Irene Preston's Historical Writing
HEREDITARY FORESTERSHIPS OF CHESHIRE
Richard de Davenport had a grant of the Chief Forester of Macclesfield
and Leek from Earl Hugh II, of Chester, in 1166. Richard was married to
the daughter of Gilbert de Venables II of Kinderton.
Richard's great grandson Vivian had the grant of Serjeancy of the Peace
in Macclesfield Hundred in 1220. The family adopted an unusual crest of
a man's head with a noose around his neck. This was worn on top of the
helm and has always been the crest of all the Davenport families. Two
stone heads can be seen in front of the fireplace in the Great Hall of
Bramall Hall.
Delamere Forest was originally two forests. The Earl of Chester
established the office of Chief Forester in 1123 and Delamere became a
Royal Forest in 1237. There were several holders of the master
forestership until Henry Done married the great granddaughter of Earl
Ranulf of Chester in 1244. It passed to the Crewe family through
marriage in 1629, together with the ancient Delamere hunting horn, when
John Crewe married Mary Done. Her sister Eleanor had married Ralph
Arderne in 1623 bringing with her a large ancient fireplace from her
family home of Utkinton Hall as part of her dowry. This was placed in
their town house Underbank Hall, which is now a NatWest Bank, and the
fireplace is still there.
In medieval times the hunting horn was the symbol of forestership. By
1812 Sir John Ardern held the title of Chief Forester and Bowbearer, and
Forest Bailiff; and received all the forestry rents.
The Grosvenor museum in Chester has several pictures of the Done Family,
the Delamere Horn; and a silver tankard with lions forming the feet, and
thumb-piece with a dolphin handle dated 1669 belonging to the Ardern
family.
Accusations of corruption and non-maintenance on the part of the Earl's
officials, evidence of oppression and evil deeds, taking bribes, levying
of unwarranted fines and payments were rife in those days. This together
with the distribution of pardons for soldiers returning to war gave the
county a reputation for lawlessness and disorder. The famous Cheshire
archers also contributed to lawlessness as they were used as bodyguards
to several kings. At the time of Richard II they became a law unto
themselves and were not punished as Richard needed them for protection.
He had made many enemies and was eventually usurped by his cousin Henry
Bollingbroke, later Henry IV.
William Stanley I (1284-1320) held the manor of Stourton on the Wirral
together with the hereditary forestership through marriage. He acquired
only a third of the manor of Stourton upon his marriage but by 1398 his
grandson, William Stanley III, had acquired all the land of the manor by
murder and violence towards the people of the Wirral. He held great
power and influence and misused his office in the administration of the
Black Prince, Edward Earl of Chester, but was pardoned when he used his
military skill fighting with the Prince in France. Later members of the
Stanley Family, who also became the Earls of Derby, had military careers
under Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V.
By the time of Edward IV (1461-1483) Thomas Stanley held the office of
Master Forester of Macclesfield Forest and stewardship of Macclesfield
Hundred.
By the time of Charles II there were large scale enclosures and the
forests gradually disappeared.
Sources:
History of East Cheshire and Macclesfield Hundred
by Earwaker
History of Cheshire by Ormerod
The Origins of Cheshire by N. J.Higham
War and Society in Medieval Cheshire by P. Morgan
Cheshire under the Earls by B.M. Husain