Sir Peter de Dutton

Events

Date of Birth: about 1367.

Place of Birth: unknown.

Peter died aged 66 (Leycester 1:649).

Date of Death: 14 October 1433.

Place of Death: unknown.

The date of Peter’s death is given in his inquisition post mortem, cited below, as the Wednesday after the feast of St Denis the Martyr, 12 Hen. VI.

Relationships

Father: Edmund de Dutton.

This relationship is given by Leycester (1:648). It is given in a writ of livery setting forth the findings of an inquisition, following Peter’s death, cited below.

Mother: Joan Minshull.

This relationship is given by Leycester (1:648). It is given in a writ of livery setting forth the findings of an inquisition, following Peter’s death, cited below.

Spouse: Elizabeth Boteler.

This relationship is given by Leycester (1:648), citing “lib. C. fol. 180, o, et 160, t”. It is given in the 1580 Visitation of Cheshire (p. 88). Leycester gives Elizabeth's father as Sir William Butler of Beusy, lord of Warrington, but this seems a bit of a stretch chronologically. I am not sure how to resolve it. Perhaps she was the daughter of Sir William's son John.

Children:

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

Sir Thomas Dutton (died about 1430) married Alice Stanley.

John Dutton (born about 1403)

Richard Dutton

Parnell Dutton married (1) Hugh Venables, baron of Kinderton; married (2) Richard Booth in 1451.

Elizabeth Dutton married John Done of Utkinton.

Ellen Dutton married Griffith Hanmere in 1424.

Sibill Dutton married Geoffrey Starkey.

Evidence

There are a large number of entries in the Recognizance Rolls of Chester (1875, pp. 160 ff; 1876, pp. 226 ff) relating to Peter, including:

1393, May 21, May 22. Peter son of Edmund brother of Lawrence de Dutton, Kt., writs for livery to, of all the possessions of which the said Lawrence, his uncle died seised, saving to Margaret, his wife, her dower.

1433, Oct. 24. John, son of Peter de Dutton, writ of livery, setting forth the finding of an inquisition, viz: that Peter de Dutton, Kt., died seized in his desmesne, as of fee, of 4 parts of 1 waste piece of land near “Le Castellone,” in the city of Chester held of the Earl of Chester, in socage, and of no value; of a certain fishery, with 4 boats, in the Dee, called “quatuor stall’,” held of the Earl of Chester, in socage, yearly value of 12d.; of 6s. 8d. rent issuing out of a tenement in “Le Flesshemongerlane,” called “Bertlemewe Inne,” which John Bromley, Kt., held in North-gate-strete; of 8s. rent issuing out of 1 messuage which John Pull held in Breggestrete; of 5s. rent issuing out of 1 messuage which William Mayowe and Ellen his wife, and John her son, held in “Le Castellone”; of 5s. rent issuing out of 1 messuage which Robert del Mere and Elizabeth his wife held in “Breggestrete,” and of 1 garden which Richard de Weston held in Northgate-strete, of the yearly value of 6d., and held of the Earl of Chester, in socage; that the said Peter died on Wednesday next after the Feast of St. Denis the Martyr “last past,” and that John de Dutton was his son and heir, and of 30 years of age or more.

1433, Oct. 24. John son of Peter de Dutton, writ of livery, setting forth the finding of an inquisition, viz.: that Peter de Dutton, Kt., died seized in his desmesne, as of fee-tail, of the manor of Dutton, of the gift and feoffment of John de Merbury and William Cay, chaplains, made to the said Peter and Elizabeth; that the said Peter survived the said Elizabeth; that he held the said manor of the abbot of Vale-Royal as of his manor of Weverham, in socage, by the yearly service of 2s., or 1 sparrow-hawk, and that it was of the yearly value of 20 marks; that the aforesaid Peter and Elizabeth had issue one John de Dutton, then living; also that he died seized in his desmesne, as of fee-tail, of the manor of Weston, near Runcorn, and of 4 acres of land in Clyfton which Robert de Dutton gave to one Hugh de Dutton and Joan his wife, and the heirs male of their bodies, and which on the death of the said Hugh and Joan, descended consecutively to Thomas Dutton, son and heir of the said Hugh, and Laurence Dutton, Kt., son and heir of the said Thomas; that the said Laurence died without issue, when the said manor and 4 acres descended to Peter de Dutton as heir to the said Laurence, viz., son of Edmund brother of the said Laurence, and after him to John de Dutton his son and heir; that the said Peter de Dutton held the said manor and 4 acres of land of Henry, Cardinal of England, the Bishop of Winchester, Henry Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Bishop of Durham, Walter Hongerford, Kt., Robert Babthorp, Kt., and John Leventhorp, as of the the manor of Halton, in capite by knight’s service, and that they valued yearly 10l.; also that he died seized in his demesne, as of fee, of 4 burgages and 8 acres of land in Halton, of which 3 burgages and the 8 acres were held of the said Cardinal, Archbishop, the Bishop of Durham, Walter Hongreford, Kt., Robert Babthorp, and John Leventhorp, in socage as of the manor of Halton, and the other burgage, of the Prior of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England, in socage, and valued yearly 20s.; also that he died seized in his demesne, as of fee-tail, of the manors of Nesse, near Burton, in Wirehale, Berterton, and Legh, near Berteton, which one William de Frodesham gave by fine to Hugh de Dutton and Joan his wife and the heirs male of their bodies; and which on the death of the said Hugh and Joan descended to Thomas de Dutton their son and heir, then to Laurence son and heir of the said Thomas, and then to the said Peter as kinsman and heir of the said Laurence, to wit, son of Edmund brother of the said Laurence; that on the death of the said Peter the said manors descended to John de Dutton as son and heir of the aforesaid Peter; that the manors of Nesse and Berterton were held of the King, as Earl of Chester, in capite by knight’s service, and the manor of Legh of Dame Katherine, Queen of England, in socage; that the manor of Nesse was of the yearly value of 10 marks, the manor of Berterton of 100s., and the manor of Legh of 10l.; also that he died seized in his demesne, as of fee-tail, of the manor of Kekewyk, which Roger Buddeworth, chaplain, gave to the said Hugh for life, with remainder to Thomas his son, and the heirs of his body, from whom it descended to the said Peter in the same order of descent as above; that the manor was held of Cardinal, Archbishop, the Bishop of Durham, Walter Robert Babthorp, and John Leventhorp by knigh’ts service, and was of the yearly value of 10 marks; of 4 parts of 7 parts of the manor of Arwe, which Richard de Ins, vicar of the church of Tervyn, John Merbury, and William Cay, chaplains, gave to the aforesaid Laurence and Margaret his then wife, and the heirs male of the body of the said Laurence, with remainder to the aforesaid Peter de Dutton and the heirs male of his body, that the said 4 parts descended to the aforesaid John his son and heir, that they were held of the Earl of Chester by knight’s service, and were of the yearly value of 4 marks; also that he died seized in his demesne, as of fee, of 2 parts of the manor of Aeton, held of Heny Abbot of Vale-Royal, as of his manor of Weverham, by knight’s service, and of the yearly value of 100s.; of 6 messuages, 2 tofts, 30 acres of land, and 1 acre of meadow in Cudynton, held of the Earl of Chester in capite by knight’s service, yearly value of 20s.; of three parts of 5 solidates of rent issuing yearly out of the tenement of Robert le Prest in the same town, of 2s. rent issuing yearly out of the tenement of Robert Swan in the same town; and of 4s. and 12 bullions of salt issuing yearly out of the tenement late of Richard de Wynynton, in Northwich, divided into seven parts, and held of the Earl of Chester, in socage; and of the advowry of the Histrionies, of Chester, held of the Earl of Chester, in capite by knight’s service, and of the yearly value of 6s. 8d.; also that he died seized in his demesne, as of fee-tail, of the manors of Aston, in Mondrem, and Chirchemunshull, excepting 2 messuages, 100 acres of land, 6 acres of meadow, and 1 acre of wood in the manor of Chirchemunshull, which manors one Richard de Munshull, senior, and Sibilla de Crue gave to Richard his son and Alice daughter of the said Sibilla wife of the said Richard son of Richard, and the heirs of their bodies, that the said manors descended to Richard son and heir of the said Richard son of Richard and Alice, who dying without issue the same descended to Henry his brother, and at his death to Joan his daughter and heir, and then to the aforesaid Peter de Dutton as son and heir of the same Joan; that the manor of Aston was held of Thomas de Fouleshurst, of Crue, by knight’s service, and was of the yearly value of 10 marks; and that the manor of Chirchemunshull was held by William Lovell, Kt., by knight’s service, and, excepting the tenements above excepted, was of the yearly value of 10 marks; that the said Peter de Dutton, Kt., died on the Wednesday next after the Feast of St. Denis “last past,” and that the aforesaid John de Dutton was his son and heir, and of the age of 30 years or more.

Ormerod/Helsby’s summary (1:647, n.) of Peter’s inquisition post mortem:

12 Hen. VI. Inq. p. m. Petrus de Dutton, chivaler. Seized in tail of the Manors of Nesse juxta Burton in Wyrehale, Berter[ton], Legh juxta Berterton, Kekewyk, Arwe, two parts of Manor of Acton (in Weaverham, or Delamere) ; and lands, rents, &c., therein, and in Cudington, Buddeworth in le ffryth, --- , Bulkylegh, Chirchemunshull, Happesford, Stonydunham, Norley, Picton, Stoke, Neuton, Kyngesley, Bradley, and Onston. Ob. die Mercurij pt post festum Sci Dionisij Martiris ult'. Johes de Dutton fil’ et heres, aet. 30 years.

Leycester’s account (1:648-9):

Sir Peter Dutton of Dutton, knight, son and heir of Edmund Dutton, which Edmund was younger

brother and next heir to sir Lawrence Dutton of Dutton. This sir Peter married Elizabeth, daughter of sir

William Butler of Beusy, lord of Warrington, lib. C. tel. 180, o, et 160, t, and had issue sir Thomas de Dutton, who married Alice, daughter of sir John Stanley,but died without issue about 9 Hen. VI. in the life-time of his father : Alice, his widow, after married John Wolton, II Hen. VI. ut per inquisitionem post mortem Joliannis de Dutton, 24 Hen. VI. et lib. C. fol. 147, x, y. John Dutton, second son, who succeeded heir to his father: Richard Dutton, another son, living 1440 et 1451, lib C. fol. 164, a. which Richard had issue Lawrence Dutton senior, 16 Hen. VII. who died without issue, lib. C. fol. 161, k. Parnell, daughter of sir Peter, married Hugh Venables baron of Kinderton; after to Richard Booth, 29 Hen. VI. 1451, lib. C. fol. 160, c. Elizabeth, another daughter, married John Done, son and heir of John Done of Utkinton the elder, I2 Hen. IV. 1410, lib. C. fol. 164, f. Ellen, another daughter, married Griffith Hanmere, son and heir of John Hanmere, esquire, 3 Hen. VI. 1424, lib. C. fol. 179, d. And Sibill, another daughter, married Geffry Starky, son of Randle Starky, of Stretton in Cheshire, lib. C. fol. 134, 1.

Sir Peter Dutton was a knight 7 Hen. IV. lib. C. fol. 180, o. and also 5 Hen. IV. lib. C. fol. 145, h. The King granted him a pardon for taking part with Henry Percy the son, surnamed Hotspur. Dated at Cirencester, 3 Novembris, 5 Hen. IV. 1403.

He was made lieutenant or deputy in the office of the seneschalcy of the county of Chester, by Elizabeth, countess of Salisbury, while they both should live, and to be of council with her; for which service she gave him two marks annual rent, which he ought to pay her for his lands of Little Legh, held of her castle of Harden, during the term aforesaid, 1408, 10 Hen. IV. lib. C. fol. 164, b.

Great contention fell between this sir Peter Dutton and sir William Athurton, of Athurton in Lancashire, insomuch that they made inroads and invasions one upon the other; and the said sir Piers Dutton and his adherents, to wit, sir Rafe Bostoek of Bostoek, Richard Warburton of Budworth, Thomas Warburton of Halton, John Done of Utkinton junior, John Manley of Manley, Hugh Dutton of Hatton the elder, William Leycester of Nether-Tabley, sir Peter Legh of Clifton (ancestor of Legh of Lyme), and John Carington of 'Carington, were all sued by sir William Athurton, for taking away forty of his oxen and forty cows, out of his closes at Athurton, and for beating of his servants. But this variance was composed between them by the award of John duke of Bedford, earl of Richmond and Kendall, constable of England and regent of the kingdom in the absence of Henry the Fifth, dated 9 Aprilis, 7 Hen. V. 1419, restitution being awarded on both sides: the horses and saddles taken by sir William Athurton to be restored to sir Piers Dutton, and the cattel taken by sir Piers to be restored to the said sir William. Lib. C. fol. 146, n.

Sir Peter de Dutton was made Parcarius de Northwood, or governor of Northwood Park in Over Whitley, during his life, with all the fees thereof, I Hen. VI. 1423,‘ out of which he had orders from William Harrington, chief steward of Halton under Henry archbishop of Canterbury, and other feoffe'es of king Henry the Fifth, to deliver one oak for the repair of Witton-bridge, then in decay, and another for the repair of Farnworth chapel. Dated 9 Hen. VI. Lib. C. fol. 147, w.

Sir Peter died 12 Hen. VI. 1433, aged sixty-six years.Lib. C. fol. 147, x, y, et fol. 163, x.

References

Glover, Robert. The Visitation of Cheshire in the Year 1580 (John Paul Rylands, ed.) (The Harleian Society, London: 1882).

Ormerod, George; Peter Leycester; William Smith; William Webb; and Thomas Helsby. The history of the county palatine and city of Chester: compiled from original evidences in public offices, the Harleian and Cottonian mss., parochial registers, private muniments, unpublished ms. collections of successive Cheshire antiquaries, and a personal survey of every township in the county, incorporated with a republication of King's Vale royal and Leycester's Cheshire antiquities. (London: G. Routledge, 1882).

The Thirty-Sixth Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records. (London: 1875).

The Thirty-Seventh Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records. (London: 1876).