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To: Frank Milnes, et al..
Dear Frank,
I was very interested to see your message on the Kirton website with regard to your descent from Thomas Kirkton of Leadenham, Lincs., and as recorded in Lincolnshire Pedigrees, p.569, under "Kirkton of Grimsby".
I gather that you already have the Harleian manuscripts MSS 759 & 6829;do you also have the Herald's College MS. C. 23 ? If not, I believe you would be able to obtain a copy from the British Museum. Having all the MS is invaluable to understanding what the heralds had in mind when they actually were writing the pedigree. The spelling "Kirkton" MAY suggest a Scottish origin; the more usual spelling in England of the name that eventually evolved into Kirton / Kerton / Kearton, etc., is spelt
"Kirketon", following the original Danish or Norse word for "Church", spelt "Kirke". The Scots name derived from their spelling of "Kirk", and is still used in more than 30 place names in Scotland.
Recently I came across the Will, dated 10 Aug.,1630, of one Freschevile
Holles of Great Grimesby (sic), Lincs., which can be found in "Memorials of the Holles Family, 1493 - 1656", edited by Alfred Cecil Wood, and published in London in 1937. This will confirms several parts of the said pedigree:- Freschevile Holles was a cousin of John Kirton's wife Frances (called "Mrs. Francis (sic) Kirton" in the will), and was the father of Gervase Holles, who was the husband of Dorothy Kirton, the only daughter of Mr. John Kirton, Gent. of Grimsby, who evidently died in 1634.
Have you had any luck confirming that Thomas Kirton was descended from Sir John Kirkton, Knight Banneret, as stated in the pedigree ? I
would guess that the heralds must have had some proof of this, which should appear in their notes. I would suspect that this Sir John
is probably one and the same as Sir John de Kirketon, Knight, of the
Manor of Kirketon, at Kirketon-in-Holland (Haylaund), (modern Kirton,
near Boston, Lincs.) in the Wapentake of Kirketon, Lincolnshire. This John de Kirketon was the grandson of one Peter Bozon de Kirketon, who, before June, 1272, married Elizabeth Woodthorp, dau. & heir (or co-heir?) of Sir William Woodthorp, Knt. of Aisthorp, Lincs.. ("Aisthorp, A History of the Village" by Foster" (she was named as Elizabeth de Kirketon, Lady of Aisthorp in 1303, & died in 1333.) Peter had died by 1300. (Ref.: Visit. of Lincs., 1592 under Littlebury; & "Notes & Queries", 6th. Series, Vol.8, London, Jul.-Dec. 1883)
This couple had two sons, Thomas & Robert. Thomas was "Summoned
to Parliament by Writ" on 25 Feb., 1342 to become Lord Thomas, Baron
de Kirketon, but died soon afterwards d.s.p., John becoming his heir.
Thomas' coat of arms carried the blazon: "Gules, barry of six, argent."
The younger son, Sir Robert de Kirketon, Knt., (Blazon: " Gules, barry of
six, ermine" i.e. differenced for the younger son) married Beatrice or
Beatrix de Driby, sister of Robert de Driby. This couple had one son
John de Kirketon, and two daughters: Florence de Kirketon (d.s.p.), first
wife of Sir Robert de Littlebury, and Alice de Kirketon, who married Sir John Loudham, Knt., died 1318, and secondly of John de Bret (or Breton).
John de Kirketon married Isabel(la), the widow of Sir George Maryet in 1324, & was "knighted by bathing" on 13 April, 1326. In 1334 Sir John was given the use of the Manor and Castle of Tattershall, Lincs.,
for his lifetime, by one of his de Driby cousins, and was feoffed of
the Manor of Tumby, Lincs., in 1342. (Burke's Extinct Peerage, 1883,p.306)
After his father's death he bore his father's blazon of Gules, barry of
sx, ermine, but after his uncle Thomas also died in 1342, leaving John
as his heir, John adopted the Gules, barry of six, argent of the senior
line. His crest was a red fox, passant, propre. He served as Commissioner of Array in 1335, 1341 and again in 1353, and was one of the individuals made responsible for the relocation of the King of France in 1360, who was then a prisoner in England. He was also
the High Sheriff of Lincolnshire. He was summoned to Parliament by
Writ on 14 Aug. 1362 to become Lord John, Baron de Kirketon, and
was re-summoned again on 1 June, 1363. He and his wife had one
son, also named John de Kirketon, who married, but soon afterwards
died sans progeny. Sir John / Lord John de Kirketon died 20 Feb.,1367.
They may also have had two daughters, Elizabeth and Joan, although
this is sometimes disputed, and the two are sometimes identifies as
his sisters. It does seem that Elizabeth became the wife of Sir Humphrey
de Littlebury, and that Joan married John Thetoft.
If it is the same man, it is hard to see how the Kirkton name could
descend, unless a Kirkton had married a female descendant of Sir John's ? Hope this is of interest,
Sincerely, Jonathan Kirton
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