2. WILLIAM RAYNSFORD (Henry), esquire, of Oxford and Berkshire, per writ of diem clausit extremum issued 13 October, 3 Henry VII [1487] (Calendar of Fine Rolls: Henry VII, 69, no. 151). died 5 August 1487 according to his inquisition post mortem of 29 October, 3 Henry VII [1487], which determined he held the Manor of Great Tew, Oxford, of the Prior of Bradenstoke, service unknown, and that his son and heir was John Raynford, aged 13 and more (Calendar of Inquisitions: Henry VII, 2:135, no. 313).
The Visitation of Oxford (p. 50), which incorporates information copied from memorials and windows in the church and manor house at Great Tew by Richard Lee in 1574, has in the past been used as the source for information on this generation. But a more accurate transcription of the same material is found in the Oxfordshire Record Society's Parochial Collections (Third Part, 1929, pp. 307-09). A memorial window in Great Tew church reads: "William Raynsford Esq. sometyme Lord of Great Tewe and Alyce his wyfe daughter to John Anne Esq. whych William died in the 1111 of August an. Dom. MCCCCLXXXVII an. sec. Hen. VII and Alice dyed an. dom. [blank]." As these data are printed in the Visitation the impression is left that Alice died the same date as her husband,
230 Edward Raynsford of Boston
and her name is recorded as "Ayce," which has in turn been transcribed in later pedigrees as "Agnes" and "Annis/Anne."
Lee also records a monument in North Aston Church (Parochial Collections, Part 1, 1921, p. 9) for "Johannes Anne et Alicia uxor ejus qui obiit MCCCXvj," although the pedigrees give John Anne s death as 1441. They also show him to have married twice: to Alice, daughter of [blank] Aston of Somerton, Oxfordshire, by whom he had a son William who died in 1451; and to Alice, daughter of "Sir [blank] Gifford of Twyforde, Buckinghamshire." Lee records arms decorating both the North Aston Church and "the anchent house of Anne in Northaston" as Anne impaling Gifford, but none of the pedigrees name John Anne s daughter(s).
William Raynsford had a contemporary of the same name, of Bradefelde, co. Essex in 1429, who was married to Eleanor Boroughchier and father of Laurence de Raynforde (see Calendar of Close Rolls:
Henry VI, 1:467, 2:262).
Printed from NEHG Register, Volume 139, July 1985,© New England Historic Genealogical Society & Broderbund Software, Inc., Banner Blue Division, May 22, 2001
WILLIAM, second son, of Clifford Chambers, Warwickshire; d. before 1543 when wife made her will; m. JOHANNA BROOK, and on 24 July 1537 with her, son Charles, daughters Joyce and Elianora, cousin William Rainsford, and John and Walter Aldersfull of Knightwick, co. Worcs., received a release from the Abbey of St. Peter (Bristol & Gloucestersh ire Archaeological Society 14 [1889-90]:63).
ELIZABETH, m. (1) RICHARD BELCHER; m. (2) GEORGE AGARD, who was d. in 1523.
1. HENRY RAYNSFORD of Oxfordshire, died shortly before 3 May, 9 Edward IV [1469] when a writ of diem clausit extremum was issued (Calendar of Fine Rolls: Edward JV& Henry VI, 1461-1471, 20:246). He acquired the manor of Tew Magna, or Great Tew, in Oxfordshire through marriage with Elizabeth Wilcotes, daughter and co-heiress of John Wilcotes of Tew Magna by his second wife Elizabeth Cheney. Elizabeth Wilcotes, aged nine in 1422 according to her father's inquisition post mortem, received the manor of Tew Magna by her father's will of 11 April 1422 (see MacNamara, "The Wilcotes Family," 3:102-104; W. F. Carter s commentary in same, 12:109-11), and through her mother provides Raynsford descendants with lines to such pre-Conquest worthies as William de Mandeville, William de Say, and Hugh Maminot (see Complete Peerage).
Proof of the claim that Henry Raynsford was "of Rainsford Hall, Lancashire" has not been seen. He is probably the man who, with others, exchanged London properties on 25 April and 26 May, 17 Henry VI [1439] and on 14 December, 19 Henry VI [1440] (Calendar of Close Rolls: Henry VI, 1435-1441, 3:259, 260, 267, 445). On 16 April 1442 a complaint of intrusion against Henry Reynford was brought by John,
Edward Raynsford of Boston 229
Earl of Huntingdon; Thomas Grey, knight; Thomas Catworth and Thomas Knolles, grocers; Thomas Mulso, esquire; and Thomas Bcvys, gentleman, touching their free tenement in the parish of St. Martin in the Vintry, London (Calendar of Plea & Memoranda Rolls preserved among the archives of the corporation of the City of London at the Guildhall, AD 1437-1457, ed. Philip E. Jones, p. 46 "Roll A69"). Henry Raynsford was among those receiving lands from Thomas Middleton on 22 April 1448 and who on the same date granted William Melborn and William Brown a charter with warranty, of all his lands, rents, services, etc., in the town and fields of Hadlegh Castle, co. Essex, which he had by demise and feoffment of Thomas Burgoyn and of John Wade, citizen and grocer of London (Calendar of Close Rolls: Henry VI, 5:51, 67). On 1 July, 3 Edward IV [1463] Henry Reynford, Richard Quartermayns, William Marmyon, Richard Danvers and Thomas Stonour received commissions of justice of peace for Oxfordshire (Calendar of Fine Rolls: Edward IV& Henry VI, 101, 106).
Printed from NEHG Register, Volume 139, July 1985,© New England Historic Genealogical Society & Broderbund Software, Inc., Banner Blue Division, May 22, 2001
JOHN, "of Knightwich & Suckley," Worcestershire. on 5 April, 21 Edward IV [1481], Thomas Raynsforth, son and heir of John Raynforth, esq., released and quitclaimed to Richard Davy, esq., his rights in the manor of Redlegh by Assh, co. Kent, including all those lands called "ldeley" by Assh, Redlegh & Mepenhani, "formerly of Henry Reynforth, his grandfather" (Calendar of Close Rolls: Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III, 229-230)
MARGARET WHITE, married (as his 2nd wife) JOHN KIRTON (or KYRTON), Esq., of Edmonton, Middlesex, lawyer, Burgess for Southwark, Surrey, son of William Kirton, Esq., of Southwark, by Margery, daughter and heiress of William Milbourne. He was born about 1450, and was admitted to Lincoln's Inn in 1468. They had two sons, William and Stephen, and three daughters, Margaret (wife of Jasper Leeke), Elizabeth (wife of ______ Wyburne), and Agnes (wife of _____ Pleasance and John Mountney). He married (1st) Anne Ruskin, widow ofJohn Leeke, of Wyerhall (in Edmonton), Middlesex, and daughter of Jasper Ruskin, of Melton Mowbray, Leicestersbire. They had one daughter, Margaret (wife of William Morton). JOHN KJRTON died testate (P.C.C. 15 Jonkyn) in 1529.