Richard Hankford

Updated on Dec 21, 2023

Edit

Comment

Died 1431

Sir Richard Hankford (c.1397–1431) was jure uxoris feudal baron of Bampton and baron of part of the feudal barony of Barnstaple, in Devon.

Origins

He was the son of Richard Hankford (died 1419), MP for Devon in 1414 and 1416, the son of Sir William Hankford (c. 1350 – 1423) KB, of Annery in Devon, Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1413 until 1423.

On the death of his grandfather Sir William Hankford in 1423 he became his heir because his father had pre-deceased him (in 1419). The Hankford family had been long established at the estate of Hankford, from which they took their name, near Bulkworthy in the parish of Buckland Brewer, North Devon.

Marriages and children

Richard Hankford married twice:

Firstly at some time before 1420 to Elizabeth FitzWarin (1403–1426/8) (or "FitzWarren"), daughter of Fulk FitzWarin, 6th Baron FitzWarin (1389–1407) and sole heiress of her brother Fulk FitzWarin, 7th Baron FitzWarin (1406–1420), feudal baron of Bampton and holder of part of the feudal barony of Barnstaple, including that barony's seat of Tawstock. By Elizabeth FitzWarin he had two daughters and co-heiresses:

Thomasine Hankford (1422/3–1453), eldest daughter, born at Tawstock, who inherited from her mother Bampton and Tawstock and many other manors and married William Bourchier, 9th Baron FitzWarin (1407–1470). Her eventual descendants the Wrey Baronets still reside within the parish of Tawstock in 2014, albeit having sold most of the lands of the manor.

Elizabeth Hankford (c.1424–1433), died young, unmarried, aged about 9.

Secondly Hankford married Anne de Montagu (died 1457), a daughter of John de Montagu, 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c.1350–1400). She survived him and remarried twice: secondly (as his second wife) to Sir Lewis Johan (died 1442) (or John) of West Horndon and Dunton in Essex; thirdly (as his third wife) to John Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter (1395–1447). She died on 28 November 1457 and was buried with her third husband in the church of St Catherine by the Tower in the City of London. Sir Richard Hankford had a daughter by his second wife Anne de Montagu:

Anne Hankford (c.1431–1485), who inherited Annery from her father. She married the extremely wealthy Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond (died 1515).

Inheritances

On 22 June 1419 the king took his fealty, his homage being respited, and he obtained livery of the estates of his paternal inheritance in Devon and Somerset. On 5 December 1420 the king took his fealty for the lands inherited by his first wife Elizabeth FitzWarin. On 5 June 1424 he obtained lands from inheritance from his grandfather Sir William Hankford in Devon, Cornwall, Wiltshire and Middlesex. On 20 May 1425 the king took his fealty for his further inheritance of lands in Devon and Somerset inherited by his wife from her grandmother Elizabeth Cogan (died 1397), heiress of the feudal barony of Bampton.

Career

Richard served in France during the Hundred Years' War in the retinue of his brother-in-law Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury (c. 1388–1428), and was knighted at St Albans between 8 July and 6 October 1429, aged about 32.

Death

He died in 1431 at the age of about 34.

References

Richard Hankford Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA