William Pigott
Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: 1376.
Place of Death: unknown.
William’s inquisition post mortem was taken 50 Edward III (Earwaker 2:255).
Relationships
Father: uncertain.
Mother: uncertain.
See below.
Spouse: unknown.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
John Pigott (about 1354 - 1427) married (1) unknown; married (2) Agnes de Wettenhall.
Evidence on William
from the Cheshire Archives catalogue:
25 October 1362
Charter [William Hulme and his mother Margaret] [DDS 17/17]
William Pygot is a witness.
30 June 1365
Charter [Geoffrey de Worth and Margaret Hulme] [DDS 13/16]
William Pygot is a witness.
12 September 1366
Letter of Attorney [DDS 5/21]
Apud ecclesiam de Wylmeslowe die Sabbati prox.post festum Nat. beate Marie Virginis arr etc.
Parties. 1. Alice sometime wife of John Bredset, 2. Henry de Prestebury.
Power of attorney for livery of seisin to Henry Pygot of all Alice's lands etc., in Bolynton [Bollington].
from Ormerod:
William Pygot was a witness for an inquisition taken 26 Edw. III [1352) (3:63 n).
from Earwaker:
William Pigot was a juror for a 1365 inq. (2:527 n)
William Pigot and Henry Pigot were jurors for a 1375 inq. (2:425 n)
Earwaker describes William’s inquisition post mortem:
“The series of Inquisitions post mortem now in the Record Office commences with one taken in the 50 Edward III. [1376], after the death of William Pygot, who died seised in his demesne as of fee of the “manor of Butteley,” which his ancestors formerly held in capite of Hugh Despencer by knight’s service, but owing to the forfeiture of the latter’s estates, it was held directly from the Earl of Chester by the same service, and was worth per annum 23 marks. He also held land in Smethwick, near Congleton, and John Pygot, his son and heir, was then aged 22 years.”
1405
from the Plea Rolls (Ormerod 3:750 fn):
6 Hen. 4. Matild widow of William Pygot, by charter enrolled, grants to Hen. de Byrtheles and Randle le Maynwaring, in fee, the reversion of a plot of land called “Le Bothegrene,” in Macclesfeld, which Robert Barwe held on lease; and an annual rent of 4s. issuing from a plot of land in “Le Walgate” of Macclesfeld, formerly held by William le Frenshe, and then by John Legh; which said reversion descended hereditarily to the said Matild from Alan her father and Alice her mother; also an annual rent of 13s. 4d. issuing out of two plots of land in Tyderynton, held of the grant of Thomas de Worthe of Tyderynton.
[Omerod thinks this is the widow of William’s grandson William, but it seems that she could be the widow of the William of this page.]
Evidence on William’s ancestors
Pygots appear in documents in the century preceding William, but I have not found documentation of specific relatonships. Here is some evidence:
from the inquisition post mortem of Hugh de Pulford:
Chester. 18 Edw. I [1290]
Waverton. An eighth part of the manor, held of the fee of William Pigot by service of ½d. yearly, which service the said William assigned to the abbot of Chester, doing, with the other parceners of Waverton, suit at the hundred (court) of the lord of Cestres[cir'] at Goldebourn, and drink for the serjeants of the peace and bedells of the sheriff.
from the Cheshire Archives catalogue:
c. 1290-1300
Grant of land of the Dene in Mottram St Andrew [DCH/J/126/3]
Willam Pygot is a witness.
c. 1310-1320
Quitclaim of lands of the Dene in Mottram St Andrew [DCH/J/126/5]
William Pygot is a witness
c. 1307-1320
Marriage settlement (Roger Downes and Cecilia de Mascy) [D 181/1
William Pygot is a witness.
c. 1313
Charter [DDS 17/14]
William Pigot is a witness.
c. 1325-1336
Marriage settlement (Robert de Mulnehuis and Eva de Swetenham) [D 181/3]
William Pigot is a witness.
1347
Lease in Mottram St Andrew [DCH/J/126/4]
William Pigot is a witness.
12 September 1366 [DDS 5/21]
Apud ecclesiam de Wylmeslowe die Sabbati prox.post festum Nat. beate Marie Virginis arr etc.
Parties. 1. Alice sometime wife of John Bredset, 2. Henry de Prestebury.
Power of attorney for livery of seisin to Henry Pygot of all Alice's lands etc., in Bolynton [Bollington].
from Ormerod:
(3:77)
In 1309 William Pigot owed homage to William de Swetenham for land he held in Buglawton and Odrode.
(3:63)
This Thomas de Davenport occurs as demanding puture in his capacity of grand serjeant from two tenements in Butley, which the abbot of Chester held of the gift of Edw. Pigot. The claim was resisted, and decision made against the serjeant on reference. [Communication of the rev. W. Davenport.]
[The Thomas de Davenport above was dead by 15 Edw. II. (1321).]
In the thirteenth century, it is possible to document what are very likely three ancestors of William:
Gilbert’s son Robert Pygot
Robert’s son William Pygot
References
Earwaker, J.P. East Cheshire Past and Present. (1880).
Fletcher, Rev. W.G.D. “The Sequestration Papers of Thomas Pigott of Chetwynd” in Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society (Series 3, Volume 6; 1906).
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).
Renaud, Frank. “Early History of Prestbury Parish Church and Manor, Cheshire” in Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society. v. 13 (1895).