Jane (Bellasis) Hedworth (abt. 1535 - bef. 1601)

Born about 1535 in Murton, Durham, England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died before 25 Feb 1601 before about age 66 in Harraton, Durham, England

Biography

Jane Bellasis was born at Henknowle, Bishop Auckland, Durham, England, about 1538, the daughter of Richard Bellasis and his wife Margery, the eldest daughter and co-heir of Richard Errington, of Cockley, Northumberland.^[1] She died at Harradon, Durham, before 22 May 1602, when her will was proved.^[2]

She married John Hedworth, the son and co-heir of Sir Ralph and Anne (Hilton) Hedworth of Harraton. They divorced in 1549.^[1][3]"The two cases recorded in the register in which divorce was sought in Durham appear to possess no interesting features"..."in 1549, after hearing in person the evidence concerning John Hedworth and Jane Bellasis, the bishop left the pronouncement of the sentence to his official principal..."^[4]

JOHN HEDWORTH of Harraton Hall, b. c.1537; bur. 15 Jan. 1600 St Mary & St Cuthbert Church, Chester-le-Street; m. c.1560, JANE BELLASIS, b. c.1535; bur. 25 Feb. 1601 St Mary & St Cuthbert Church, Chester-le-Street, dau. of Richard Bellasis of Henknoll (c.1489-1540) and Margery Errington (d. 1587).^[5]

The Hedworths (whose earlier descent has been traced under Hedworth and Southwick) held at their highest pitch of elevation, besides Harraton, the manor of Southwick, the Grange of Saltwellside, Urpeth, Ricleden near Chester, lands in Cleadon, Whitburne, Scots House, Jarrow, Hedworth, and Sunderland, and in Moorhouse and Picktree, part of the manor of West Herrington, derived from the heir of Darcy, the manor or grange of Burnigill, and lands in Woodham, Brafferton, and Bursblades, traced from the heiress of Chaunceler. In 1599, Sir John Hedworth executed a long entail of most of these estates (The manors of Harraton, Burninghyll, Southwik, and Urpeth, a third part of West Herrington, lands in East Picktree, Clevedon, Whitburne, Woodside, Fawsyde, Moorehouse, and the Riding and Burgages in Durham and Sunderland; Salt-wellsyde was already in settlement.), 1. to his only grandson John Hedworth, with remainder to, 2. John Hedworth (of the Deanery); 3. Charles Hedworth, a younger son of Old Sir Ralph Hedworth; 4 John Hedworth, son of Marmaduke deceased, (who ran away with Lady Dacre,) brother of Charles; 5. and 6. John and Arthur Hedworth, brothers of Marmaduke: 7. William Hedworth, of St. Martin's in the Fields; 8. John Hedworth, of Durham, Barrister at Law; sons of Anthony Hedworth, of Jarrow, brother of Old Sir Ralph Hedworth.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Joseph Foster, The Visitation of Yorkshire: made in the years. 1584/5, by Robert Glover, Somerset herald; to which is added the subsequent Visitation made in 1612 by Edward St George, Noroy King of Arms, London: Privately printed, 1875, pages 231-3.
2. ↑ DPRI/1/1602/H6 22 May 1602 Will of Jane HEDWORTH, wife of John Hedworth of Harnertonn [Harraton] esquire, widow, Horden within the countie of Durham, formerly of Harbertonn (Harverton) [Horden, County Durham; Chester-le-Street, County Durham]. Will - DPRI/1/1602/H6/1-2 DPRI/1/1602/H6/1-2 16 January 1602; will endorsed: proved, 22 May [1602]; will registered.
3. ↑ Wills and Inventories from the Registry at Durham, Part II (Durham: The Publications of the Surtees Society, 1860), pp. 315-318, found at https://www.google.com/books/edition/Wills_and_Inventories_Illustrative_of_th/yUsJAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1
4. ↑ Diocese of Durham, The Registers of Cuthbert Tunstall Bishop of Durham, 1530-59, and James Pilkington, Bishop of Durham, 1561-76 (1952), p. xxvi, snippet view at https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_registers_of_Cuthbert_Tunstall/2P8oAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22John+hedworth%22+divorced+1549&dq=%22John+hedworth%22+divorced+1549&printsec=frontcover
5. ↑ Brad Verity, "{110} Ruvigny Addition: Essex Descent & Issue of Lady Anne (née Townshend) Hudson (1775-1818)," found at https://royaldescent.blogspot.com/2017/02/
6. ↑ " Robert Surtees, "Parish of Chester-Le-Street," The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham: vol. 2, Chester Ward (London, 1820), pp. 136-206. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/antiquities-durham/vol2/pp136-206 [accessed 9 October 2021].