John Leigh KB (abt. 1471 - 1523)

Born about 1471 in Stockwell, Lambeth, Surrey, England

Ancestors

Husband of Isabel (Worsley) Leigh — married after 4 Oct 1484 in England

Died 17 Aug 1523 at about age 52 in England

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Biography

Sir John Leigh (or Legh), KB, Sheriff of Surrey & Sussex, wasthe elder son of Ralph Leigh, Esq., of and Elizabeth Langley. ^[1][2] He was born circa 1471 at Stockwell, Lambeth, Surrey, England (note this is likely an unsourced estimate).

1501 As one of 56 men including, he was made a Knight of the Bath on Nov 14 by Henry VII at the marriage of Prince Arthur and Princess Catherine of Aragon. ^[3]

Marriage & Children

He married Isabel Worsley, daughter of Sir Otewell Worsley and Rose Trevor,^[1] after 4 October 1484.^{[citation needed]} They had 1 son & 1 daughter:^[4][5]

1. John^[1]
2. Joyce^[1]

Stockwell Manor, London

At the close of the 15th century, Stockwell Manor, together with Levehurst, Bodley, Upgrove and Scarlettes, and parts of Vauxhall and Lambeth Manors, were held by Sir John Leigh (Legh). In 1522 he erected a chapel in the parish church in which he and his wife were buried^[6], and a second chapel in Stockwell. He left instructions in his will that the chapel at Stockwell should be repaired out of the profits and revenues of Stockwell and Levehurst Manors, and bequeathed 66s. 8d. a year for a chantry priest and 53s. 4d. for ornaments; two vestments were to be made out of his furred velvet gown, with crosses from his jacket of crimson velvet. Sir John Leigh's heir was his nephew, John Leigh.^[7]

Will

His will was dated 16 June 1523. Key points^[8]

o To be buried in the Stockwell Chapel built by me.

o To mother church of S. Swithyn in Winchester and to the Gray friars in London whereof I am a brother, and the Chantry of Stockwell in parish of Lambeth.

o John Legh, my brother Rauf Legh's son and heir

o My manor of Stockwell to my wife Dame Isabel for life and after her death to John Legh at age twenty four.

o Failing that...Isabel Legh sister of John and Rauf & her lawful issue. Joyce Legh my niece and sister to said Isabel. Margaret Legh my niece. Erasmus ffurde, Dorothy Martyn Elizabeth Spilman, Johane Illingworth.

oFailing these... Cousin Roger Legh, Thomas Legh his brother, George Legh his brother, William Legh, Frances Langley my cousin.

o Rauf my brother Rauf Legh's son at age twenty four.

o John Legh. If he have no heirs then to Henry Howard son of Lord Edmond Howard and Dame Joyce his wife, with remaynder in turn if no heirs to Charles Howard George Howard, Isobel Legh, Joyce Legh, Margaret Legh, Erasmus fford, Dorothy Martyn, Elizabeth Spilman, Johane Illingworth, Roger Legh, Thomas Legh, George Legh, William Legh, Francis Langley.

o If the Howards trouble the Executors they are to have nothing.

o My wife to have my park at Layham

o John Legh to have my manor of Effingham.

o To servants William Parre, Randall Goldsmyth, Francis Langley, Edmund Benet, Christpofer ye eldy

o William Woodward to be clerk to Executors. Overseerscousin John Gaynsford Knight of Crowhurst and my cousin Erasmus fforde.

o Witnessed 12th June 1523 Rauf Legh, Sir Richard Deane priest, Francis Langley William Woodward, Nicholas Hill, William Hill, John Savage and others.

Probate to Dame Isabel Legh relict, Executrix Dec 10th 1523.

Death

An inscription on a marble tomb ran : "Sir John Leghe Knight of the Bath son of Rauf Legh Esq., Lord of the Manors of Stockwell and Levehurst and Isabel his wife daughter of Otwell Wurseley which Sir John deceased Aug 28 1523."^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), volume V, page 45 STOCKMAN.
2. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry, p. 686.
3. ↑ [The knights of England; a complete record from the earliest time to the present day of the knights of all the orders of chivalry in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and of knights bachelors, by Wm. A. Shaw. Incorporating a complete list of knights bachelors dubbed in Ireland, compiled by G. D. Burtchaell.Page 145ff
4. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd Edition, Vol. IV, p. 107-108.
5. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. V, p. 45.
6. ↑ 'Church of St Mary, Lambeth', in Survey of London: Volume 23, Lambeth: South Bank and Vauxhall, ed. Howard Roberts and Walter H Godfrey (London, 1951), pp. 104-117. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol23/pp104-117 [accessed 4 December 2020].
7. ↑ 'Stockwell: Stockwell Manor', in Survey of London: Volume 26, Lambeth: Southern Area, ed. F H W Sheppard (London, 1956), pp. 81-82. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol26/pp81-82 [accessed 4 December 2020].
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Surrey archaeological collections by Surrey Archaeological Society Vol 51 Page 87

See Also:

• Marlyn Lewis