LEGH OF KNUTSFORD BOOTHS
Norbury Booths Hall, Knutsford (Grid Ref. SJ 765779) was the seat of
the Leghs of Booths until sold in 1917. Peter Legh, who died in 1804,
built it in 1745 to replace an older timber-framed quadrangular house.
It was enlarged by his grandson, Peter, in 1845 to the design of E.
Habershon. (de Figueiredo and Treuhertz)
The Legh family had several branches in Cheshire such as those of Lyme Park, Adlington,
West Hall and East Hall at High Legh. A brief
family tree from the 13th century is included here for the Legh family
to show the connections with other branches of the family. It is taken
from Ormerod, 2nd edition with
corrections found in Appendix 4 "Additions and Corrections". Stuart
Raymond, in Cheshire: A Genealogical Bibliography, Vol. 2
includes as a source Legh of Norbury Booths Hall, Cheshire,
by J. Paul Rylands in Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica,
4th. series 1, 1906, 135-6 which contains family notes from a
devotional book.
- 1. Sir William Venables, Knight, of Bradwall, 2nd son of Sir
William Venables, Baron of Kinderton, alive in 1300.
- + Agnes, daughter and heiress of Richard de Legh of the West
Hall, High Legh. (Her first husband had been Richard de Lymme and her
son with him took the name Thomas de Legh
of West Hall). William Venables and Agnes had a son John, who became
known as John de Legh.
- 2. John de Legh of "Bothes" eldest son of William Venables,
purchaser of Knutsford Booths some time before 28 Edw. I. (1300). He
was known to be living in 1338.
- + Ellena, dau. of Sir William de Baggilegh and sister and
coheir of John de Baggilegh and heir of her kinsman, Thomas de Corona.
She was born in 1288.
- 3. Sir John de Legh of Knutsford Booths, Knight, eldest
son and heir.
- + 1st wife of Sir John was Maude, daughter of Sir John
Arderne of Aldford.
- + 2nd wife of Sir John was Isabel, (Note the main
section on this family in Ormerod has Isabel as sister and co-heiress
of John Baggilegh of Baggilegh but the corrections in the appendix
state that her affiliation is unknown and the Baggilegh connection is
placed in the previous generation where Ellena's description is changed
to daughter of Sir William Baggilegh from daughter of Thomas de Corona.)
- 3. Robert de Legh, ancestor of the Leghs of Adlington,
Annesley, Eggington, Lyme Birch, Ridge, Rushall, Longbarrow, Adlestrop,
Stoneleigh, Newnham Regis and Stockwell. Living 10 Edw. II. (1317) and
1338.
- 3. Sir William de Legh, Knight, ancestor of Legh of
Isall, living 9 Edw. II. (1316) and 1338.
- 3. Peter de Legh, ancestor of Legh of Bechton, living 9
Edw. II. (1316) and 1338.
- 3. Gilbert de Legh, living 1338. (Gilbert was said
to be ancestor of the Leghs who assumed the name of Townley, in the
main section of Ormerod's account but in the additions and
corrections, it is stated that the connection of this Gilbert to the
Townley's has been disproved as shown in the fourth edition of
Whitaker's 'History of Whalley'.
I follow the line of the Legh of Booths. The years in Ormerod do not
appear to be consistent or two generations have been confused. Further
checking in alternative sources is required. However, this family is
descended from the John de Legh of Booths shown above in generation
number 3 and Isabel. According to the Lysons,
the Manor of Over Knutsford, alias Knutsford Booths together with
Norbury Booths was purchased in 1300 from William de Tabley by John
Legh, ancestor of the then proprietor, Willoughby Legh. John Legh was a
younger son of William Venables of Bradwell by his wife Agnes, daughter
and heir of Richard Legh of West Hall in High Legh. He assumed the name
of his maternal grandfather but retained the arms of Venables.
- 1. Sir John de Legh of Booths, Knight, aged 24 in 16 Hen. VI
(1438) was killed in the Battle of Blore Heath, 38 Hen. VI (1460). He
was great-great grandson of John and Isabel shown in generation 3 of
the tree shown above.
- 2. John Legh of Booths, son and heir died 1470.
- + Emma, daughter and
co-heiress of Robert Grosvenour of Hulme. They had one son and Emma
subsequently married Raufe Egerton in 1474.
- 3. John Legh of Booths, Esq., son and heir, died 23 Edw.
IV (1484)
- + Ann, daughter of Sir William Boothe, Knight, of Dunham
Massey. (Ann married secondly Geoffrey
Shakerley) John Legh and Ann had two daughters of which Elizabeth
married Peter Shakerley and took with her the Hulme estate of her
paternal grandmother. The Legh of Booths estate then went to John
Legh's uncle, Peter Legh.
- 2. Peter Legh of Booths, heir in tail to his nephew, aged 30
in 2 Ric. III (1485).
- + Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Andrew Brereton of Brereton,
Knight. They had four sons and four daughters.
- 3. Sir John Legh of Booths, knighted 1544, will of 1558.
- + Jane Sneyd, daughter of Richard Sneyd.
- 4. John Legh of Norbury Booths, Esq.
- + Jane, daughter of Sir William Brereton of Brereton.
They had six sons and six daughters of whom we follow the eldest son.
- 5. William Legh of Booths, Sheriff of Cheshire
in 1636 and died 1641.
- + Dorothy daughter of Geoffrey Shakerley of
Hulme. They had one son and two daughters.
- 6. John Legh, died 16 April 1660 aged 59,
buried Knutsford. He had three wives and the estate descended to the
son of his third wife.
- + 3rd wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas
Stanley, Esq., of Alderley, married 14 August 1652, with whom he had
three sons and a daughter.
- 7. Peter Legh of Booths.
- + Ruth, daughter and co-heiress of
Robert Barcroft of Barcroft who had one daughter.
- 8. Ruth Legh, heiress, buried St.
John's at Chester, 8 March 1715/16.
- + Thomas Pennington of Chester and
Knutsford, baptised St. John's, Chester, 15 April 1680. He assumed the
name of Legh.
- 9. Thomas Pennington Legh of
Booths.
- + Helen, daughter of Sir
Willoughby Aston of Aston
- 10. Peter Legh of Booths,
Esq., born 4 March 1727/8 and died 12 August 1804.
- + Anne, eldest daughter and
co-heiress of Peter Wade of Middlewich, Gent., born 22 June 1724,
married 20 October 1744 at Knutsford. She died 13 October 1794 at
Knutsford. This couple had four sons, of whom the first two, died
without issue before their father.
- 11. Peter Pennington
Legh, baptised 26 Nov 1745, buried at Hackney about 1777, no issue
- 11. Thomas Legh, born 20
Nov 1746, died Calcutta 17 Nov 1790 and buried there, no issue
- 11. Willoughby Legh,
Esq., of Booths, third son, born 25 May 1749, died unmarried, buried 18
January 1824 and succeeded by his brother.
- 11. John Legh, Esq.,
fourth son, initially of Bedford Square London then from 1824 of
Booths. He was born 7 April 1752, became a barrister and died 16 March
1826.
- + Isabella, daughter and
co-heiress of Edmund Davison of Wharton in Lancashire and of London.
Married St. Dunstans, Fleet Street, 29 March 1792. She had three sons
and a daughter and died in 1849.
- 12 Anne Legh born 7
June 1793 married William Clowes, died April 1855.
- 12. Peter Legh, born
10 June 1794, died unmarried 29 August 1857.
- 12. John Legh, born
10 December 1795, died 30 January 1803.
- 12. Edmund Dawson
Legh, MA, born 2 March 1801, in holy orders, died 7 March 1845.
- + Catherine,
daughter of Sir Christopher Robinson.
- 13. John
Pennington Legh, Esq., of Booths and of Ryde in the Isle of Wight, heir
to his uncle, Peter Legh in 1857, was born 20 November 1827 and died 12
August 1888.
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