Sir Gilbert de Barton

Gilbert assumed the surname ‘Barton’. 

Events 

Date of Birth: about 1201.

Place of Birth: unknown.

Gilbert was a minor in 1220, but had livery of his lands in 1222.

Date of Death: in or before 1275.

Place of Death: unknown.

The date is given in the Lancashire VCH (v. 4: sub Barton).

Relationships

Father: William de Notton.

Mother: Cecily de Breighmet.

These relationships are given by the Lancashire VCH (v. 4: sub Barton).

Spouse: Cecily.

This relationship is given by Farrer (p, 729 n.) 

Children: 

(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)

John de Barton

Agnes de Barton married John Grelly.

Alice de Barton

Amery de Barton

Evidence

from the Lancashire VCH (v. 4: sub Barton):

In October 1220 the sheriff was directed to put Robert Grelley in seisin of the fee of one knight and a half in Barton, because the heir of Edith, formerly wife of Gilbert de Notton, viz. the son of Edith's daughter, was under age, and his wardship belonged to Robert; Rot. Lit. Claus. (Rec. Com.), 438. 

In 1222 Gilbert, described as nepos et heres of Edith de Barton, had livery of 32 oxgangs of land in Barton and Worsley and the members; Fine R. 6 Hen. III, m. 7.

He sold the advowson of Eccles before 1234 to John de Lacy, because of an acquittance to Aaron the Jew of York which Lacy had made; Whalley Couch. i, 41. 

Aaron son of Joseus the Jew of York refeoffed Sir Gilbert de Barton of the manor of Barton, with remainder to John son of Sir Gilbert, and to Agnes the daughter; Dods. MSS. clxix, fol. 154b. 

Geoffrey de Chetham assigned to Sir Thomas Grelley the land and rent demised to him by Aaron, to hold until 205 marks should be paid to Sir Thomas, either by the grantor or by Gilbert de Barton; ibid. fol. 153b.

To Thomas Grelley [Gilbert]  sold at different times all his right in Westwood, 3 oxgangs of land held by Agnes widow of Geoffrey de Worsley and by Adam de Bowdon, 3 oxgangs of land held by Adam and Thomas de Hulme, 20 oxgangs of land held by Adam son of Wronow de Wardley, an orchard called the Imp Yard, and other lands; De Trafford D. no. 188– 97. 

To one of these deeds (194) is appended the seal of Gilbert de Notton, showing a pile; to another (195) Gilbert de Barton's own seal, paly of four. Gilbert de Barton in 1235 granted to Richard de Bracebridge 3 oxgangs of land in Brinsop in return for a release of all claims on the Barton fee; Final Conc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.) i, 62.

 In 1241 for a similar release he sold 4 oxgangs of land in Heaton to Richard son of Christiana de Allerton—probably Richard de Hulton; ibid. i, 88.

In 1242 Gilbert de Barton held a knight's fee and a half of Thomas Grelley, and Thomas held of the Earl of Ferrers, and he in chief of the king; Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 153. 

In 1246 Thomas Grelley claimed from Gilbert de Barton the customs and services due in respect of the fee of a knight and also in respect of 13 oxgangs of land where 17 oxgangs made half a knight's fee; that he should do suit at the court of Manchester from three weeks to three weeks, and render 14s. 8d. a year as sake fee and castle ward. Gilbert undertook to do this, and promised not to grant, sell, mortgage or alienate the said tenement in Barton in the future without the licence of Thomas Grelley or his heirs; Final Conc. i, 93. 

It is evident from several facts—e.g. that the Abbot of Cockersand held Westhoughton as one oxgang by the service of the fortieth part of a knight's fee—that the original fee of Barton was of eighty oxgangs or ten plough-lands. Of this a fourth part had been alienated before 1212; possibly, as above suggested, one ploughland in Aspull, one in Turton and half in Brockholes. Of the remainder three oxgangs may have been given in alms, so that seventeen oxgangs were responsible for the service of half a knight's fee, instead of the original twenty. Of these seventeen, four must have been sold, so that Gilbert de Barton was liable only for the service from thirteen. At Easter 1250 the complaint was renewed, but with respect to the thirteen oxgangs only—the rest may have been sold—and 4s. 1d. for sake fee; but Thomas Grelley further alleged that Gilbert had granted to his daughter, then only eight years of age, a moiety of the tenement. Gilbert was adjudged in the wrong; Cur. Reg. R. 139, m. 9; 140, m. 7; Final Conc. i, 117. 

There seems to be no record of Gilbert's sale of the lordship, which is inferred from the later history. Gilbert de Barton was a benefactor of Stanlaw; Whalley Couch. i, 50. 

He died in or before 1275, when inquiry was made if he had held four messuages and certain lands, 6s. 8d. rent, and two parts of a mill in Barton, then in the possession of Robert Grelley; a fine was made by which Robert's right was acknowledged and he granted certain lands to Gilbert's son John de Barton and his heirs; Assize R. 1235, m. 11. This grant included Salteye, half of Boysnope and land between the Irwell and Chat Moss; Copped Greave, Deep Lache, Derboch, and the Hay are mentioned among the bounds. Whalley Couch. iii, 881. 

John de Barton in this as in other deeds is described as 'son and heir' of Sir Gilbert, though Agnes is called 'daughter and heir.' The Barton fee released to Robert Grelley (who died in 1282) comprised, in addition to Barton proper, the whole or parts of Aspull, Brinsop, Westhoughton, Hulton, Halliwell, Breightmet, Farnworth, Northdene, Eccles, Monton, Worsley, Westwood, Winton, Newham, Irlam, Bromyhurst, Davyhulme, Dumplington, Whittleswick, and Crompton with Belemoor. These were held by various tenures; the knight's fee and a half held of the barony of Manchester is supposed to have been originally constituted as follows: Barton, Eccles, Dumplington, Farnworth, Westhoughton, Brinsop, Aspull, and Heaton under Horwich—one fee; and Irlam, Davyhulme, Bromyhurst, Newham, Winton, Monton, and Whittleswick— half a fee; Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 54; Mamecestre, ii, 379, where eight oxgangs of land in the last-named hamlets and in Barton are said to have rendered the service for the half-fee in 1322. 

By another charter John son and heir of Sir Gilbert de Barton granted to Robert Grelley the services of David de Hulton, Roger de Pendlebury, Richard de Urmston, Robert de Hulton, Germain de Newham, Richard de Winton, Roger de Eccles (chaplain), William de Eccles (clerk), Iarfrid de Barton, Ellis de Barton, William son of Stephen de Barton, Thomas son of Adam de Hulme, Adam son of Thomas de Hulme, Alexander the Mey, Robert de Birches, John son of Ralph the Ferryman, Adam son of Henry de Irlam and John de Bromyhurst; De Trafford D. no. 201. In the same collection (202–205) are the charter cited above from the Whalley Couch. and others connected with the transfer. 

In 1302 John de Barton released to Thomas Grelley all his claim arising from the withdrawal, after the death of Sir Robert Grelley, of a robe of the suit of his esquires and of maintenance for a groom and horse; Dods. MSS. cxlix, fol. 151. 

Sir Gilbert had a brother William, who died without issue; Duchy of Lanc. Assize R. 6, m. 2d. (Sept. 1357); yet two years earlier (1355) John de Barton had claimed a messuage and lands against Richard son of William de Barton; ibid. R. 4, m. 5.

Sir Gilbert de Barton granted to Agnes, his 'daughter and heir,' for her marriage a moiety of the vill of Barton in homages and services, of Dumplington and Hulme in demesnes and services, of Irlam, &c., in services; Dods. MSS. cxlix, fol. 150. 

He granted her wardship to Sir John de Blackburn, and she was to be married to his eldest son and heir; ibid. 150b. Sir John, however, released to Sir Thomas Grelley the said wardship and marriage; ibid. 

There was another daughter Alice, who made grants of land near Boysnope; De Trafford D. no. 206–09; also a daughter Amery; Assize R. 408, m. 16.

References

The Chartulary of Cockersand Abbey v.2 pt. 2 (William Farrer tr. and ed.)(Chetham Society new series v. 43, 1900). 

A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4 (1911).