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Towneley

According to the usual source, in 1200 England King John granted land Towneley — meaning field belonging to the town — to Roger de Lacy, a Norman landowner and constable of Chester. Roger, in turn, turned a portion over to his son-in-law Geoffrey, Dean of Whalley. By 1236, a grandson of Geoffrey inherited the land, married his cousin the widow Cecilia and recombined the two estates and the gene pool. A Towneley married a Warner and moved to Virginia. Another married a Smith and did the same.

Officially, the Towneleys in 2009 are well enough summed up by explaining that the name in the family is long since gone and that Towneley Hall, some six miles off the M65 southeast of Burnley, Lancashire, has been a museum since 1903. From the mid-13th century onward, it was the family home, with a Gothic window added about 1460, and in the early 1800s a Regency wing adjacent to the lower floor's six-foot thick mediaeval walls.

Sources: Pedigree of Towneley of Towneley; History of Whalley, History of Burnley, Raine, Visitation of Lancaster, p. 314; McCurdy, "A Discovery," pp. 475-76

generation no. 1

Sir Richard de Towneley, knight. Married Elena. Appointed sheriff of Lancaster by John of Gaunt in 1375, 1376, and 1377, served in house of Commons. Died in 1379, inquisition of estate in 1381.

John de Towneley, born 1350, married 1382
Robert de Towneley
Henry de Towneley
Alice de Towneley, married 1656 possibly Edmund Dacre

generation no. 2

John de Towneley, born 1350, died 1399. Married (1) in 1382 Isabel Rixton, daughter of William Rixton, (2) Elizabeth.

Richard de Towneley, born 1387, died 1454
Mathilda de Towneley

generation no. 3

Richard de Towneley, born 14 May 1387 at Stydd Chapel, Dutton, died 30 September 1454. Inherited estate 1408-9. Married Alice. Fought at Agincourt.

John de Towneley
Mathilda de Towneley

generation no. 4

John (Esq) Towneley, born 1415, died c 1474. Married (2) Isabella Sherburne, daughter of Richard Sherburne and Mathilda Hamerton. Built the gatehouse chapel in 1454 and south wing about 1460.

Sir Richard Towneley, married Joanna Southworth 24 September 1472, knighted at Hutton Field, died 8 September 1482, heir to estate, issue
Laurence (Lawrence) Towneley, born in Barnside, died 11 October 1530
Nicholas Towneley
Henry Towneley, married — Dutton
Bernard Towneley, became parson at Felkirk
Grace Towneley, married Roger Nowell of Read

generation no. 5

Laurence Towneley, of Barnside, born after 1455, died 11 October 1530 in Townley Hall. Married Joan Banastre.

Henry Townley, born 1480, died 1531, heir to estate
Isabel Townley
Jane Townley, married Robert Banastre of Park Hill
Barnard Townley

generation no. 6

Henry Towneley, born c 1480, died 1531. Married Grace.

Laurence Townley II, born c 1510 in Barnside, died 1566 in Colne
Robert Townley
?Charles Townley, born c 1506 in Gray's Inn, Burnley

generation no. 7

Laurence Towneley II, born c 1510 in Barnside, died 1566. Married between 1529 and 1546 Hellen Hesketh, born c 1514 (illegimate).

Henry Towneley, born 1541, inherited estate, issue
Robert Towneley, born 1545
Lawrence Towneley, born c 1543
Charles Towneley, born 1547
Richard Towneley, born 1549
Elizabeth Towneley, born 1553, married (1) John Talbot
Margaret Towneley, born 1555, married John Parker of Extwistle
Alice Towneley, born 1557, married Richard Lacy of York
Anne Towneley, born 1559, married Robert Rishworth
Hellen Towneley, born 1561, married Henry Thompson of Esholt
Lawrence Towneley, born 1543, died 19 January 1598
Lucy Towneley, born c 1551, married Thomas Towneley (illegitimate), died 11 September 1621

generation no. 8

Lawrence Towneley, born 1543, died 19 January 1597-98. Married Margaret Hartley c 1562, daughter of John Hartley. Acquired Stone Edge.

Lawrence Towneley, born 1564 Stone Edge, died 12 February 1645
Charles Towneley, born 1566, died 11 January 1636 Foulridge Hall
Henry Towneley, born 1571, died 4 December 1626 Norfolk
John Towneley, born 1573
Robert Towneley, born 1575
Thomas Towneley, born 1577
Elizabeth Towneley, born 1579
Hellen Towneley, born 1581, never married

generation no. 9

Lawrence Towneley, born 1564 Stone Edge, Colne, died 12 Feb 1645. Married Jennet Halstead c 1598, daughter of John Halstead, died 12 August 1623 in Burnley.

Source: Taliaferro, "Thomas Smith of Fairfax County"

Margaret Towneley, married Thomas Riley of Charburne
Elizabeth Towneley, died 1679
Alice Towneley, born 12 February 1604 in Fulshay, died 1623
Hellen Towneley
Anne Towneley, born 2 November 1608, married Samuel Hoyle
Lawrence Towneley, born 1611, married Sarah Warner, died 11 November 1672
Mary Towneley, born 13 May 1614, married 1638, died 1662

generation no. 10

Mary Towneley, born 13 May 1614 in Stone Edge, Lancashire, died 11 August 1662 at Warner Hall, Gloucester Co. VA. Married Augustine Warner Sr., born 28 September 1611 in Norwich, England.

Elizabeth Towneley, born 1598, died 1679. Married Christopher Smith, born 18 March 1592, Stannihurst, England.

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