WARREN OF POYNTON AND STOCKPORT
The following notes on the Warren family of Poynton and Stockport are taken from Earwaker's East Cheshire.
The family first acquired the manors of Poynton and Stockport when Sir
Edward de Warren, a knight, the illegitimate son of the last Earl of
Warren and Surrey married Cicely the daughter and finally the heiress
of Sir Nicholas de Eton of Poynton and Stockport. Sir Edward de
Warren died before 1369. A simplified version of the family tree,
concentrating on the heirs, is shown below.
- 1. Sir Edward de Warren, knight, illegitimate son of the last Earl of Warren and Surrey by Maud de Nerford. Died before 1369.
- + Cicely, daughter and finally heiress of Sir Nicholas de Eton of Poynton and Stockport.
- 2.
Sir John de Warren of Poynton and Stockport, knight, born about 1343,
died 1387 and buried at Boton in Norfolk. Inquisition post mortem in
1392.
- + Margaret, daughter and heiress of Sir John de
Stafford of Wickham, Norfolk, knight. Marriage settlement dated 1371.
(She remarried John Mainwaring of Over Peover about 1387 and died 1418.
There is a monument to her at Over Peover.) Sir John de Warren had a
son Nicholas and a daughter, Margaret.
- 3. Nicholas de Warren of Poynton and Stockport, born about 1378 died in 1413.
- +
Agnes daughter of Sir Richard de Wynnington of Wynnington, Cheshire who
survived her husband. In addition to their son Laurence they had a
daughter Emma who married Hugh Venables of Golborne about 1410, and a
second daugther, Elizabeth mentioned in documents of 1417 and 1422.
- 4. Sir Laurence Warren, knight, of Poynton and Stockport, born about 1394, died 1444.
- +
Margaret, daughter of Richard Bulkeley by Margery Venables his wife.
This couple had three sons, John, Randle and Edward but little is known
of the latter two. There were six daughters, Margery, Joan, Cicely,
Margaret and Elizabeth and one who is known only for marrying Thurstan
de Holland but whose Christian name is unrecorded.
- 5. John Warren of Poynton and Stockport, died 1474.
- +
Isabel daughter of Sir John Stanley of Lathom, marriage article dated
March 1422. This couple had in addition to their heir Laurence, John
Warren, Richard and Henry, who became Rector of Stockport (1473-1492).
There were four daughters, Elizabeth, who married Robert Rhockley of
Rockley in Yorkshire, Joan who may have married Sir John Mainwaring of
Over Peover (doubted by Earwaker), Margaret who married John Hawarden
of Arderne and Jane, who married John Atherton of Atherton in
Lancashire.
- 6. Sir Laurence Warren, knight, known to be living in 1459 but died before his father (1474).
- + Isabel daughter of Sir Robert Legh of Adlington,
knight, married before 1459. She later married Sir George Holford of
Holford, knight, in 1475. This couple had two sons, John and William.
- 7.
Sir John Warren, knight of Poynton and Stockport, succeeded his
grandfather, born about 1461, knighed at Ripon in 1487 and died 9
January 1518.
- + 1st wife,
Eleanor, daughter of Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn, Lancashire. All the
children are from this wife. There were six sons, Laurence, Richard,
Nicholas, Jerome, Ralph and George. There was a daughter Cicely and
possibly one whose Christian name is unknown who married a Legh of Lyme.
- +
2nd wife, Jane daughter of Ralph Arderne of Harden, Esq, widow of
Thurstan Holland of Denton, Lancashire and who later married John
Davenport of Davenport.
- 8. Laurence Warren of Poynton and Stockport, died 18 September 1530.
- +
1 st wife, Margaret, daughter of Sir Piers Legh of Lyme, knight and
priest, marriage articles dated 5 July 1494. All Laurence's children
are from this union: Edward, Laurence, George, Randle, Richard and nine
daughters, Cicely, Mabel, Ellen (married Roger Downes of Shrigley and
Worth in 1521) Margaret, Dorothy, Anne, Katherine, Jane and
Isabel. Laurence's second wife was Sybil, widow of William
Honford, about 1525, no known issue.
- 9.
Sir Edward Warren, of Poynton and Stockport, knighted at Leith near
Edinburgh 11 May 1544. Died 12 October 1558 and memorial inscription in
Prestbury St. Peter's.
- +Dorothy,
daughter of Sir William Booth of Dunham, knight. Marriage settlement of
14 August 1516, buried at Prestbury, 19 March 1584/5. This couple had
sons Francis, John, Laurence and Peter. Two further sons, both named
Edward and daughters Ellen, Joan, Margaret, Etheldred and Anne all died
young and are not mentioned in their mother's will of 1584.10. Francis
Warren, eldest son, was disinherited by his father. He married
Margaret, daughter of Sir Edward Fitton of Gawsworth but was divorced
from her and died without issue.
- 10.
John Warren of Poynton and Stockport, succeeded his father. Born about
1535, High Sheriff of Cheshire, 1577 and died 7 December 1587.
- +
Margaret daughter of Sir Richard Molyneux of Sefton in Lancashire,
buried Stockport 21 June 1617. This couple had seven sons: Edward,
Laurence, Richard, John (of Poynton who married thereon 24 December
1606 to Dorothy daughter of Roger Downes of Worth), Ralph, William and
George. There were six daughters all of whom married: Dorothy, Mary,
Eleanor, Frances, Anne (who married Roger Downes of Shrigley on 27
March 1592/3) and Lucy. We follow only Edward.
- 11.
Sir Edward Warren of Poynton and Stockport, knight, baptised Prestbury,
9 April 1563, High Sheriff of Cheshire 1598, knighted in Ireland 1599,
died 12 November 1609 and buried at Stockport. He married three times.
- +1 st wife, Joan, daugther of Sir Edward Fitton of Gawsworth, at Prestbury on 22 July 1574. She died without issue.
- +2
nd wife, Anne daughter of William Davenport of Bramall, at Prestbury on
16 October 1581, buried at Stockport on 13 July 1597. This couple had
five sons: John who died young, a second John then Randle, Humphrey andWilliam. There were also daughters Elizabeth, Margaret, Frances, Catherine, Dorothy and Anne.
- +3
rd wife, Susanna, daughter of Sir William Booth of Dunham Massey,
knight, married about 1598 and had with her further sons all said to be
living in 1609: George, Edward, Laurence, Richard, Halsall, Edmund,
Thomas, Radcliffe, Ralph and a posthumous son of unknown Christian
name. We follow only John from the second marriage.
- 12. John Warren of Poynton and Stockport died 20 June 1621.
- +
Anne daughter of George Ognal of Bilkesley, Warwickshire, settlement
dated 11 Feb 1594 (possibly 1597 says Earwaker). They had three sons,
Edward who succeeded, John who died unmarried and Laurence who died in
infancy.
- 13.
Edward Warren of Poynton and Stockport, born 10 May 1605, baptised at
Woodplumpton in Lancashire. Buried Stockport 10 September 1687. All the
children are from his first wife Margaret. After her death he married
Ann the widow Humphrey Booth of Salford about 1653-4 and she was buried
at Stockport on 31 May 1662.
- +
1st wife, Margaret, daughter of Henry Arderne of Harden, buried 20
April 1644. This couple had sons, John, Humphrey, Charles, Edward who
died an infant in 1633, Thomas, Henry and another Edward. There was one
daughter, Ann.
- 14.
John Warren of Poynton and Stockport, born 12 August 1630, of Gray's
Inn London, Judge at Chester 1681 and died 20 March 1705/6, buried at
Stockport.
- +
Anne only daughter and heiress of Hugh Cooper of Carneforth and
Chorley, Lancashire. Marriage articles 9 November 1657. Buried at
Stockport 1 September 1715. This couple had sons Edward, John, and Hugh
and a daughter Margaret, baptised 11 February 1663/4 at Stockport and
married there 19 January 1687/8 to William son and heir of William
Davenport of Bramall.
- 15.
Edward Warren of Poynton and Stockport born 1659 lived at Dinkley in
Lancashire (near Ribchester) and was buried at Blackburn on 28 January
1719/20. He married twice and from his second marriage to Margaret,
sister of the Hon. William Spencer of Ashton in Lancashire there were
three sons: Spencer, Henry and William and three daughter, Alice, Mary
and Eleanor. We follow only the children from the first marriage.
- +
Dorothy daughter and heiress of John Talbot of Salesbury and Dinkley in
Lancashire, marriage settlement dated 15 October 1678, buried Blackburn
5 May 1692. (The Talbots were an ancient family related to the Earls of
Shrewsbury and had extensive properties in Lancashire). This couple had
three sons: John, the eldest who died unmarried, the eventual heir
Edward and Talbot who married but died without issue in December 1734.
There were five daughters: Anna Dorothea, born 26 April 1682 married
Sir Daniel Byrne of Timogue in Ireland and through her son became
ancestor of the later Leicesters of Tabley; Margaret; Catherine; Mary
and Elizabeth who died young.
- 16. John Warren of Poynton and Stockport, baptised Blackburn, 15 July 1679, buried there 30 September 1729, unmarried.
- 16.
Edward Warren, of Poynton and Stockport succeeded his brother, baptised
Blackburn 24 September 1680, High Sheriff of Cheshire 1731, buried
Stockport, 10 September 1737.
- +
Lady Elizabeth Cholmondeley daughter of George Earl of Cholmondeley by
speical licence of the Vicar-General's Office on 23 January 1730/1,
buried at Stockport, 22 December 1762. This couple had one son, George
and two daughters, Henrietta and Elizabeth.
- 17.
Sir George Warren of Poynton and Stockport, born about 1733, created
Knight of the Bath, 26 May 1761, MP for Lancaster, died 31 August 1801.
He married twice; there was no issue from his second marriage to
Frances, daughter of Sir Cecil Bisshop, married 4 February1764.
- +1
st wife, Jane, daughter and heiress of Thomas Revel of Fetcham, Surrey,
married 26 May 1758. She died 9 December 1761 and was buried at
Stockport. They had one daughter.
- 18.
Elizabeth Harriet Warren, only daughter and heiress, born 7 April 1759,
married at St. George's Hanover Square, London on 26 April 1777. Died
23 February 1826 at Englefield Green in Berkshire.
- + Thomas James Bulkeley, 7th Viscount Bulkeley,
born 12 December 1752, by Royal Licence on 20 September 1802. He and
his wife took the name Warren before Bulkeley. He died without issue on
3 June 1822.
Viscountess
Warren Bulkeley left all her Lancashire estates except Heaton Norris,
including the former Talbot lands in Lancashire, to her cousin George
Leicester, 2nd Lord de Tabley, on condition
he changed his name to Warren. Later the family used the name Leicester
as a second Christian name and became known as the Leicester
Warrens.
Earwaker relates that as a consequence of the publication of a book History of the Ancient Earls of Warren and Surrey
by the Rev. Watson, Sir George Warren, last male heir of the line,
believed that Sir John Borlase Warren KB of Stapleford in
Nottinghamshire was a descendant of the Warrens of Poynton. Later
research showed this to be untrue as Sir John was great grandson of
Arthur Warren who was son and heir of another Arthur Warren who was son
and heir of Sir Arnold Waring,
knighted 4 March 1632/3 and descended from a Warwickshire family of
that name. They had, however, used the name Warren for several
generations and tried to prove themselves descended from a younger
branch of the Warrens of Poynton. Viscountess Bulkeley shared this
belief and in her will, dated 10 March 1823, arranged to leave large
estates in Cheshire and other counties, including the manors of
Stockport and Poynton to the use of Frances Maria, only daughter and
heir of Admiral the Right Hon. Sir John Borlase Warren of Stapleford,
Nottinghamshire, Baronet and G.C.B. She was married to George
Charles Venables-Vernon, afterwards 4th Lord Vernon. By Royal
Licence of 6 June 1826, she took the name and arms of Warren
only. On her death on 17 September 1837, her only child, George
John Venables-Vernon, 5th Lord Vernon, succeeded. By Royal
Licence dated 14 October 1837, he took for himself but not for his then
born issue, the name and arms of Warren only, in pursuance of the
directions in Viscountess Bulkeley's will. Lord Vernon died on 31
May 1866 and was succeeded by his son Augustus Henry Venables-Vernon,
6th Lord Vernon of Sudbury Park in Derbyshire, who then inherited the
Poynton and Stockport estates.
The original Poynton Hall
was built about 1552 by Sir Edward Warren, but there may have been an
earlier building on the site. It was pulled down about 1750 by Sir
George Warren and replaced with a large house on the same site with a
park. This stood on the right hand side of the road from Macclesfield
to Stockport and was engraved for the Rev. Watson's History of the Ancient Earls of Warren and Surrey with the title A View of Poynton Lodge in Cheshire.
This house was demolished with the exception of the central towers in
1830. It was not replaced directly but a modern house was built near
the site of the old hall and named Poynton Towers. In March, 1823, the
library of books and the collection of pictures, plate and furniture at
Poynton Hall were sold by the executors of Viscount Bulkeley.
Poynton Chapel dates back to 1312 when it is mentioned in
the papers of the Bishop of Lichfield concerning the advowson of the
Chapel of Poynton. It stood near Poynton Hall and served the townships
of Poynton, Worth and Woodford. There had been a dispute over the
chapel but in a case tried at Chester is was shown that Poynton was a
chapel dependent on the Parish Church of Prestbury, which was owned by
the Abbey of St. Werburgh in Chester. The chapel was mentioned again in
1463/4 in deeds as being dedicated to the Virgin Mary but was omitted
from the Sheriff of Chester's returns of 1548, the Cheshire Chantry
Roll and the ministers' account relating to the suppression of the
chantries. However, in 1599, Randle Holmes, the Chester antiquarian
visited the chapel and described some coats of arms depicted in the
windows. Little is known of the later history as there are only
scattered references before the 18 th century. Bishop Gastrell in his
Notitia Cestriensis of about 1720 mentions that the chapel had an
income of £11, of which £4 was given by Mr. Warren and £1 by Mr.
Downes. There was a chapel yard but it was not used for burials.
Earwaker
gives a list of incumbents from 1713 and notes that the chapel repaired
and a new chancel was built in 1741. A dispute then arose as to the
liability of the various townships for the repairs. In 1787 the old
chapel was pulled down and rebuilt on the same site at the expense of
Sir George Warren. This was during the time of Thomas Jennings
(1773-1795) who was also curate of Norbury (Hazel Grove) and Bosley,
south of Macclesfield. This chapel stood until 1858 when it was
pulled down to be replaced by a new church half a mile away in the
village of Poynton. The foundation stone was laid by the Hon. Augustus
Henry Vernon, later Lord Vernon on 7 April 1858 and consecrated on 1
February 1859.
Litler MA (1832-1864) was nominated by the
Right Honourable Francis-Maria Warren, Lady Vernon. He had previously
been incumbent of Marple and Chadkirk. He was instrumental in building
the present church at Poynton and died aged 63 in 1864.
Sources:
East Cheshire Past and Present
by J.P. Earwaker, London, 1877 (CRO, Knutsford). This is widely
regarded as the best work on East Cheshire of the 19th century. It is
useful for family trees of landed families. Now available from the
Family History Society of Cheshire on CD ROM
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