|
|
|
The family of Holande apparently settled in Lancashire, England at the time of William the the Conqueror (1066). Although its early beginnings, so far as we know, were ordinary, no family has risen so quickly to infamous notoriety and distinctions through royal connections, both within and without the lineage itself. The story reads like a historical novel, with its characters interwoven betwixt royal schemes, fortunes, and bloodshed. Unquestionably, their claim on history is from the adventuresome and daring lives which they led. From the beginning, one of the original members of the Knights of the Royal Garter was Sir Thomas de Holande, their dating escapades demanded national recognition.
Matthew de Holande (Latin, Mattheurn de Holande) is known to be one of the earliest progenitors of the Family in Lancashire, England. Holand or Holande was the spelling used prior to the fifteenth century. The family settled in Upholland, a village about four miles west of Wigan, Lancashire. The Manor of Upholland is listed in the Domesday Book as "Holland". In Cockers and Chartulary by Chetham Society appear two deeds for land grants in Upholland to the then new Abbey, Cockersand Abbey, one by Matthew de Holland, the other by his son, Robert. Nov 5, 1202 at the Lancaster Assizes Ulchtred de Chyrche in a deed released his right to fourteen oxgangs of land in Upholland to Matthew de Holland. Fourteen oxgangs was about 210 acres and may have included the manor house. Subsequent deeds (1212-1224) indicate that Matthew de Holland had died and that Robert, his son, had succeeded him.
The ancient township of Upholland at one time was numbered among the market towns of Lancashire. A castle and priory adorned this place when the de Holandes were its lords. The castle has disappeared. The church remains, along with diminutive ruins. Among the ruins round in a field in this village is the casting of a figure, probably of Roman workmanship, suggesting the parish contained a Roman station. Monks lived in Priors in this region. All that now remain of the Monastery buildings are fragments of some ivy-clad ruins, but the Chapel of the old Priory still exists, and is now a Parish Church of Upholland.
The Holande family founded the Upholland Priory. Among the monuments and manuscripts preserved in Lichfield Cathedral, a book The Magnum Registrum Album contains entries of the Collegiate Church of St. Thomas the Martyr, at Upholland, founded by Sir Robert de Holande.
Little is known of MATTHEW DE HOLANDE except that he was the first Holande to put down roots in Lancashire. He was born ca 1175 and (died between 1212/1224 in Upholland,Lancashire. Although he owned but 210 acres, his holdings were sufficient to be included among the first families to this region, ultimately becoming one of the major seated families.
The only known son of Matthew was ROBERT DE HOLANDE, b. ca 1198, died 1258 in Upholland, Lancashire, England. He married in 1219 Hale, Lancashire, England, Cecily de Columbers, the daughter of Alan de Columbers, also of Lancashire.
In 1241 Robert de Holande and his son, Thurstan, were charged with having set fire to a house belonging to the Rector of Wigan, occupied by John Mansel. They must have spent a brief interval in jail, for the Sheriff was directed to release them on bail. On the day of the trial, Thurstan did not come to court. It was Robert who defended the action. He put himself "for good or evil" be four twelve knights of Wigan. A day was given him by the Justices at the next Assizes, the Sheriff being instructed to "let him have peace, and in no wise trouble him or permit him to be troubled." Robert was to have a trial by jury. Later, Thurstan appeared, on July 23rd, who asked him how he would acquit himself concerning the fire if any one would speak against him. He asked for trial by jury. There is no posted record of the outcome.
ROBERT DE HOLANDE and Cecily, his wife, had issue: THURSTAN, ADAM, RICHARD, MIATHIEW, ROGER, ROBERT, WILLIAM, and MARGARET. Adam was the progenitor of the Hollands of Euxton, with Richard the progenitor of the Hollands of Sutton.
I. THURSTAN DE HOLANDE was b. ca 1220 in Upholland, Lancashire, England, married (1) a daughter of Adam de Kellett. The de Kelletts of Over and Nether Kellett owned manors in north Lancashire which were inherited by Thurstan de Holande and his descendants. In 1080, according to the Domesday Book, the township was divided into Over and Nether Kellett. Adam de Kellett held three carncates of land in Kellett which the Sergeantry of the Wapenlake valued at 50 Pounds per year. Adam was the son of Orme de Kellett who owned four carncates of land in Kellett and divided this land between his two sons, Bernard and Adam. From this wife Thurstan had five sons, viz: ROBERT, WILLIAM, RICHARD, ROGER, ADAM, and a daughter, MARGARET.
Thurstan de Hlolande married (2) Juliana, a daughter of John Gellibrand, having four more sons, Thurstan, Adam, Eliaa and Simon. He married (3) a daughter of Henry de Hale, the illegitimate son of Richard de Meath, Lord of Hale.
In 1268 Thurstan de Holande was summoned, along with his brothers, Matthew, Richard, Robert and William (and Thurstan's son, Robert) to answer trespass.
In old Norman-French petition headed "the loyal tenants of Hale" relates that as Henry de Hale lay dying "came one Thurstan de Holland" who had married the daughter of Henry de Hale, and as he lay at the point of death, his memory lost, the said Thurstan took the said Henry's seal (which he had around his neck), making ... of the seal to issue charters granting the manor of Hale to himself (Thurstan de Holande) and Robert, his son. Allegations against him charged that he had evicted some old tenants.
Thurstan was known as Sir Thurstan de Holande and apparently lived a long life, as in 1272 he witnessed a charter to Stanlaw Abbey, signing it with a cross, his seal, revealing three bulls' heads. His decendants begin on page 69.
ADAM DE HOLANDE was b. ca 1222 Upholland, Lancashire, England, d. After 1269 in Euxton, Lancashire, m. Christiana de Russell, the daughter of William de Russell. About 1250 Adam de Holande was of the manor of Euxton in Lancashire. Their son was:
ROBERT DE HOLANDE b. ca 1250 Euxton, Lancashire, England m. 1276 Cockerham, Lancashire, England, Aline de Ellel, b. 1458 at Cockerham, a daughter of Grimbald de Ellel. Their issue:
I. William de Holland b. ca 1280 Lancashire, England, d. After 1323 in Euxton, Lancashire m. Elizabeth. Issue:
(a) Sir Robert de Holland b. 1312 Lancashire, England m. Joan. He was Lord of Fulstone. Issue: Jane (Jean) de Holland b. ca 1350 Lancashire, England m. ca 1360 Sir William Molyneux, Knight, in Lancashire, England; Maude de Holland b. 1357 Lancashire, England, d. 1429 Lancashire m. 1374 in Lancashire Sir John Level, Lord.
II. Grimbald de Holland b. ca 1282 Lancashire, England.
RICHARD DE HOLANDE b. ca 1224 Lancashire, England.
MATTHEW DE HOLANDE b. ca 1225 Lancashire, England.
ROGER DE HOLANDE b. ca 1227 Upholland, Lancashire, England.
ROBERT DE HOLANDE b. ca 1230 Upholland, Lancashire, England. In 1278 the Abbot of Leicester lodged a complaint that Robert de Holande of Euxton, et al, had seized his corn in the highway at Ellel and in 1281 his own relative by marriage, William Bussell, complained that Robert had seized his cattle.
WILLIAM DE HOLANDE b. ca 1232 Upholland, Lancashire, England, was lord of the manor of Sharples, near Bolton, in 1272.
MARGRET DE HOLANDE b. ca 1235 Upholland, Lancashire, England m. John de Blackburn (Blakeburne), Lord of Wilwall. Known as a daughter of Robert de Holande according to an entry in the College of Arms and the Pedigree of Blackburn of Hale. However, in the Chartulary of Whalley Abbey she was referred to as a sister of Sir Robert de Holande. Ancient Hall of Samlesbury (Lancashire), also states Margery de Holande was a sister of Sir Robert and Sir William de Holande. By Sir Blackburn she had three daughters. After the death of Sir Blackburn, she married Sir Adam Bannister, Knight, who was beheaded in 1315 and by him she had a daughter, Katharine Bannister, sole heir of her father, and fourth daughter and co-heir of her mother. Katharine was the nurse to Phillippa. Queen of Edward III and married Sir John de Harrington, Knight, of Tarleton in Melling township in Londale and had issue: Sir William Harrington, Knight of the Garter, standard bearer to the king at the battle of Agincourt, who married Margaret, daughter of Sir Robert Neville of Hornby Castle, Knight.
DESCENDANTS OF THURSTAN DE HOLANDE BY FIRST WIFE, A DAUGHTER OF ADAM DE KELLETT:
1. Sir Robert de Holande, knighted abt 1281, b.ca 1245 Lancashire, England, married 1275 in Samlesbury, Lancashire,England, Elizabeth de Samlesbury, born 1256 Samlesbury, Lancashire, a daughter of William de Samlesbury by his wife, Avina de Notton. Elizabeth was the youngest daughter of William de Samlesbury, and it was she who conveyed the remaining moiety of the manor of Samlesbury in marriage to Sir Robert de Holande, son and heir of Thurstan de Holande, lord of Holand (Upholland), who held lands in Hale in Lancashire temp. Henry III, receiving a land grant of Henry de Walton via of a lawsuit with which Thurstan was connected regarding lands in Hale 1245-1246. Thurstan was a grandson of Cecily, wife of Alan de Columbers and heiress of her father (Henry de Walton) who was eventually the heir of Gilbert de Walton, lord of Hale and Halewood. In 1258 a charter of free warren in Samlesbyrie was granted to Mrs. Elizabeth de Holande (wife of Sir Robert), along with her sisters, Cecily and Margery. The Register of Cockersand Abbey attests to the ancient de lolande family in Lancashire.
2. William de Holande, Lord of Sharpies, b. at Sefton, Lancashire, England, d. before 1321 Bolton, Lancashire, England, without issue.
3. Richard de Holande of Hale, Lancashire, England.
4. Roger de Holande.
5. Adam de Holande.
6. Margaret de Holande m. John Blackburn, Lord of Wilwall.
THE DESCENDANTS OF THURSTAN DE HOLANDE AND HIS SECOND WIFE, JULIANA, A DAU. OF JOHN GELLIBRAND:
7. Thurstan de Holande.
8. Adam de Holande.
9. Elias de Holande..
10. Simon de Holande.
DESCENDANTS OF SIR ROBERT DE HOLANDE AND WIFE, ELIZABETH of SAMLESBURY:
(a) Sir William de Holande, b. ca 1278 Lancashire, England, m. Joan. I.
(b) Sir Robert de Holande, Knight, b. Ca 1280 Lancashire, England, slain in 1328 near Henley, England, m. 1308 Maude de le Zouche in Leicestershire England. Maude, b. 1284 Leicestershire, England d. 1349 Lancashire, England, was Ehe daughter of Alan de la Zouche. She was from the country of Ashby de la Zouche in Leicester. The Last Will and Testament of the Earl de Warrenne or Conisborough Castle dated 6/23/1347 appointed the Lady Maud de Holande, the widow of Robert, Lord Holande, Si, Thomas Holande, her second son, and eight other named as persons, 85 executors. He also heirs, Sir Robert de Holande, Sir Otho de Holande, Isabel de Holande, Richnrd FitzAlan, the son of his sister, Alice de Warenne who had married the Earl of Arundel. In the first year Or his marriage, Robert de Holande was summoned to appear at Newcastle-on-Tyne to repel the invading Scots. Was Chief Justice of Chester in 1310, 1312 and 1320. Justice of Wales in 1321 and Governor or Beeston Castle in Cheshire. In 1317 he re-founded the Priory for Benedictine Monks at Upholland. I, 1314 he was summoned to Parliament as Roberto de Holand, baron Holand.
Robert de Holande began as a well-to-do Lancashire Squire. It was Thomas, the Earl of Lancaster, grandson of King Henry III (by his second son Edmund) that Sir Robert de Holande was advanced to a feudal lord of Vast domains. He participated in the Scottish wars at the end of the reign of Edward I, and beginning of Edward II, receiving for service seven manors in Derbyshire, I, 1307 he rode in a tournament in the fields of Stepney, outside of London, bearing arms: azure, seme of fleurs de lys, a lion rampant guardant, argent. Later on that year he received other territorial grants. The gifts of land and manors he received from the Earl of Lancaster made him wealthy. His marriage also brought fortune. Also, he obtained leave to fortify "Kernellare" his mansions of Holland In Lancashire and Bagsworth, Leicestershire Ire founded at Upholland a chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr. A deed dated June 10, 1313 by Walter, Bishop or Coventry and Lichfield, with the consent of Robert Holande, stating that they abandon the place because religion de devotion had ceased.
Unfortunately, the Earl of Lancaster headed a feudal party against the "Crow". Robert de Holande went with the Earl of Lancaster on such military operations, I, 1312 they overthrew Piers Gaveston, King Edward's favorite, executing him on July 1 on Blacklow Hill near Warwick. Three Years later, a rebellion started against the Earl in Lancashire, led by Sir Adam de Banastre (who hall married Margaret Holande, the aunt of Sir Robert the Holande).
This confrontation brought the Holandes to blows with Bonastre. Nov. 4, 1315 Sir William de Holande, Sir Robert's brother, captured Sir Thomas de Banastre at Charnock and beheaded him on Leyland Moor. After the execution of Gaveston, Sir Robert de Holande obtained a royal pardon for his part in it.
In 1322 Robert, Lord Holande, was sent into Lancashire to raise a force for the Carl of Lancashire. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Sir Richard de Holande, tried to cross the Mersey at Runcorn into Cheshire to attack a Royal force in that county. About 30,000 royal soldiers crossed the river, outmeaneuvering the Earl, who was surprised and had to retreat in great haste. After the Earl was captured on March 16 at Boroughbridge in Yorkshire, he was tried and beheaded at his own Castle of Pontefract. There were two accounts of the activities of Sir Robert de Holande. One was that he attended the fight, another, he did not arrive in time.
He, however, surrendered to the King after the conflict, scarcely escaping death. The rise to wealth fell with the Crown confiscating his territorial possession. Robert de Holande, the Earl's agent, along with his associates, carried an ongoing grude against Banastre's old associate, Sir William Bradshaw. A confederacy was formed by Sir William Bradshaw and Thomas de Banastre against the Ilolandes who were led by Sir Richard de Ilolande. They had skinnishes about the countryside for more than a year. In 1324 Sir William de Bradshaw accused Henry de Cytibrand of coming with Richard de Holande and Adam de Hindelaye before the Feast of St. John in the preceding year to Leyland with a hundred armed men who attacked Dradshaw and carried off two of his horses. In 1334 Sir Richard de Ilolande claimed a mill and two plough-lands at Aighton. In 1334 Richard le Skimmer, forest-keeper at Lightenhill, was tried at county court at Wigan on the charge of having ridden with 30 armed men to Prescot Church on the Sunday after Barnabas' Day in 1330, four years before, and having dragsed from the church Richard de Holande, Thomas de Hale and John Walthew. Sir Robert de Holande was put into prisons at Dover and York. Ultimately he was released after he pledged good behavior. In 1328, during the second year of the reign of Edward III, the estates of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, were restored to his brother and heir, Henry, Earl of Lancaster. The new King also restored the estates of those who had aligned themselves and fought with the Eatl of Lancaster against the late King (and the Despensers). Thus, the estates of Robert de Holande were restored to him. Ilowever, the Earl of Lancaster opposed, and Holande petitioned the King in Council. October 7, 1328, Sir Robert de Holande was killed by friends of the Earl who claimed that he had dealt unfaithfully with Earl Thomas (who had raised him from nothing). The antagonists claimed that Holande tried to gain favor with the King and in order to save his own life and estates had not arrived at Boroughbridge with his soldiers until it was too late to avert defeat. They removed him to the woods near Henley Park and beheaded him. His head was then sent to Henry, Earl of Lancaster at Waltham Cross in Essex where he was visiting friends.
One can't help but to observe that had Sir Robert de Holande been guilty of neglecting his lord, the Earl of Lancaster and avoided bringing his troops to battle, then why had the Ring imprisoned him and stripped him of his estates.For descendants, see below.
Sir Alan de Holande, b. ca 1285 Lancashire, England:
(d) Lady Joan de Holande, b. ca 1290 Lancashire, England, in 1327 Halton, Lancashire, England,(3) Sir John de Radcliffe.
(e) Margery de Holande b. ca 1292 Lancashire, England, d. 1349 Lancashire, England, m. John le Warre, Baron of Manchester. Amercia de Holande, b. ca 1294 Lancashire, England, m. Adam de Ireland, son of Sir John Ireland, Knight.
ISSUE OF ROBERT DE HOLANDE AND WIFE, MAUDE DE ZOUCHE:
(1) Maud de Holland b. ca 1309 Upholland, Lancashire, England m. Thomas de Swynnerton 1312 Upholland.
(2) Sir Robert de Holland, baron, d. Lancashire, England, d. 1373 Upholland, Lancashire, England, m. Elizabeth. The manor house, Upholland Hall, passed to him in 1349 from his mother, Lady Maude Holande.
In 1347 The Baron and several others participated in a sensational abduction which stirred up the sentiments of the local village. It seems that Sir Robert Dalton of Lancashire wished to marry Margery, widow of Nicholas de la Beche, a wealthy landowner. He planned to abduct her. She was removed by force from her manor house "Beaumes" in Berkshire, near Reading. During the scuffle, her uncle, Michael le Poyning and another gentleman,were killed. Others were wounded.
At the time, the King's brother, the Duke of Clarence, was residing at Reading and was acting as keeper of the realm. He was outraged and ordered the arrest of Dalton, Holland the others. Dalton and Holande fled to Lancashire with the lady. Some of them took refuge at Upholland Hall, the home of Lady Maud Holande, Sir Robert's widowed mother. Finding herself implemented, the venerable widow pleaded that the house was empty and that she knew nothing of the abduction.
When the King's writ for arrest arrived at Upholland Hall, the abductors fled further north. Sir Robert de Holland had a son, ROBERT, who died before 1373, and a daughter, MAUD, who m. Sir John Lovell, K. G. at the age of seventeen.
(3) Sir Thomas de Holland, Earl of Kent, b. ca 1314 Upholland, Lancaster, England, d. 1360 Normandy, France, Joan Plantagenet, princess of Wales, Fair Maid of Kent, in Kent, England, daughter of Edmund Plantagenet. See the genealogy of Sir Thomas de Holande on Virginia Pioneers
(4) Sir Otho de Holland, Knight, b. ca 1316 Upholland, Lancashire, England.
(5) Alan de Holland, b. ca 1318 Upholland, Lancashire, England.
(6) John de Holland b. ca 1320 Upholland, Lancashire, England.
(7) Isabel de Holland b. ca 1322 Upholland, Lancauhire, England. Before 1346 Isabel was Living with John, Earl de Warenne, as his recognized wire. His first wife, Jeanne de In Darre, however, was still alive, as she d. in France in 1361. There are conflicting reports on whether or not he received a divorce from his first wife. The History of Surrey by Brayley upholds it, however, the History of Sussex by Dnllaway, denies that a divorce was had. The Earl's LWT dated 1347, written in France, refers to Isabel as "ma compaigne", an expression sometimes used in French wills, meaning "wife". However, in a deed dated 1346 as well as the LWT dated 1347, Isabelis called "Isabelle de Holande." The deed of 1346 states that the Earl, was aged sixty, contemplated the possibility of having a child by Isabel, and stated that such a birth would have Legitimate claims as an heir to his estates.
In his LWT the Earl de Warenne, of Conisborough Casele, dated 6/23/1347, he appointed as executors the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lady Maud de Holland (widow or Robert, Lord Holland), Sir Thomas Holland, her second son and eight others. He left minor legacies to his illegitimate children by Maud de Nerford, and to William, one of the sons who was Prior of Horton in Rent. Also, to Lady Maud Holland, Sir Robert de Holland, Sir Otho de Holland and to "ma compaigne", Isabel de Holland. To Richard Fitz Alan, the son of his sister, Alice de Warenne, (married the part of Arundel), he left the Surrey Castle at Reigate.
Ancient de Holande of Lancashire
