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     Thomas Lawrence was born say 1500.

     Thomas Lawrence resided in Chelmarsh near Bridgnorth in the community of Sallop. The two most notable buildings in Chelmarsh are the church and Chelmarsh Hall. The church was first endowed by Hugh de Mortimer in 1345 and the main part of the church dates from this time with later additions and modifications. The screen and the lynchgate were carved by a local carving class at the end of the 19th century. Chelmarsh Hall was formerly a granary and was granted to monks in 1379 by Edmund Mortimer, the Earl of March. It was thought to once be connected to the church by an under ground passageway. The Hall is now mainly Victorian with some late medieval doors and windows and fragments of a timber roof.^2,1

     Arthur Lawrence was born say 1445.^2,3

     Arthur was also known as Arthur Lawrence [Esq.].

     Arthur Lawrence, Esq., was seated at Priors Court, Olveston, Gloucestershire. In Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies of England, Ireland, and Scotland, it states that the second son of Sir Robert Lawence and Margaret Holden of Lancashire was Thomas Lawrence who was the father of Arthur Lawrence and that Arthur was the ancestor of John Lawrence, esq., of Delaford in Iver, Bucks, and of Chelsea, Middlesex, who was created a Baronet in 1628.³

     In Miscellaneous Pedigrees for Gloucestshire 1623, Arthur was listed as the father of Savacre Lawrence and Savacre was indicated as Arthur's second son.⁴

     The ancestors of John Lawrence, esq. of Delaford in Iver, Bucks, and of Chelsea, Middlesex, are Thomas who married Martha Cage who was the son of Thomas of Chelsea who was the son of another Thomas. This last Thomas would appear then to have been a son of Arthur.

     Thomas Lawrence was born circa 1466.^2,3 He married Mabilla Redmain. This wife in this marriage may be incorrect.⁴ Thomas died circa 1504. He was succeeded by a brother, John, after whose death ten years later the inheritance was divided among a number of families representives of his aunts Elizabeth, Margaret, Agnes, and Alice, daughters of Robert Lawrence.³

     Thomas was also known as [Sir] Thomas Lawrence.

     Schyler Lawrence gives Sir Thomas' birth date as 1470.⁴ The Victoria History of the county of Lancaster indicates that he was 24 in 1490 (b. 1466) at the death of his father, Sir James, and also indicates that in 1501 his age is given as 40 (b. 1461).³

     Sir Thomas Lawrence was the sixth squire of Ashton.⁴ In 1494 Robert Southworth sold the marriage of his son Robert to Thomas Lawrence.³ In 1498 John Middleton released to Thomas Lawrence all his lands and rights in Middleton.³

     In 1501, Thomas was knighted at the marriage of Prince Arthur in 1501. His arms show Lawrence and Washington quarterly.³

     In 1503 he purchased lands in Stalmine from Thomas Standish. (Victoria History of Lancashire says Thomas Standen and his wife Ellen.)³

     Upon his death, Ashton estates suceeded to his brother John since, apparently, his eldest son John had been outlawed to France for having killed an Usher of Henry VII and his second son Thomas, a Monk, died without issue.⁴ Upon the death of Sir Thomas Lawrence's brother John, without issue, the Lawrence line of Ashton came to an end and the estates passed to his aunts, the four sisters of his father, Sir James Lawrence, the fifth Squire of Ashton.³

     Schuyler Lawrence indicates that the wife of Sir Thomas was Mabilla Redmain.⁴ In Lawrence of Chelsea, Middlesex and of Delafore, Ivor, Bucks he indicates that Thomas Lawrence, second son of Sir Robert Lawrence and Margaret Holt, married Mabilla Redmain.⁵ Either one of these is incorrect or there were two Mabilla Redmain. Nichols in The Herald and Genealogist indicates that Thomas Lawrence, second son of Robert and Margaret married Mabilla Redmain, daughter of John Redmain.⁶ I believe that the marriage of Sir Thomas, 6th Squire of Ashton, to a Mabella Redmain may be incorrect. Schuyler gives Somerby as the source for that marriage and Somerby's pedigree is known to contain errors.

     Mabilla Redmain was born say 1465. She married Thomas Lawrence, son of James Lawrence and Cecily Boteler. This wife in this marriage may be incorrect.¹

     Schuyler Lawrence in his Lawrences: Squires of Ashton, Lancs. indicates that this Sir Thomas Lawrence married Mabilla Redmain. In his Lawrence of Ashton Hall, Lancashire, A Communication to the Editor of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society states that Thomas Lawrence of Yealand Redmayne, Esq., the son of Robert Lawrence Jr., fourth Squire of Ashton, also married a Mabilla Redmain. He also indicates this marriage in volume IV of his manuscripts, Lawrence of Chelsea, Middlesex, and of Delafore, Ivor, Bucks. Whether one of these is in error or whether there may have been two different Mabilla Redmains is not cleared. For the purpose of this genealogy, two different Mabillas are assumed until the opportunity arises to check the sources used by Schuyler Lawrence.

     John died without issue in exile circa 1591 in France.¹

     John was also known as [Sir] John Lawrence.²

     Schuyler Lawrence, in his manuscripts, quotes a source from the New York Genalogical and Biographical Records, July 1871, p. 121, the "having killed a Gentleman Usher of Henry VII he was outlawed and died in France, when Ashton Hall and his other estates passed by royal degree to his relatives, Lord Monteagle and Lord Gerard." Schuyler follows this with a note that according to Victorian History, the estates passed to his nearest of kin, i.e. his aunts, the four daughters of Robert Lawrence, the fourth Squire of Ashton, sisters to Sir James, the fifth Squire of Ashton, the four daughters of Robert Lawrence.²

     A History of Lancaster Golf Club states that John, the son of Sir James Lawrence killed on of his own side, and since he was foolish enough to choose as his victim a member of King Henry VII's court, he was forced to make a hasty exit to France. With John the direct male succession ended. Through a lateral female line a new and altogether more prominent family, the Gerards, moved to Ashton Hall. I believe this is incorrect and that John, the son of Sir Thomas and grandson of Sir James was the one who slew a member of King Henry VII's court. Both Schulyer Lawrence in his manuscript and the Victoria History of Lancashire indicates that is was this John, the son of Sir Thomas.

     James Lawrence was born in 1428 in England.² He married first Cecily Boteler.³ He married second Eleanor de Welles, daughter of Lionell de Welles and Joan de Waterton, and dowager baroness of Hoos and Hastings.⁴ James died in 1490 in England.²

     James was also known as [Sir] James Lawrence.

     Sir James Lawrence was the fifth Squire of Ashton and perhaps the wealthiest of the gentry of Lancashire. He owned the Manors of Ashton, Stodday, Heysham, Middleton, Carnforth, Scotforth, and Crag House along with other farms in Bolton, Forton, Sketon, and Overton and burgages in Lancaster. These properties were said to have yielded £6000 per annum.³

     James was 22 when his father died in 1450.²

     On 1454 there was received for the Earl of Richmond £13 6s. 8d. for two parts of the rents of Ashton and Carnforth. The farmer's name is not given, but it would be James Lawrence. James Lawrence of Ashton demised to William Patchet for eleven years the Ox Pasture in Carnforth, on which he was to erect a water mill, at a rent of 20s.²

     Sir James Lawrence was knighted by Lord Stanley at Haddonfield during the wars in Scotland in 1482.⁵ A History of Lancaster Golf Club states that James fought against the Scots at Hutton Field in 1482.

     In 1484, a dispute began between the Lawence and Lumley families as to the advowson of the church at Warton. Sir James asserted that the avowson of the Church of Warton was attached to the land called Saltacre and claimed the partonage of the Church. A fourth part of the advowson was included in the Clifton estates in 1532, no doubt in the right of Lawrence.² On 6 March 1489/90 Robert Lawrence his son was instituted.²

     At his death in 1490, Sir James held burgages in Lancaster the rent being included in the 20 marks paid to the duchy by the community. This part of the inheritance was divided among several heirs. John Butler of Rawcliffe held of the king in socage in 1543; his heirs - Rishton and Standish of Duxbury held in free burgage; Henry Halsall held of the king in socage in 1574, but the Molyneux heirs in 1548 and 1623 were said to hold in free burgage. Richard Skillicorne was another Lawrence heir. His male ancestor, Adam, had held messuages, etc., in Lancaster in 1371.²

     Sir James also held land in Scotforth by knight's service,² the manor of Middleton by rent of 1d.,² the manor of Overton of the king as duke in socage by the rent of one rose,² the manor of Forton of the king as duke by rendering a grain of pepper yearly,² the manor of Heysham of the king as Duke of Lancaster by service of a grain of pepper yearly,² and held lands in Bolton by rent of 2d.² He also held a manor of Skerton by 2d. rent to which Thomas Rigmaiden and Richard Skillicorn seem to have suceeded.² and three messuages, etc., in Warton which John Rigmaiden held afterwards.²

     He held the manor of Ellel with appurtenances, known as Crag House, of the king by rent of 1/2d. and through the Skillicornes, Evan Haughton seems to have been the responsible tenant in 1608. (Richard Skillecorne died in 1534 holding "Lawrence lands" in Ellel of the king in socage by 1/2d. rent.)² Additionally James held the manor of Carnforth with messuages, lands, etc., of the king in socage paying 4d. yearly. Another inquiry also indicates he held lands by knight's service.² He held a moiety of the manor of Carleton of the king as of his duchy of Lancaster in socage by 1d. rent.²

     Cecily Boteler married James Lawrence, son of Robert Lawrence and Amphilis Longford.¹

     John Lawrence married Alice ?.² John died without issue. in 1514 in England.³

     John Lawrence was the seventh and last Squire of Ashton Hall.

     In 1473 John Harrington of Lancaster and others set fire to the rectory-house at the church at Warton. Thomas Bolron, John Lawrence and others being within it, and being assulted so that their lives were in danger. Early in the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII John Lawrence sent about eighty men, armed, to the rectory, and they seized the corn and grain in the barns and took the revenues of all kinds; further, they used the church tower as a fortress, roasting their meat in the church itself, and would scarcely allow the curate to enter the building.^3,4


     in 1505 John Lawrence, brother and heir of Sir Thomas had special license of entry.³

     John had no issue, and the estates passed to the four sisters of his father Sir James Lawrence, the fifth Squire of Ashton. The estate described as the manors of Hackinsall and Preeshall appeared to have gone to Alice, the widow of John Lawrence, and her second husband, Thomas Booth.

     Depositions were taken in 1534 as to the rights of the Lawrence family in Carnforth and other manors. Robert Pleasington knew that Bartherholme had belonged to John Lawrence, but it was not part of the manor; he did not know the king had any manor there, but only a rent of 20 marks. John Nicholson deposed that John Lawrence had set and let all the lands in Carnforth, but which were his own and which the king's witness could not say. Edmund Bank occupied a close called Highfield which was part of the manor; he had recently paid the rent to a bailiff. Thomas Escombe of Ellel did not know there was any manor at Carnforth. The witnesses generally agreed that no one but the Lawrences had had any lordship there; they had paid a rent to the king. Christopher Hadwen said Lawrence was owner of all the lands by taking to farm of the king, etc; there were only two freeholds, but 5s. was paid to the Abbey of Shap. Sir Thomas Lawrence (brother of John Lawrence) raised the king's rent, and after him, Thomas Booth who married John Lawrence's widow, raised it again.³

     Robert Lawrence married Unknown Tunstall, daughter of William Tunstall.¹

     Robert was also known as [Rev.] Robert Lawrence Parson of Warton.

     Robert was instituted as Parson of Warton Church on 6 March 1489.

     James died died young.

     Agnes Lawrence married William Tunstall.¹

     Agnes and William had no children.

     Unknown Tunstall married Robert Lawrence, son of James Lawrence and Cecily Boteler.¹

     William Tunstall married Agnes Lawrence, daughter of James Lawrence and Cecily Boteler.¹

     She married first John Lawrence, son of James Lawrence and Cecily Boteler.¹ She married second Thomas Booth of Parrox Hall, son of Roger Booth and Agnes Acclamby, soon after the death of John.²

     The estate described as 'the manors' of Hackinsall and Preesall was settled in 1515 on Alice wife of Thomas Booth and widow of John Lawrence. The service due to the king as duke was two crossbows or 2s. 8d.³

     Thomas Booth married Alice Lawrence.¹ Thomas died on 13 March 1527/28.²

     She married first Thomas III de Hoo before 1447.¹ She married second James Lawrence, son of Robert Lawrence and Amphilis Longford.²

     Eleanor was also known as Alianor.

     Jane Lawrence married Roger Copeley.¹ Jane died young without issue.

     She married first Thomas Eilingham.¹ She married second James Carew.¹ Alianor died without issue.

     Roger Copeley married Jane Lawrence, daughter of James Lawrence and Eleanor de Welles.¹

     Roger was also known as [Sir] Roger Copeley.

     Thomas Eilingham married Alianor Lawrence, daughter of James Lawrence and Eleanor de Welles.¹

     Thomas was also known as [Sir] Thomas Eilingham.