Analysis of the Ancestry of the
C/Ks of Rockborne, Hants
The first identified ancestor of this C/K line is Thomas, variously spelled Cayleway
and Kayleway, and variations of both. Very little actual record on this Thomas has
so far been uncovered. The one record that puts him into perspective as to time line
is the advowson of Sutton Bingham. The last Bingham to hold right to the manor of
Sutton Bingham was Thomas Bingham. Upon his death, the manor descended to
his daughter, Joan Bingham, who then inherited the right to this manor, as well as
several others.
Joan Bingham married Thomas C/K. This marriage occurred between 1410
(estimated) and Dec 1412. It certainly happened before Dec 1412, when Thomas
C/K had the “right” from his wife to be patron of the advowson of the church of
Sutton Bingham, which was attached to the manor. Prior to 1412, the Binghams
were the patrons of this Sutton Bingham church.
Some have believed that Thomas C/K and wife, Joan nee Bingham had no children.
This idea lacks merit. This manor descended down in the C/K family. Joan
Bingham C/K still held the “right” to this manor, even after the death of Thomas.
Thomas could not pass his “right” to Sutton Bingham to some cousins or other
relatives. If Thomas C/K and Joan Bingham had no children, then she would have
taken her “right” to the manor into her second marriage, and the manor and
advowson would have descended in the Wyke family.
Thomas C/K made his first “presentation” of a new priest at this church in Dec
1412. In the register of the bishop, he is recorded as “Thomas Kayleway, ‘arm.’
This is clearly an indication that Thomas was bearing the C/K coat of arms at this
date.
Thomas C/K made one more “presentation” on 4 Feb 1417. He died between that
date and 20 Dec 1422, when Joan Bingham, the widow of Thomas C/K had already
married Wyke. Why did Wyke gain the privilege of making this presentation? It
could be only because that Joan’s first heir, by Thomas C/K, was a minor.
A bit of background of Roger Wyke is required here. “The old mansion of North
Wyke lies about midway between Moreton and Chawleigh. It is certain that in the
early days of the family in Devon, the Wyke lands lay scattered both north and
south of their chief residence; on the south, through South Tawton and Chagford to
Moreton, and on the north to Chawleigh through North Tawton and Winkleigh and
down to comparatively modern times [temp. Henry VIII and Elizabeth] we know
from Chancery Proceedings, Inq. p. m.’s, and other records that the Wyke family
held estates in Chagford, Drewsteignton, Gidley, Throwleigh, Spreyton, Sampford
Courtenay, North Tawton, Nymet Tracy, Zeal Monachorum, Winkleigh, Bondleigh
and South Moulton, besides a large part of the wide parish of South Tawton,
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wherein lies North Wyke, the overlords of which were near-of-kin to William de
Wyk …………..”
“The aforesaid William Wyke, son of a Roger Wyke, married Katherine, daughter
and co-heir of John Burnell of Cocktree and Cruke Burnell, who brought with her
Cocktree and other lands. By her he had four sons, Richard, Roger, Henry and
John. The second son, Roger, according to Pole and other Devon historians, had
Bindon in Axmouth, given to him by Nicholas Bache in 1406. At this time he could
hardly of been of age, for he did not marry before 1422 [he was married to Joan
Bingham by Dec 1422], nor die before 1467. His lands seem to come to him
through his mother’s family, for he held a moiety of Cruke Burnell [according to
Feudal Aids]. In 1428 he ‘held 1/2 fee in Cruk Burnell (North Tawton), which
John Burnell (his grandfather) lately held.’
Roger Wyke adopted his mother’s family coat of arms – that of the Burnells. He
married three times; each wife was called Joan, and a daughter of a great house. His
first was Joan, daughter of Thomas Bingham, lord of the manor of Sutton Bingham,
county Somerset; his second was Joan, daughter and heir of …….Bisset; and his
third wife was Joan, daughter and heir of Thomas Chasteleyne of Dennington and
Trent, in Somerset, by Emma, daughter and heir of John de Cantelupe, of Chilton
Cantelo.
The said Roger was MP for Plymtree in 1413, and in 1415 he accompanied his
cousin, the Earl of Devon, in the invasion of France by Henry V [Accounts of
Exchequer, Army Bundle 52, No. 2] and took part in the glorious victory of
Agincourt. From 1422 to 1467, when he died, he was partron of Sutton Bingham.
On 16th July 1425, he obtained from Bishop Lacy a license for an oratory in his
mansion of Bindon. In 1448, on the death of his first wife’s cousin, Joan Romesey,
he entered into possession of her share of Rokebourne, Hants, and Combe Bisset,
Wilts. In right of his second wife, Joan he had Radbournes in Dorset; and in right of
this third wife, Joan, he held the manor of Trent in Somerset………………..
His eldest son, John, married Joan, daughter and heir of John Camill of Shapwick
and Charborough in Dorset. From that day to this Charborough has been held by his
descendants. He died in 1488 [Inq. p.m. 4 Hen VII, no. 46]. His son, John Wyke,
succeeded him and married Elizabeth daughter of …….?……….
Notes:
p. 31, line 25. The eldest son of John Wyke (son of Roger) of Bindon, by his wife
Joan of Charborough was ‘aged 46 and more’ on 20 March 1488 when his father
died [inq. p.m.], and therefore born before 1442.” [Taken from “The Ancient
Family of Wyke of North Wyke, Devon,” by Rev. W. Wykes-Finch, M.A., J.P.
Read at Sidmouth, July 1903.]. [Reprinted from the Transactions of the Devonshire
Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature, and Arts, xxxx, pp 360425.]
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Roger Wyke continued as patron of Sutton Bingham until his death. His first
presentation was in 1422 when he had married the widow C/K, nee Joan Bingham.
He also made presentations of clerics in 1426, 1429, 1433, 1437, 1448, 1453, and
1467, the year of his death. But, the manor and advowson of Sutton Bingham did
not descend in the Wyke family line. It descended in the C/K family line, which is
certain evidence that Joan Bingham had a child, John, by Thomas C/K, as is
confirmed by the following record:
36. At Westminster in the quinzaine of St. Michael between Nicholas Radeford
and William Lytelwyke querents; and Roger Wyke and Joan his wife deforciants;
for the manor of Sutton Byngham and the advowson, and four messuages, one
hundred acres of land and six acres of meadow in Sutton Byngham and Estcoker.
Roger and Joan acknowledged the right of Nicholas and quit claimed for
themselves and the heirs of Joan; for this Nicholas granted the same to them to hold
without impeachment of waste for their lives, and after their decease to remain to
John son and heir of John Cayleway and Joan his wife and their issue and if John
and Joan die without issue then to remain to the aforesaid Joan the wife of Roger.
[Somerset Fines. 26 Henry VI (1447-8).]
What does this tell us? It tells us that Joan Bingham C/K Wyke had a son, named
John, by her first husband, Thomas C/K. And also, that this son John Cayleway and
his wife, Joan, also had a son named John, who was to be the heir to Sutton
Bingham when his father died. It also tells us that Joan Bingham C/K Wyke was
still living at this date, thus was probably the mother of Roger Wyke’s first son,
John Wyke (who married Joan Camill), instead of Joan of Charborough. However,
that raises the question of how Charborough came down in the Wyke family.
Who were the “querents” Nicholas Radeford and William Lytelwyke? A quick
search on those names reveals the information that Nicholas Radeford was involved
in some transactions of Arundell of Lanherne and Trerice (Cornwall RO) involving
Records of Other Families; property Dinham [AR/37/1-23]. He was one of the
arbitrators, including also William Wenard, John Copleston, John Mulys, John
Gambon and William Werthe, dates 1435/36. There is also mention of Nicholas
Radeford in the papers of Seymour of Berry Pomeroy (Devon RO). Records
involving Cheriton Fitzpaine [3799M-O/ET/7], 1436 – (1) Thomas Carmynowe
esq, Nicholas Radeford, John Mulys, John Wode and Peter Osmond. And
Stockleigh Pomeroy [3799M-O/ET/18/16], date 1414, witnesses: Edward Seynt
Jon, Nicholas Radeford, John Prous, Walter Uphome the elder, William Hurde. In
the papers of the Petre Family (Devon RO), he was one of the witnesses to a
transaction involving Churchstow [123M/TB76], dated 29 March 1423; witnesses,
Nicholas Radeford, Henry Fortescu, John Fouhell or Fonhell, Richard Piperell,
Michael Stephen. Those references show us who Nicholas Radeford associated
with.
William Lytelwyke had similar associations. The papers of Okehampton Borough
(Devon RO) – Title Deeds and Leases (date 1450): (2) John Coplestone, William
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Lytelwyke, Thomas Bosse and Nicholas Whyte [3248A-O/11/94]. Another
reference, the papers of Courtenay of Powderham, Moger Deeds [D1508M/Moger/
136, dated 10 Oct 1435 (Devon RO) – Charter of John Molton granting to William
Lytelwyke 16s.2d. yearly rent from divers of his tenants in the Manor of
Chaggeforde (naming several tenants), etc.
John Cayleway, son of Thomas and Joan Bingham C/K, (mentioned in the “Fine”
recited above), died about 1467/8 as is shown in the following records:
Inq. post mortem , John Caleway, esquire. Inquisiton taken at Shyrborn, Dorset,
Nov 4 (1468) – he had no lands or tenements of the King or any other on the day he
died, namely ’10 March last past.’ John Caleway is his son and next heir, aged 19
years and upward. [b c1449].
1469. Writs of diem clausit extremum, directed to escheators in counties named,
after the death of John Caleway, esq.:
March 29 – to escheators of Devon and Cornwall
April 29 – to escheators of Southampton and Wilts.
[Fine Rolls, 1461-1471, Edw. IV – Hen VI]
Those are the writs ordering the inquistions post mortem to be held in Devon,
Cornwall, Southampton and Wilts. We have no results from those inquisitions. We
need a search for transcriptions of these. The originals, alas, would be in Latin.
We have learned that Thomas C/K and Joan Bingham had a son, John Cayleway,
who was married to Joan [unknown]. They had a son named John. This John never
“presented” at Sutton Bingham. Why? Roger Wyke continued to present there until
his death. Did this son, John, also die prematurely? Did John, the son of Thomas
and Joan Bingham C/K have another, second son, named William? We have no
record of that, but the advowson did descend in the family by inheritance.
The Victoria History of Somerset, Vol. VI, pp. 105/107 reports on another Romsey
property that descended to Joan Bingham, as follows:
There were three holdings called Otterhampton. Part of Otterhampton manor
known later as Otterhampton Rumsey manor, was held in 1286 by Walter of
Romsey, son and heir of Sir Walter Romsey. Walter, or another of that same name,
died c1333 and his son, Sir John, died 1334, leaving a son Walter, under age. Sir
Walter died in 1403 having settled Otterhamptona on his wife Alice (d 1404) and
on his grandson Walter, son of Thomas Romsey, who had predeceased his parents.
Walter died, probably without issue as the estate was held by his elder brother,
Thomas (d. 1420) and Thomas’s wife Joan (d. 1441). Their daughter and heir, Joan,
married Thomas Payne but died childless c1447 having granted her Somerset
estates in 1443 to Henry Champeneys and his wife Elizabeth, probably widow of
Walter Romsey, for life. Joan’s heir to her Somerset estates was Joan wife of Roger
Wyke, granddaughter of Sir Walter Romsey (d. 1403). Joan and Roger Wyke
settled certain lands on Joan, wife of John Cayleway and ‘possibly their daughter,*
but remained in possession of most of the former Romsey lands in 1662.
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William Cayleway and his wife Anne sold an estate described as one-third of
Otterhampton Rumsey manor in 1542 to John St Clere who in 1547 sold it to James
Bowerman……etc.
* This compiler of the Victoria History of Somerset was apparently unaware
that Joan Bingham C/K Wyke was the widow of Thomas C/K. They actually
were settling Otterhampton Romsey on the daughter-in-law, the widow of
Joan Bingham C/K’s son, John.
Roger Wyke last presented at Sutton Bingham in 1467, the year of his death. Before
William C/K made his first presentation in 1500, there was an interim presentation
made in 1478, by John Devyoke. What was the reason for this, and who was John
Devyoke? A quick search provides some clues as to his identity.
Edmund de Courtenay (c1442-1496), son of Sir Philip and Elizabeth de Hungerford
Courtenay, married Jane Devioke. Nothing is provided on her ancestry. From the
Catalogue of the NA, is a suit in Equity [E 326/6468] which involves Laurence, son
and heir of Richard Courtenay Esq. of Ethy (in St Winnow), deceased & Thomas
Arundel, knight, and others (feoffees to uses as specified) concerning the manors of
Warleggon (Warlegan), Trevebyn (in St Neot), Deviock (Devyoke) in Warleggon,
etc. [Warleggan adjoins St Neot]. Also at NA, a court case [C 1/31/119] involves
William Resmoderes and Alice his wife, daughter of John Luccombe; and John
Devyok, son of Elizabeth, another daughter of said John Luccombe, son of
Margery, sister of Ralph, father of Robert KAYLL vs John Trevylon, feoffee to
uses: Land at St. Winnow and Bodmin, Cornwall. Dates: 1386-1486. Another
reference is to Okehampton Borough (Devon RO) - Title Deeds and Leases:
[3248A-O/11/122, dated 1481] mentions (2) John Devyok, Joan his wife and
Edmund their son. So, John Devoyke’s connection is with the Courtenays.
If these C/Ks of Sutton Bingham were part of the Sherborne family, their associates
should be the like of Fauntleroys, Lewestons, Barrets, Whyffens, Stantors and such.
These families are nowhere in sight in the affairs of Sutton Bingham and its
patrons.
On 16 Oct 1500, Will. Calway, arm, presented Hen. Fayrman as priest.
Hen Fayrman resigned
On 29 July 1505, Will. Kaylwaye, mil, presented Will Tanner
Will Tanner, after a long service, died
On 5 Nov 1541, Hamellus Williams, a.c. per Joh. Kaleway de Rockborne presented
Joh. Stone.
Joh. Kaleway of the above record was “Sir John of Rockborne,” whose son, Sir
William C/K (2nd knight) and wife, Ann, sold Sutton Bingham to George
Sydenham. When his father, Sir William (1st knight) died in 1508, John Cayleway,
son and heir of William Cayleway, knight, received license of entry ‘without proof
of age’ as tenant in chief on the manor of Rockborne, 5 cottages called Gorleigh, a
tenement in Devyses, Wilts, a messuage called Westworth & a messuage in the
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parish of St Leonard’s, Exeter, Devon. Why was this license given ‘without proof
of age’? Was he under age at the death of his father?
There is much information on Sir William C/K (2nd knight) who inherited the
property of his father, Sir John C/K. Much of this was generated by the struggle to
hold on to Rockborne, particularly, before finally losing it to the Coopers.
Sherrill U. Williams
20 June 2006
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