Richard, Geoffry and Robert
de Lostock, and as Richard's sons died without issue, Geoffry became
Richard's heir and inherited his interest in Little Moreton. Geoffry
died between 1278 and 1280, whereupon his son, Gralam de Lostock
succeeded. Gralam is mentioned in deeds including one in which he is
referred to as Gralam son of Geoffrey de Moreton. Thus the surname
became established.
We pick up the story in the Tudor period with William Moreton. The
Moreton male line ended in generation 7 shown below and the estate
passed to the son of Annabella Moreton, who had married a barrister,
William Taylor. This male line failed on the death of William Moreton
Moreton in generation 9.
- 1. William Moreton of Moreton, Esq., aged 15 in 1505, died in
1525.
+ Alice, dau. of Sir Andrew Brereton of Brereton, Knt.
- 2. William Moreton of Moreton, Esq., aged 16 in 1526, died
1562.
- + Anne, dau. of Sir Robert Fulleshurst, of Crewe, Knt.
- 3. John Moreton of Moreton, Esq., aged 24 and married in
1564 and alive in 1580.
- + 1st wife, Elizabeth, dau. of Richard Sutton of Sutton,
Esq. She had no issue.
- + 2nd wife, Anne, dau. of John Davenport of Davenport,
Esq., and coheiress of her mother, Jane, dau. and heiress of Richard
Massey of Tatton.
- 4. William Moreton of Moreton, Esq., born 1577,
living in 1639.
- + Jane, dau. of Thomas Lancaster of Rainhill,
Lancashire.
- 5. John Moreton of Little Moreton, Esq., aged 17
in 1613, died without issue before 1639.
- 5. William Moreton, died without issue before
1639.
- 5. Edward Moreton, fellow of King's College,
Cambridge, rector of Tattenhall, Barrow and Sephton and prebendary of
Chester cathedral, died 28 Feb 1674, aged 76 and buried at Sephton in
Lancashire.
- + Margaret dau. of Sir William Webb, Knt., and
neice of William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury.
- 6. William Moreton of Moreton, born 1641,
baptised at Chester Cathedral, bishop of Kildare in Ireland and then
Meath. He died in Dublin on 21 Nov. 1715.
- + 1st wife of William was Mary, dau. of Sir
Richard Atkins, Bart., of Clapham, buried at Clapham in Surrey.
- 7. Richard Moreton, in holy orders, died
without issue.
- 7. Annabella Moreton, died at Lewes in
Sussex in May 1774, aged 86.
- + William Taylor of Dublin, barrister at
law, married at St. Werburgh's in Dublin.
- 8. Richard Taylor, clerk, rector of
West Dean and vicar of West Firle in Sussex, assumed the name of
Moreton in compliance with the will of his uncle, Sir William Moreton.
- + Frances, dau. of William Scrace of
Brighton, Esq.
- 9. William Moreton Moreton of
Little Moreton, clerk, M.A. born 2 April 1759.
- + 1st wife, Louisa, dau. o
William Board of Paxhill, Sussex, married at Cranford in Middlesex on
14 June 1787. No issue.
- + 2nd wife, Elizabeth, dau. of
Henry Hutton, D.D., rector of Beaumont in Essex. Married about 1818.
- 10. William Pepperhill Frewen
Moreton, born 6 March 1817, died under age and unmarried.
- 10. Edward Moreton, born 1
March 1819, died under age and unmarried.
- 10. Frances Annabella
Moreton, eldest daughter and coheir, married 1852 to John Craigie,
Esq., of Jedbank in Roxburgh who died 1871 without issue.
- 10. Elizabeth Moreton,
youngest daughter and coheir, sister of mercy at Clewer near Windsor in
1879.
- 9. Annabella, died unmarried,
buried 12 April 1787, aged 35.
- 9. Sally, married Rev. Edward
Frewen, D.D., of Sussex in June 1789
- +2nd wife of William was Mary Harman of
Ireland, widow of Sir Arthur Jones. She died on 19 April 1743 and is
buried at Astbury.
- 7. Sir William Moreton, Knt., recorder of
London, knighted 19 Sept. 1755, died without issue on 14 March 1763,
aged 67. Thus the Moreton line died out.
- 7. Mary, married Lieut. Col. Howard,
brother to Francis, 5th Lord Howard of Effingham.
- 5. Peter Moreton, ambassador for Charles I to
Genoa and Tuscany.
- 5. Philip Moreton, aged 51 at the time of the
visitation on 14 September 1663.
- 5. Ralph Moreton.
- 5. Mary Moreton, married Jonathan Woodnoth of
Shavington
- 5. Jane Moreton
- 5. Anne Moreton
- 5. Elizabeth, married Randle Rode of Odd Rode,
Esq.
- 4. John Moreton
- 4. Tobias Moreton
- 4. Mary Moreton
- 4. Alice Moreton, married John Warde of Monks' Heath.
- 2. Ralph Moreton, 2nd son.
- 2. Elizabeth, married William Yardley, of Yardley.
- 2. Margaret, married Sir Geo. Calveley of Lea, Knt, no issue.
- 2. Alice, marrried Thomas Rode of Odd Rode.
- 2. Anne, married William Golborne, no issue.
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Introduction to Cheshire Gentry
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