John (Clarke) Clerke (1420 - 1480)

Born 1420 in Forde Hall, Wrotham, Kent, England

Ancestors

Husband of Alice Tatesham — married 1445 in Forde,Wrotham, Kent,England

Descendants

Died 9 Dec 1480 at about age 60 in Forde Hall, Wrotham, Kent, England

Biography

"The family of Clarke or Clerke is of considerable antiquity in Kent, the most ancient records showing the name to have been Le Clerke"""About a mile and a halfd eastward from Wrotcham Church, near Addington Common, lies Forde Hall, so called from the ford which crosses the brook which rises at Neupiker in this parish and runs close by the hall to Leybourne and thence to Medway." This was written by Hasted in his history of Kent about the year 1782, and at this date the house was occupied by a farmer. It is still in existence and my correspondent, Miss Edith Eliot of London, writes that it contains a curious and beautiful carved staircase.""

"The first name given was John Clerke of Forde, in the Parish of Wrotcham, Gentleman

Father of "Sir (2) John Clerke

Sir John CLarke (2) fo Forde die between December 10o, 1480-March 10, 1481. m. circa 1445, Alice Tatesham

He was a "Baron of Exche?quer from October 10, 1468 until 1479. (and is listed such in 93 & 94)

The will of John Clerk, Sr, Gentleman of the parish of St. Clement Danes, without the bar of the new Temple. Date March 21, 1450 codicil dated December of which the following is an abstract:

""If I die within the parish of St. Clement Danes, I desire to be buried in the Church of the Firars Minors. (Ordenis fraqtrum minorum) I bequeath L 4, to said order in London, 13s, 4d, to the parish church of Wroteham for tithes forgotten; 10s, to be distributed among the poor of Wrotheham on the day of my death; 13s, 4d. for same purpose a month after said day.

Small sums to god sons, Sister Beatrice and others, 3s, 4d, to the High Altar of Adyagton, for tithes forgotten; 3s, 4d, to fabirc of said church; 6s. 8d, to church of Troptiscleve; 10s to brothers of Ailesford; 20s, to fabric of Rochester Cathedral; sum according to discretion of executors to Chapiaia to celebrate for Testator's soul in Wrotcham Church for one year; jewels and utensils of his house to wife Alice with remainder to son John; residue of goods to said Alice and John who are appointed executors.

Tenement of the Forde to wife Alice whilst she remains unmarried; (fcoffecs to enfcon) said Alice for life of all lands are to pass to son John Clerk on Alice's death, Feoffices to make estate to said John of all testator's lands in Wrotcham, Stansled Trottisclif, Adyngton. Reyernsshe and Guldying. and to enfeoff' wife Alice in a mercshe' in Clyve called for the "Swhcre" and in testators manor called Fawnes; Alice lack of payments and reentires in Kent and elsewhere, so said John"

Children of Sir John and Alice (Tatesham) Clerke

1)Isodia Clerke m. Thomas Selby, of East Malling, Kent, ESQ (92)

2)John Clerke of whom is referred above

3) Alice Clerke, dghtr

Miscellaneous:

John appears in the list of gentry for the county of Berks, returned into the exchequer 12th Henry VI (1433).

He was Baron of the Exchequer from October 10, 1468, to 1479.

He lived in the manor of Forde (known as Forde Hall, named after the ford which crossed the brook that ran close to the hall to Leybourne and then Medway) in Wrotham. Forde Hall lay about a mile and a half eastward from Wrotham Church, near Addington Common, about 20 miles southeast of the center of London.

"Clerke of Forde Hall, Wrotham, County West"

generational circa 1445

He lived in the manor of Forde (known as Forde Hall, named after the ford which crossed the brook that ran close to the hall to Leybourne and then Medway) in Wrotham. Forde Hall lay about a mile and a half eastward from Wrotham Church, near Addington Common, about 20 miles southeast of the center of London. (See Visitations of Kent, 1619, (Publications of the Harleian Society, vol 42)

Name

John Clerke

Birth

1420 Forde, Wrotham, Kent, England

1417, Coleshill, Warwickshire, England

about 1425

1425 , Forde, Wrotham, Kent, England

Marriage

1443

Wife: Alice Tatesham

Occupation

Baron of the Exchequer from-October 10, 1468, to 1479.

Death

09 DEC 1480, Wrotham, Kent, England

1480 Coleshill Manor, Warwickshire, England

1480 Forde, Wrotham, Kent, England

1481 Forde, Wrotham, Kent, England

Sources

• Harleian Society:Visitation Series. The Visitation of Kent, Taken in The Years 1619-1621, The Publications of The Harleian Society (The Society, London, 1898) Vol. 42