Beginnings
Our family’s first confirmed ancestor is Robert Fetherstonhaugh de Stanhope, born about 13001 in the time of Edward III. The Upton papers2 have Robert as the grandson of Thomas Fetherstonhaugh (born abt 1277) and wife Mariotta (Ainsworth de Molneux), who was descended from the Yorkshire knight Sir Ranulf Grammaticus (born abt 1020).
Another version of Robert’s ancestors appears in the visitation pedigree of 15751 (see below) where Robert was recorded as the great-great-grandson of William de Monte (circa Stephen I – 1135-1154). His parentage is stated as Alexander and Agnes de Stanhope.
The pedigree shown on the visitation (left) may have come about because Robert Fetherstonhaugh de Stanhope (after marriage to Alexander and Agnes de Stanhope’s daughter) resided at Stanhope Hall, which was originally occupied by the Stanhopes who were William de Monte’s descendants.
That Robert Fetherstonhaugh was Alexander de Stanhope’s son-in-law, (and not his son) can be further supported by a genealogy report 3 (213156. Robert Featherstonhaugh, born in of Featherstonhaugh; died 1375 in of Stanhope. He was the son of 426312 Alexander Featherstonhaugh I. He married 213157 UnknownDe Stanhope 213157. Unknown De Stanhope, born in of Stanhope Hall, Durham; died Unknown. She was the daughter of 426314 Alexander De Stanhope and 426315. Agnes De Lascelles)
Other evidence below, which also indicates there may have been no male de Stanhope line in this branch after 13544 .
‘The first of the name Stanhope we find holding lands in Stanhope was Richard de Stanhope b c1262, the son of Walter de Stanhope, who died seised of a messuage (holding a dwelling house with outbuildings and land) of 22 acres of land in the fifth year of Bishop Bury, 1338-1339, charged with a mark yearly to Peter de Stanford. In the ninth year of Bishop Hatfield, 1354, one of this family, William, died seised of 24 acres of land and 15 acres he had acquired of Robert Featherstonhalgh, and left a daughter, Margaret de Stanhope, his heir, after which period we do not find any of the Stanhopes named in the records.’ quote from Hutchison 1794, vol. iii. p. 356 4
Our early family pedigree
Outlined below are the early generations that led to the father of our Northumbrian line, Robert Fetherstonhaugh, beginning with Sir Ranulf Grammaticus c1020. The exact generations and associated dates that follow Ranulf up until the time of Robert c1300 are not always certain, and some gaps do appear:
Generation 1. Ranulf Grammaticus the Latinist of Featherstone (aka Rannulf the Latinist, Ralph Grammaticus, Grammataire), born abt 1020 in Yorkshire, married Edeline (Edelinus) abt 1040. Issue: (i) Richard Grammaticus and (ii) Sir Ralph Pincerna
Generation 2: Sir Ralph Pincerna the Butler (Steward or CEO) of Featherstone (born abt 1042), married Edeline abt 1065. Issue: (i) Amfrey
Generation 3: Sir Amfrey de Fetherston knight and steward to Lord Robert de Lacy, born abt 1075, married unknown. Issue: (i) Sir William de Featherstone of Fetherstonhaugh and (ii) Dureward Fetherstonhaugh
The distance between the approximate birth dates for Amfrey (1075) and William (1135) appear to indicate there should be an intervening generation. There may have been two Williams, one with the wife Hadawise, and his son William with the wife Aubreye.
Generation 4: Sir William Federestan born abt 1100, married Hadawise (Avice) de Tyndale (as described in the Early Yorkshire Charters 1154 -1170) . Issue: (i) ?William
Generation 5. William de Federstan (?born abt 1135) Possibly the intervening William here who married Aubreye, or perhaps he is Elias’s brother. Issue: ? (i) Helyas (Elias)
Generation 6: Sir Helyas de Featherstone of Fetherestanehalg (aka Sir Elias Featherstonehaugh, Sir Elias Featherstone, Elias de Featherstonehaugh, Elias de Fetherstanehalg or de Fetherstanhalwe), born abt 1185, died abt 1225/26, married Isabel. Issue: (i) Sir Helias Parkinson Featherstonehaugh, (ii) Ralph (and/or Thomas?) de Featherstonhaugh (some authors refer to Thomas & Ralph being the same person)
Generation 7: Thomas I de Fetherstanhalwe (born abt 1213)
There are thought to have been a succession of Thomas’s that were Sir Helias’s immediate descendants, but its not known exactly how many came before the Thomas who was born abt 1272 (thought to be Thomas III), as they were all at one time or another variously referred to in documents as either Thomas senior or Thomas Junior over a 70 to 80 year period, causing confusion regarding generations at this time.5 As can be seen in the excerpt of the pedigree in the visitation tree of 1615 (below) from Hodgson’s history.6 However, a letter lodged with the Society of Genealogists in London gives 1213 as the year of the first Thomas’ birth which indicates he is the heir of Helias mentioned in the document of 1212-1217 and that Mariotta married the third Thomas (who is unlikely to be Helias’s direct heir as appears in the visitation tree below).
Generation 8: Thomas II de Fetherstanhalwe II (born abt 1242)
Generation 9: Thomas III Fetherstanhaulgh (abt 1275/7 – 1310) of Featherstone Castle, married Mariota Ainsworth de Molneux (abt 1278 -1360). Issue: (i) Thomas (no issue), (ii) Alexander I (1298 – aft 1365/8) who inherited the Fetherstonhalg manor, (iii) Peter (1302) aka Perkin, (iv) William, (v) Richard.
Generation 10: William Fetherstonhaugh of Stanhope born aft 1302. Issue: (i) Robert Fetherstonhaugh de Stanhope
Generation 11: Robert Fetherstonhaugh de Stanhope ( 1327– 1375) married Isabel de Stanhope, ?daughter of Alexander and Agnes de Stanhope. Issue: (i) William Stanhope (abt 1345 – 1385) .
Generation 12: William Stanhope Fetherstonhaugh (Abt 1330/40 – 1385) married Helena de Bostick (abt 1330/40 – 1375). Issue: (i) Richard, (ii) Thomas and (iii) William Dewyche Stanhope Fetherstonhaugh.
Generation 13: William Dewyche Stanhope Fetherstonhaugh (abt 1360/61 – 1431/32) married Margaret Lancaster (abt 1362 – 1414). Issue: (i) Alexander Stanhope Fetherstonhaugh and (ii) John Alexander Fetherstonhaugh.
Generation 14: Alexander Stanhope Fetherstonhaugh (abt 1385 – 1463) married Margaret (Ford) de Felton. Issue: (i) Thomas (c1410 -1499), (ii) Martha Faye Ford (c1411), (iii) Elizabeth
Generation 15: Thomas Fetherstonhaugh (abt 1410-?) married Lady Alison de Whitfield (1412 – 1476) daughter of Sir Mawe (Matthew) Whitfield. Issue: (i) Lady (?Countess) Elizabeth Fitzhugh Forster 1428 – 1450 (married Sir knight Thomas Roger Forster of Etherstone Castle), (ii) (?Sir) Alexander (1430-1508), (iii) Matthew (1432)
Generation 16: Alexander Fetherstonhaugh High Sheriff of Northumberland, Chief of the Clan (born Abt 1430 at Stanhope, died 1508 at Featherstone Castle, married Cicely Ducket (1443 – ?). Issue (i) Richard de Fetherstonhaugh, (ii) Lyonell Fetherstonhaugh abt 1462 – 1526, (iii) Henry Bart Fetherstonhaugh 1464 -1552
Generation 17: Richard Fetherstonhaugh of Stanhope (abt 1416 – 1508) 1489 Alicve Eliza Hedworth (?first wife) (1474 – 1490) daughter of Robert Hedworth Esq of Harraton, in Co.pal.Durham, and 1490 Anne Crackenthorpe (?2nd wife). Issue: (i) John (1486), (ii) Elizabeth (1489 -1524), (iii) Richard (1490), (iv) Alice (1494)
Generation 18: John Fetherstonhaugh (abt 1486 – 1528) married Margaret (1487 – 1520) sister of Sir Nicholas Ridley of Willimontswick. Issue: (i) Roman (1518-1531), (ii) Michael (1515-1569), (iii) Henry (1500-1570), (iv) Francis (1520 -1520), (v) Ralph Emerson (1510 – 1570).
Generation 19: Michael Fetherstonhaugh (abt 1515 – 1569), married Ann Trollope (1517 – 1545). Issue: (i) John (1545 – 1615), (ii) Joan (1542-1630), (iii) Cuthbert Featherstone (1537 – 1615), (iv) Lionell (1552 -1569), (v) Lancelot (1554 – ?).
Generation 20: John Fetherstonhaugh Esq of Stanhope (abt 1545 – 1615) married Margaret Radcliffe of Blanchland. Issue: (i) Ralph (1574 – 1636, (ii) Francis (1574/75 – 1619), (iii) Henry Featherstonehaugh (1561-1588), (iv) Edward Featherstone (1584), (v) Mary Fetherston (1580-1614), (vi) Katherine Featherstone (1580)
Generation 21: Ralph Fetherstonhaugh Esq. of Stanhope Hall (1574 – 1636) married Jane Appleyard of Holderness, Yorkshire (1580 – 1628) in Philipstown, Ireland. She was the daughter of John Appleyard IV and Katherine Flower Norton. Issue: (i) Jane Featherstone, (1600-1631), (ii) Ralph Fetherstonhaugh, (1600-1696), (iii) Dorothy Fetherstone, (1604), (iv) Elizabeth Featherstone, (1606), (v) Mary 1608, (vi) Helen Fetherstone, (1610), (vii) John Featherston (1612?-1673),and (viii) Cuthbert Fetherstonhaugh, (1621-1693).
Generation 22: Cuthbert Fetherstonhaugh (1618 – 1693) married unknown. Issue: (i) John (1652-?), (ii) Thomas (1654-1728), (iii) Phillip (1656-1728), (iv) Jacob (1658- ?), (v) James (1681-1761). Cuthbert settled in Ireland after the battle of Worcester and so began the Irish line.
Sources
- Foster J. Pedigrees Recorded at the Visitations of the County Palatine of Durham made by William Flower, Norroy King-of- arms, in 1575, by Richard St. George, Norroy King-of-arms, in 1615, and by William Dugdale, Norroy King-of-arms, in 1666. London, Priv. Print for J Foster; 1887:119. Accessed July 21 2023 https://archive.org/details/pedigreesrecorde00lond/page/118/mode/2up?q=Fetherstonhaugh (1887). (Heraldic visitations were censuses carried out by either Kings of Arms, or their deputies throughout England, Wales and Ireland from 1330 to 1688. The visitations registered and regulated coats of arms, gentry boroughs and recorded pedigrees.)
- Upton H. Upton papers. 21(54) English pedigree. (Catalogued 2012) IE RIA. Retrieved from: https://iar.ie/archive/upton-papers
- Myers R. Geneology Report: Ancestors of Margaret May Harvey. Geneology.com. no date. Accessed June 2nd 2023. https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/m/y/e/Ron-C-Myers/GENE30-0321.html
- Hutchison W. The History of Durham Vol. iii. Durham G. Walker; 1823:356. Accessed July 22, 2023. https://archive.org/details/historyantiquiti03hutcuoft/page/356/mode/2up
- Lankford DD. Geneology Report: Elias Featherstonehaugh Descendants. Geneology.com. 2000. Retrieved from: https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/l/a/n/Darlene-D-Lankford/GENE4-0001.h
- Hodgson J, Rev. A History of Northumberland, in three parts. Newcastle Upon Tyne: E Walker. 1820;Pt 2 Vol 3:353-6 https://archive.org/details/ahistorynorthum01tynegoog/page/352/mode/2up?q=Featherstonhaugh