Francis Tanfield Esq. (abt. 1512 - 1558)

Born about 1512 in England

Ancestors

Husband of Bridget (Cave) Tanfield — married [date unknown] in England

Descendants

Died 21 Nov 1558 at about age 46 in Gayton, Northamptonshire, England

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Biography

Francis was the son and heir of William Tanfield and Isabel/Elizabeth Stavelely (Isabel and Elizabeth could in this period be alternative versions of the same first name).^[1] He was born in about 1512 - he was said to be 17 when his father died in 1529.^[2][3] His parents held lands in several counties as well as in London, and his birth county is not known.

Francis married Bridget Cave, daughter of Richard Cave of Northamptonshire^[4] and his second wife Margaret Saxby.^[2][3][5] Their marriage date and place are not known. They had the following children:

• Clement,^[1][2][3][4]
• Robert^[1][2][3][4]
• Abraham,^[2][3] who died without issue^[4]
• John^[1][2][3][4]
• Margaret, who married Maurice Tresham^[1][2][3][4] on 31 August 1562^[6]
• Dorothy, who married Bartholomew Tate^{[1][2][3][4][7]}
• Anne, who married Clement Vincent^[2][3][4]
• Bridget,^[2][3] buried at Gayton, Northamptonshire on 22 June 1565^[8]
• Elizabeth^[2][3]
• Sarah,^[2][3] buried at Gayton, Northamptonshire in 1 February 1576/8^[9]

Francis died on 21 November 1558,^[2][3] quite likely at Gayton, Northamptonshire where he was buried on 23 November 1558.^[10] Inquisiitons Post Mortem were held in 1 Elizabeth I (17 November 1558-16 November 1559).^[11]

His will, dated 12 January 1557/8 (Douglas Richardson's Magna Carta Ancestry and Royal Ancestry incorrectly give the year as 1547), was proved on 12 December 1558. In it he:^[12][13]

• describes himself as Francys Tanfield Esquire of Gayton, Northamptonshire
• names:
  • his deceased father William Tanfield
  • his mother Isabel Humphrey (her last name is from her second marriage)
  • his wife Bridget
  • his son and heir apparent Clement
  • his under-age sons Robert, Abraham and John, entrusting their care to his wife
  • his under-age unmarried daughters Margaret, Bridget and Sarah
  • his brother William Tanfield
• mentions lands in Northamptonshire, Berkshire, Devon, Huntingdonshire and Somerset

His wife survived him, and was buried at Gayton, Northamptonshire on 20 June 1583.^[2][3][14] (Robert Edmond Chester's book on the family of Chester of Chicheley gives this as her death date.^[15])

Research Notes

Visitations of Essex

In a slightly confused Tanfield pedigree, the Harleian Society edition of the Essex Visitations gives the first name of the father of Francis's wife as Thomas, and lists his son and heir Clement twice.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} The Visitations of Essex, Part I, Harleian Society, 1878, pp. 294-295, Internet Archive
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13} Douglas Richardson. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition (Salt Lake City: the author, 2011), Vol. IV, p. 177, TANFIELD 15
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13} Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), Vol. V, pp. 130-131, TANFIELD 21
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7} John Bridge's. The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, Vol. I, 1791, p. 263, Familysearch (image page 282)
5. ↑ Charles Best Norcliffe (ed.). The Visitation of Yorkshire in the years 1563 and 1564, Harleian Society, 1881, p. 51, Internet Archive
6. ↑ Northamptonshire: Gayton: St Mary the Virgin: Parish Register, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5df8fbebf493fd1f72662a05 : viewed 18 Nov 2023) marriage Mawrice Tressham to Margaret Tanfield 31 Aug 1562
7. ↑ George William Marshall (ed.). The Visitations of the County of Nottingham in the years 1569 and 1614, with many other descents of the same county, Harleian Society, 1871, p. 84, Internet Archive
8. ↑ Northamptonshire: Gayton: St Mary the Virgin: Parish Register, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5df8aa41f493fd1528cb6cd3 : viewed 18 Nov 2023) burial Brigitt Tanfield 22 Jun 1565
9. ↑ Northamptonshire: Gayton: St Mary the Virgin: Parish Register, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5df8aa43f493fd1528cb6d0e : viewed 18 Nov 2023) burial Sara Tanfield 01 Feb 1567/1568
10. ↑ Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1532-1812, parish register of Gayton, Northamptonshire, Ancestry.co.uk and linked image
11. ↑ The National Archives, ref. C 142/121/131, Discovery Centre catalogue entry
12. ↑ The National Archives, PROB 11/42A/100, Discovery Centre catalogue entry
13. ↑ Digest of will, Collectanea Topographica et Genealogica, Vol. VII, John Bowyer Nichols and Son, 1841, pp. 45-46, Internet Archive: wrongly gives the date of the will as 1547
14. ↑ Northamptonshire: Gayton: St Mary the Virgin: Parish Register, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5df8aa49f493fd1528cb6e24: viewed 18 Nov 2023) burial Brigitt Tanfield 20 Jun 1583
15. ↑ Robert Edmond Chester. Genealogical Memoirs of the Extinct Family of Chester of Chicheley, Vol. I, Robson and Sons, 1878, p. 79, Internet Archive

Acknowledgements

Magna Carta Project

This profile was re-reviewed for the Magna Carta Project by Michael Cayley on 18 November 2023.

Francis Tanfield Esq. appears in a trail between Gateway Ancestors William Randolph and Henry Randolph to Magna Carta Surety Baron William Malet that was identified and badged by the Magna Carta Project in January 2015. This badged trail needs re-review by the project and is detailed in the Magna Carta Trails section of the profile of Gateway William Randolph.

See Base Camp for more information about identified Magna Carta trails and their status. See the project's glossary for project-specific terms, such as a "badged trail".