20. WADDINGTON

Tootle Tree

 PETER WADDINGTON (20)

 

PETER WADDINGTON. Pedigrees for the Waddingtons of Padiham and Altham go back to the 15^th century, long before the parish registers. We have had to rely on apparently well-researched family trees for information.

The furthest back of these says that Alice Grimshaw married Robert Waddington, son of Peter Waddington, around 1440 in Haslingden, Lancashire.[1] It speaks of hereditary lands in Waddington.

This accords with documentary evidence of Peter de Wadyngton of Waddington.

Waddington is a small village 2 miles NW of Clitheroe in the Ribble valley. Historically, it was the seat of the lords of Bowland, whose demesnes included the Forest of Bowland. It is now in Lancashire, but until 1974 it was part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, with the river forming the boundary.

In 1379 Thomas de Wadyngton and Wife of Wadyngton. paid Poll Tax iii, jd.
Johannes de Wadyngton. folius ejus et wife paid Poll Tax iii, j
Laurencius de Wadyngton paid Poll Tax iii, jd.
Thomas Wadyngton held a position in Salley (Sawley) Abbey nr. Clitheroe.
One of these could be Peter’s father.

A Who’s Who of the men of the Waddington family tells us that Peter de Wadyngton of Waddington, had issue a son Robert de Wadyngton  of Waddington and Chagely etc. [3]

It gives us three documentary references:

In a deed dated 1401, Peter de Wadyngton is a party and Henry de Grymsargh another. [4]
“Grymsargh” is Grimshaw.

The next two are 26 years later.

“Agreement made in the Kings Court at Westminster from Easter Day in 15 days 5 Henry VI (1427) between Peter de Wadyngton Plaintiff and Richard Taylour of Maltby and Emma his wife, deforciants of two messuages, 8 acres of land and 2 acres of  Meadow in Wadyngton whereof a plea of covenant was summoned between them, that is, that Richard and Emma have acknowledged same to be the right of the said Peter, as of their gift and have remitted and quit-claimed the same for themselves and the heirs of Emma and Peter and his heirs for ever and have warranted him therein. For which fine etc. Peter has given them 10 marks Sterling.” [5]

“Between Peter de Wadyngton complt. and Richard Taylour of Maltby and Emma his wife defort of 2 messs .. 8 acres of land and 3 acres of Meadow with the appurtenances in Wadyngton – the right of the said Peter etc.” [6]

.If Peter was an adult in 1401, then we should expect him to have been born not later than 1380, probably in the third quarter of the 14^th century. This was the time of Edward III, when some rural manors were more populated than market towns.

Peter’s home was in Waddington, which was the ancestral home of the Waddington family. It is a village just north of Clitheroe, on the other side of the River Ribble.

He would have grown to manhood during the reign of Richard II and seen the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. John of Gaunt placed all of his castles in Yorkshire on alert. After the leader, Wat Tyler, was killed, new laws were instituted to suppress revolt. We can imagine that the Waddingtons, being landed gentry, would be on the side of the rulers, not the peasants.

He then saw the accession of Henry Bolingbroke as the first Lancastrian king, Henry IV. Henry was the son of the powerful John of Gaunt.

If his son Robert was married c.1440, this implies a birth date of around 1415. Peter himself would have married in the early 15^th century, around the time that Henry V succeeded Henry IV.

We have no information about Peter’s wife, or any children they had besides Robert.

 We can say no more about his death date other than that it was in or after 1427.

 

[1] Early Grimshaw Famiiy History. http://grimshaworigin.org/miscellaneous-grimshaw-individuals/early-grimshaw-family-history/
[2] https://yourlocalweb.s3.amazonaws.com/07/23/bashall-hall-70671.jpg
[3] Waddington, John, Who’s Who in the Family of Waddington. Wada Ltd, 1934.
[4] MS. 32105, p. 137b, is a Deed of 2 Henry IV [1401]. It was executed at Aloetham. Public Record Office. Feet of Fines Ser. r, Case 280, File 155, 2035.
[5] Harleian MS. 804 (History and Antiquities of Yorkshire) Fines A0 • 5 H. 6 & 5 Henry VI.
[6] The same is also in Dods. A1S., Vol. 106, p. 9.