Thomas de Crewe

Lord of Crewe.

Events

Date of Birth: about 1250.

Place of Birth: unknown.

The date is given by Carter, basing this on the birth date of Thomas's eldest daughter.

Date of Death: 16 November 1292.

Place of Death: unknown.

The third inquisition post mortem below gives the Sunday after St Martin, 20 Edward I.

Relationships

Father: Sir Thomas de Crewe.

This relationship is given by Ormerod (3:313). It is supported from evidence from the plea rolls given by Wrottesley (p. 119).

Mother: Margaret, daughter of Sir William de Malpas.

This relationship is given by Carter (p. 120). Ormerod (3:313) gives "Agnes."

Spouse: Avice. She later married Robert de Thykenes.

This relationship is given by Ormerod (3:313).

Children:

Joan (born about 1272) married Richard de Praers.

Avice (born about 1289) married Thomas de Praers.

Eleanor (born about July 1291; died about 1295).

Evidence

from the Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem (Edw. I, vol. 3, nos. 180 and 181):

Thomas de Crue alias de Cruwe.

Writ to Robert de Valle Regali, escheator in co. Chester, 8. Dec. 22 Edward. I.

Chester. Inq. made at Nantwich (Wycum Maubanc') on Friday the feast of St. Agatha, 22 Edw. I.

Cruwe, Chelmundeston, Nantwich and Lehton. A knight's fee held of the king in chief by service of a knight's fee in the army of Wales according to the custom of the country, and by service of finding a doomsman (judicator) in the county (court?) of Chester, and an armed horseman twice a year at the court of Chester at his own costs to keep the king's peace; viz: -

Cruwe. Three carucates of land, a water-mill, rents of free tenants 7s. and two pairs of gloves worth 2d., and rents of termors (terminariorum) 7l. 16s. 1d.

Chelmundeston. The manor.

Nantwich. 11d. yearly rent from a messuage and croft.

Leyhton. 2a. land and 20d. rents of free tenants.

Aston. A messuage, 30a. land, two water-mills and rents of free tenants 8s., a pig or 12d., 6 pairs of gloves price 6d. and a rose.

His daughters, Joan aged 22, Avice aged 4, and Eleanor aged 2 ½ , are his next heirs.

C. Edw. I. File 67. (23.)

Thomas de Cruwe.

Writ to Reginald Grey, justice of Chester, to made inquisition concerning the value of the lands &c. of the said Thomas, the wardship and marriage of whose three daughters and heirs, ought to pertain to the king as he understands, 21 March, 22 Edw. I.

Chester. Inq. Tuesday after St. Mark, 22. Edw. I.

Crue. Three carucates of land, a water-mill, 7s. rent of free tenants, two pairs of gloves price 2d., and 7l. 16s. 1d. rent of termors (terminariorum), sum 16l., 3s. 3d. Yearly.

Chelmundeston. The manor, excepting 6a. land which Sibyl de Crue holds, worth 102s. 2d. yearly.

Nantwich (Wico Malb.’). 11 ½ d. yearly rent from a messuage and a croft.

Leghton. 2a. land worth 2s. Yearly, and 20d. rent of free tenants.

Aston. 13a. land and 6 pairs of gloves price 6d. and a rose rent of free tenants, worth 9s. 2d. and a rose.

The marriage of Joan the eldest daughter, aged 22, is worth 10l.; and the wardship and marriage of Amice the second daughter, aged 4, is worth 20 marks, and of Eleanor the third daughter, aged 2 ½ years, is worth 24 marks.

Writ of certiorari super causa captionis to Robert de Valle Regali, escheator in co. Chester, concerning the lands &c. of Joan, daughter of the said Thomas, 8 Oct. 22 Edw. I.

E. Inq. p.m. File 2. (10.)

from the Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem (Edw. I, vol. 4,no. 250):

Thomas de Crue.

Writ. from Edward prince of Wales &c. to William Trussell his justice of Chester, 15 Sept. 22. 32 Edw. I.

Chester. Inq. taken in the full county of Chester on Wednesday after St. Michael, 32 Edw. I.

Crue, Chelmundeston, Nantwich (Wyco Malbanc), Aston and Leyghton. 1 knight’s fee held of the king in chief, then earl of Chester, by service of 1 knight’s fee, finding a man with barded horse in time of war in Wales and a horseman (hominem ad equum) to do guard (wardam) at the two fairs of Chester on the feasts of St. John the Baptist and St. Michael, and doing suit at every county (court) of Chester.

He died at Crue on Sunday after St. Martin, 20 Edward. I. His daughters, Joan, aged 34, whom Richard de Preers, aged 36, married with licence of the king then earl of Chester, and Avice, aged 17, whom Thomas de Preers, aged 30, married with the king’s licence, which the king’s commission testifies, are his next heirs. There is nothing else to be enquired according to the custom of Chester.

Mandate from the said prince according to his justice and chamberlain of Chester requiring them to cause execution to be done to Thomas de Praers and Avice his wife according to the inquest herewith remitted, taking their oath of fealty &c. 19 Dec. 32 Edw. I. (French.)

E. Inq. p.m. File 7. (4.)

Eleanor's inquisition post mortem is in CIPM Edw. I. vol. 3, no. 296.

References

Calendar of Inquistions Post Mortem and Other Analogous Documents Preserved in the Public Record Office. Edward I, volume 3. London, 1912.

Carter, William F. "The Early Crewe Pedigree" in The Genealogist New Series, volume 37 (1921).

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).

Wrottesley, G. Pedigrees from the Plea Rolls collected from the Pleadings in the Various Courts of Law, A.D. 1200 to 1500.