Tag: Lanyon

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Property

Property and land transactions are a great way to build your family history. The Lanyons owned and leased numerous properties and areas of land in Cornwall and following some of these has helped me to build their story. They owned land and property in four main areas of Cornwall: Penwith, Kerrier, Pydar and Trigg.

Wikimedia Commons map of Cornwall showing parish boundaries
Map of the Historical Cornwall Hundreds

Penwith

The oldest property and land records I’ve found relate to Penwith.

Madron & Penzance Parish

Bosullow

The earliest property record I have found was 1244 Feet of Fines (Cornwall Feet of Fines, Volume 1, Joseph Hambley Rowe (Ed), (Devon & Cornwall Record Society, Exeter, 1914), pp.39/40) which mentions that Stephen de Bello Campo (Beauchamp) gave to John de Linyeine 3 ferlings of land at Botuolo bichan (Little Bosollow) and 1 ferling of land at Drek bichan (Drift in Sancreed). The rent at Little Bosollow was 40s 2d per year in 1244.

Little and Great Bosullow still exist today but over the centuries the name has been variously spelt:-

  • Botilwoelou – 1238
  • Botuolo – 1244
  • Bossywoelou – 1296
  • Botuelou – 1297
  • Boschiwolou – 1301
  • Bosuoylagh – 1313
  • Botywoelou – 1319
  • Bossuolou – 1334
  • Bosywolou – 1336
  • Bussolowe – 1561

(One of the biggest problems is finding the modern location of properties from the old names listed in charters and wills. )

The two houses are called Bosullow Veor (great) and Bosullow Vean or Vyan (small).

We know from Raphe Lanyon’s will of 1604, that in 1580 Walter Lanyon, who lived at the Barton of Lanyon agreed that Raphe Lanyon, his nephew, would live at Bosollow. Following Raphe’s death in 1604 his son William lived there. William died in 1627 and his widow Mary Lavelis continued to live there, her father’s will confirms this. Some time after that Walter’s grandson David Lanyon lived at Little Bosollow with his family. Following David’s death in 1641 the house appears to have been occupied by William Lanyon, yeoman, the grandson of Raphe.

Barton of Lanyon

Probably the oldest property was the Barton of Lanyon near Madron. An archaeological dig in 1964 revealed that the manor house was a series of superimposed buildings dating back to at least the 11th century. Originally it would have been a turf house but by the 13th century that had been replaced by granite walls and in 1390 the Bishop of Exeter licensed the chapel at Lanyon to hold services. In 1784 the old house was taken down and a new farm built. Today the ancient site is a ‘national monument’ but little of the original house remains.

Rev. T Taylor prepared a second volume of the Victoria County History of Cornwall. The unpublished work is at the Royal Institution of Cornwall. He states:-

“Lanyon (Lanyon, Lynyen, Lanine), the ancient seat of the family of that name and styled a manor in the 17th century, is situated in an exposed position on the outskirts of the moors which form the northern extremity of the parish. In 1390 Roger Melledor, vicar of Madron, had the bishop’s licence to celebrate divine service in the chapel of Blessed Mary of Lanyon. The family of Lanyon is first found in connection with Tregaminion. In the reign of Henry VIII William Lanyon who was assessed at the large sum of 111s 8d for lands in Madron, to the first subsidy in that reign, acquired lands in Gwinear parish and his grandson Edward Lanyon settled there and became the ancestor of the Lanyons of Lanyon in Gwinear. Less is known of the parent stock. In 1627 Richard Lanyon, who as head of the family signed the Visitation Pedigree in 1620, and Jane his wife conveyed the manor of Lanyon in Madron to James Jenkyn (Feet of Fines Trinity 3 Charles I). The family of Lanyon lived at Tregaminion in good condition until the reign of Queen Anne when they sold the estate.”

Taylor hadn’t discovered that the Lanyon’s had a much longer association with Gwinear and Madron and that the manor in Madron was sold to Johnathan Rashleigh in 1634.

The original Barton of Lanyon

In 1569 Richard Lanyon Esq leased the house to his younger brother Walter and his descendants lived here until 1784.

Lanyon Quoit is so named as it is close to the old manor house.

Nancealverne

Nancealverne is on the outskirts on Penzance, parts of the house date from Elizabethan times but it was extensively rebuilt in 1700. It was home to Richard (son of Richard Lanyon Esq) and Margery Lanyon who married at Madron on 6 Jan 1587.

Richard also owned the property Rosecadghill at Penzance which is very close to Nancealverne.

Nancothan, Polgoon and Trengwainton

Nancothan had two mills. In the early 17th century it was home to Richard Lanyon before he moved to St Ervan with his family.

Polgoone was another Lanyon property, today it is a working vineyard.

Trengwainton is also listed as one of their properties, today it is a National Trust property and the gardens are open to the public.

Morvah Parish

Tregaminian

Tregaminian came into the family in the 14th century when Sybil Tregemynyan married John de Lynyen. Richard Lanyon Esq and his son John sold it to Richard’s fourth son William in 1589. William’s son John sold it to his cousin John Lanyon of Botrea and it was sold to John Borlase of Pendeen during the reign of Queen Anne.

Tregaminian today

Charles Henderson wrote of Tregaminion in Morvah c. 1925

“Close to the church is the farm of Tregaminion where are the remains of an ancient manor house. A blocked up pointed granite doorway in the wall of a cart shed is apparently 14th century, the remaining portions being 15th century or later.

On this estate were to be seen an ancient chapel and holy well. They stood in a marshy field about 30 yards from the cliff and due north of the church. The well still remains and can be found by following a grassy lane from the church to the sea.”

Sancreed Parish

Drift

The 1244 Feet of Fines also mentions Drek Bichan or Drift at Sancreed as another Lanyon property. Drift was the ancient seat of the Trewren family who intermarried with the Lanyons.

Botrea

Botrea in Sancreed is another property that can be traced back to at least 1624. William Lanyon (the second son of John Lanyon Esq and Phelype Milliton) lived here and the property is mentioned in the inventory of his possessions after his death. It passed from him to his son John.


Botrea House today

John Lanyon, often called the Golden Lanyon as he made so much money from tin and money lending, mentions a number of properties in his will of 1664:- Tregonebris, Bossence, Treronacke and Treronacke Mill, Deanerall Chegwine, Tredgion, Brane, Bowante, Boddeneak, Laven Treaven, Nanceathon, Terdeny & Bownance.

Paul Parish

The family owned the Manor of Brewinney which is now the site of the village of Paul.

St Buryan & St Just in Penwith Parishes

The Lanyons owned several farms in this area: Treviddron, Bolankan, Treave, Cardinney and Kerrow. Some are still farms today but some have become holiday cottages and camping parks.

St Levan Parish

In 1639 John ‘Golden’ Lanyon purchased from Walter Lanyon Tredrenan at St Levan.

Gwinear Parish

Gwinear became the home for the senior branch of the family. Their seat was known as Coswyn or Coswynwullard and later was renamed Lanyon Manor.

The rental or survey of Connerton Manor in Gwithian dated 14 July 1463 and states:-

“John Lanyeyn namely John Hicka, 2 Cornish acres in Coswyn.” (Cornish acres are much larger). John Hicka married the heiress Joan Lanyeyn and became John Hicka Alias Lanyeyn.

In the late 16th century Coswyn was renamed Lanyon and in 1688 Tobias Lanyon rebuilt the house in the French style.  Oriel chamber over the porch. The family custom was to bring their dead and light a fire and keep it burning constantly until they were buried. This ancient custom was observed for Mrs Ann Lanion who died 21 Oct 1829, the last of the family to die at Lanyon in Gwinear.

Rev. T Taylor prepared a second volume of the Victoria County History of Cornwall. The unpublished work is at the Royal Institution of Cornwall. He states:-

“Lanyon in this parish must be distinguished from the place of the same name in Madron, both of which were seats of the Lanyon family. In the latter half of the 16th century Edward Lanyon, a younger brother of John Lanyon of Madron, is found living at Coswin in Gwinear (Feet of Fines Michaelmas 41 Elizabeth). The position which Coswin occupies on Norden’s map, and the fact that in deeds of conveyance (Visitation of Cornwall 1620. Harl MS 1162) made in 1786 the estate is described as “Coswyn Woolva otherwise Coswyn Wellard otherwise Lanyon” renders it probable that when the mansion was built (Feet of Fines Trinity 44 Eliz) at Coswin in 1668 the name was changed to Lanyon. (The Rent Roll of Connerton given in Bowles’ History of Penwith (the date of which may be as early as 1637 and cannot be later than 1673) states that Tobias Lanyon, the builder of Lanyon, was living at Coswin Wolver, and paid yearly 7s 11d to the manor of Connerton. No high rent is now paid for Lanyon.”

Lanyon Manor at Gwinear

Charles Henderson wrote the following about Gwinear c.1925

“Between the churchtown and the railway station – picturesquely embowered amongst trees – stands the old manor house of Lanyon. The family who lived here was a younger branch of the family of Lanyon in Madron. Edward Lanyon – the youngest son of Richard Lanyon of Madron was the first to settle in Gwinear circa 1600 and gave his name to the barton.

The House continued in the family until 1785 when it was sold. The Lanyon family are said to have originated from Lannion in Brittany and there are still descendants of them bearing the same name.

The first house built circa 1600 formed three sides of a square surrounding a courtyard and faced north. In 1668 it was – like so many in the district – reconstructed, the mullions being ejected and square stones substituted. The charming old porch was allowed to remain and the eastern wing pulled down. At present – the back of the house has been enlarged and only a few years since – the eastern wing was partially destroyed and turned into a stable. The porch id the only original portion of the building and very charming it is. The granite dorrway has a drip stone and moulded jambs. Above it is a shield bearing the family arms and the date 1688. The former are :- sable a castle with four towers argent, a falcon hovering with bells, proper. Below is the motto – “Vive et Vivas.” Above this is a mullioned window and the gable of the roof is picturesquely finished off with a granite border. Inside the house there are two good ceilings on the ground floor but nothing else remarkable. The western wing of the being turned into a stable it was found that rats from it infested the house and so a small portion of it was pulled down and the rest disconnected from the main portion of the house. Unfortunately this alteration necessitated the destruction of a stone spiral staircase.

A large number of mullions and cut stones are to be seen lying about the farmyard or built into walls. two portions of a fine granite fireplace can be seen in the former. The ‘lintel’ now serves the purpose of a lintel above a door in one of the cow houses and one of the jambs is built upside down into the wall of the yard and a small iron pump has been inserted through it. The inner angle has a hollow moulding and at the base is an ornamentation representing a dice box and a ball. Both fragments show the work to be remarkably good and it is a thousand pities that they were ever ejected. Acting as the arch of the loft doorway in the same stable is a very fine Tudor doorway. In the spandrils are balls similar to those on the fireplace.

Just above it is a small stone head built into the wall. It has eyes, nose and a curious moustache and seems to be a crude imitation of a lion’s head. It may have formed at one time part of a garden ornament.

The old walled garden is at the back of the house and is shut in by huge high stone walls, one of which has been pulled down.

Lanyon is approached by a fine avenue of ash and oak but the oldest tree is near the house and is said to be 150 years old.”

Whilst some of the history is incorrect, Charles’ descriptions of the house are very useful.

Norden’s 1584 map of Penwith which shows Edward Lanion’s home at Gwinear called Coswyn

These aren’t the only properties in Penwith but they give an idea of the extent of the family’s property in this area.

Kerrier

Breage Parish

William ‘Generosi’ Lanyon moved to Tregonen in Breage in 1569. I think Tregonen is now called Tregonning.

Helston

The cordwainer descendants of David Lanyon of Little Bossulow moved to Helston in the late 17th century. There was a tannery at Helston.

They owned the White Hart Inn on Coynage Hall Street and various properties in Meneage Street. Sadly the White Hart Inn no longer exists.

Triggshire

In 1341 a charter names David de Kylmynawis as the father of John de Lynyen. Where is Kylminawis?

Kylminawis appears to be St Minver. The charter also mentions Portzwyhan which today is better known as Port Quin.

“David De Kylmynawis to John his firstborn son & heir, and to the heirs of his body by Sibyl daughter of Joceli de Tregaminion his wife, with remainder to the grantor and his heirs. Charter with warranty of all his messuages, lands etc. In Kylmynawis, namely yards, gardens, woods, meadows, moors, turbaries, launds an pastures, and his corn mill there with multiple, waters and watercourses or beads, his bake house with garden in the town of Portzwyhan, the rent and service of John de Landewarnek and his heirs for lands held of the grantor in Kylcoys, of Simon de Kylcoys there, of Paternus and Robert brothers of the grantor for lands of him held for their lives in Kylcoys, of Margery his sister likewise in Araweyte, and the reversion of all lands of the said John, Simon, Paternus, Robert and Margery which they claim to hold for life of the grantor and his heirs when it shall fall in.”

Pydarshire

St Agnes Parish

John Lanyon, probably the second son of Richard Lanyon Esq, lived at St Agnes, he appears on the 1569 Muster Roll for St Agnes. William Whitta owned the Penwennick Estate. Around 1569 it appears that John Lanyon married William Whitta’s daughter Jane. In 1596 when John & Jane’s son also called John married Tamsin Tapprell at St Agnes John Lanyon gent purchased the Penwennick Estate. By 1623 John, his wife Jane and their sons John and Edward sold the estate to Edward Noy.

St Erth Parish

We don’t know the name of any property owned in St Erth but William Laniene paid 41 shillings for property in the parish according to the Penwith Subsidy Roll of 1509-1523. His Gwinear estate also cost 41 shillings so the St Erth property was of a similar size.

St Erth was also the home to Elizabeth Nanspian, the wife of William Laniene’s son Walter. The Nanspyan’s lived at the Manors of Godrevy, Tregender and Gurlyn in St Erth.

St Allen Parish

John Lanyon descended from the Sancreed branch of the Lanyons. He married Sarah Straight and they moved to St Allen parish. They lived at Henver Wartha and the family purchased more farms at Polstain, Trevalsa and Lanner.

Padstow, St. Ervan & St, Merryn

In the late 16th century John Lanyon Esq married for a third time to Margaret Trewinnard and moved to St Merryn near Padstow. They lived at the Treveglos.

His grandson Richard Lanyon Esq lived at Treginegar at St Ervan. This was absorbed into the Royal Naval Air Station at St Merryn and became the officers wardroom.

The Lanyons owned land at Harlyn.

In 1586 Edward Lanyon was involved in a legal dispute over the property at Cruckmorreck, it’s not clear where this is today but it could be Crugmeer near St Merryn.

John Lanyon Esq’s marriage settlement of 1561 lists the various properties he was to receive on his marriage. They were in Gwinear, Madron, Morvah, Buryan, Sennen, St Levan, Kenwyn, St Just, Paul, St Merryn, St Ervan, St Issey and Padstow.

Just sixty years later John’s grandson, Richard Lanyon Esq, lost many of the properties when he fell into debt and sold much of the estate to his cousin Jonathan Rashleigh for £500. Rashleigh leased some of the properties back to the family.

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The Neilder Connection

Phillimores Marriage Records show that on 3 May 1615 Elizabeth Lanyne married Oliver Neilder at Menheniot in Cornwall. Despite several attempts I couldn’t initially place Elizabeth on the Lanyon tree, who was she?

Early marriage records rarely mention the parent’s names and Elizabeth is one of the most common names in the Lanyon family so I decided to look at Oliver Neilder in more depth to see if I could discover anything useful.

Oliver Neilder baptised at least four children at Menheniot in the early 17th century: Marye 1619, Jane 1621, John 1624 and Elizabeth 1627. The Menheniot parish register also lists the following burials: Elizabeth Neilder was buried on 15 Jan 1659 (she was noted as being ‘old’) and Oliver Neilder was buried the following year on 26 Sep 1660 (he’s noted as ‘old senr’.)

Neither Oliver nor Elizabeth left a will so that avenue for research was closed. I did find Oliver Nealder (sic) listed on the 1641/2 Protestation Return for Menheniot but that was it. I then turned to Kresen Kernow (The Cornish Record Office) and the National Archives to see if there was anything useful there.

I found just one relevant record at Kresen Kernow. Assignment of land at Trenant, the parties were Oliver Nealder, yeoman of Menheniot and Peter Carveth also a yeoman of Menheniot (BRA991/120).

The National Archives were more forthcoming. I found records of litigation between the Neilder family and the Kekewich family. I’ve come across the Kekewich family before whilst researching the Lanyons so I was curious to find out more.

The Kekewich’s were one of the most powerful families in Cornwall in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The family resided at Catchfrench near Saltash and Trehawke near Menheniot. So Oliver and Elizabeth Neilder were neighbours of the Kekewich family.

The Herald’s Visitation of Cornwall gives us the Kekewich family tree for that period.

George Kekewich married Katherine/Catherine Courtney, descended from an aristocratic family. Her mother Margaret, daughter of Thomas Trethurfe, was one of the co-heirs of Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon. Margaret married three times; first to John Boscowen, second to Edward Courtenay of Landrake and third to Richard Buller of Tregarrick.


Edward Courtenay 1509 brass – Dunkin, E.H.W. The Monumental Brasses of Cornwall, 1882, Plate XXI
Kekewich – Courtenay family tree

George and Katherine Kekewich had several children but we’re interested in their first born daughter Katherine and their fourth son Edward. Edward Kekewich of Trehawke was baptised on the 17 Aug 1561 at Menheniot, he married Jane, the daughter of John Coode of Morval on 22 Nov 1603 at Morval. Edward was buried at Menheniot on 18 Dec 1621. Edward and Jane’s second son, Peter Kekewich, was born in 1605 and he was the man involved in litigation with the Neilder family.

The children of George & Catherine Kekewich

National Archives document C9/47/58 Neilder v. Kekewich 1668 states that Nicholas Honey on behalf of his stepchildren, Oliver and Elizabeth Neilder, who were under 18 started the litigation. Honey stated that in 1657 Oliver Neilder was 83 years old (giving him a birthdate about 1574) and he was blind and decayed in memory. Honey alleged that Peter Kekewich and his brother-in-law Roger Porter were not related to Oliver Neilder and had conned the elderly man.

Peter Kekewich and Roger Porter (the husband of Peter’s sister, Elizabeth) responded that Oliver wasn’t quite so blind or so poor in memory, despite his age. They also pointed out that Oliver Neilder’s wife Elizabeth (Lanyne) was cousin germane to Peter Kekewich and Roger’s wife. (National Archives C10/178/69 & C8/352/249)

A cousin germane is a first cousin so Elizabeth Neilder (Lanyne) must have been the daughter of one of Edward Kekewich’s sisters. Edward had five sisters: Katherine, Grace, Anne, Mary and Margaret. We know that Anne married Oliver Clobery of Bradston, Devon and Mary married John Crewse so we can discount them.

That leaves Katherine, Grace and Margaret as possible mothers. George Kekewich’s will of 1581 is in the National Archives (PROB 11/64/488) and it shows that his eldest daughter Katherine/Catherine had married a Lanyon.

His will states that his daughter “Cate Lanyan have the sixe pounds thirtene shillings Fower pence given her by her grandmother Buller and three poundes sixe shillings eighte pence for to make the whole somme Tenne poundes.”

PROB 11/64/488

So ‘Cate’ had married a Lanyon, but which one?

Richard Carew’s ‘Survey of Cornwall’ states:

“Diverse other Gentlemen there dwell in this Hundred: as Lanyne the husband of Kekewich his father married Militon and beneath s. a castle a. standing in waves b. over the same a falcon hovering with bells o.”

Richard Carew National Trust, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We know that John Lanyon (the son of Richard Lanyon Esq) married Phelype Militon on 18 Jan 1562 at Breage. Their eldest son Francis married Alice Trewren in 1584. John & Phelype’s second son William married Jane at Sancreed in 1592. There is one other son, John who is described as the son of John Lanyon esq. and he was buried at Madron in 1587, he appears to be a child but his age isn’t given. Phelype Militon was buried 29 Dec 1578 at Breage.

So which ‘son’ of John Lanyon married Cate Kekewich?

John and Phelype’s son Francis was born at the earliest in 1563 and he married Alice Trewren in 1584. He was still married to her at the time of his death in about 1593. Cate Lanyon was named in her father’s will which was dated 1581 so whilst it was just about possible for Francis to have married her when he was aged 17 or 18 years old she would have to have died before 1584, when he married Alice. There is no evidence that Cate Lanyon was buried at this time. Francis did have an illegitimate daughter called Elizabeth who was baptised in 1587 however I think it highly unlikely that Cate Kekewich would have had an illegitimate daughter who was later described as a cousin germane by her nephews. I think we can safely disregard Francis as a possible husband to Cate and father to Elizabeth Neilder.

That leaves his second son William Lanyon as a possible candidate. We don’t know when William was born but it must have been 1564 at the earliest and it could have been a few years later. The oldest he could have been was just 17 and that’s if Cate married the same year as the will was written. If she was married a year or two before that William would have been only 15 or 16. We don’t know when Cate was born but she was the eldest daughter of George Kekewich and Katherine Courtenay. Their date of marriage is suggested as 1555 at Landrake, in Cornwall. We know that their eldest son and heir was baptised on 14 Aug 1556, it seems likely that Cate was born soon after. Her mother Katherine Courtenay died in 1571 so all nine children must have been born before that date. This makes Cate several years older than William Lanyon.

William Lanyon did marry a woman called Jane at Sancreed in 1592 and they had six children. He died in 1624 and his will survives and names his children. He had two daughters, both called Elizabeth! The eldest was born in 1593 after his marriage to Jane so Cate couldn’t be her mother. The youngest was born in 1607 and would be too young to marry Oliver Neilder in 1615.

William Lanyon’s 1624 will naming his children

George Kekewich was an MP for Saltash and Sheriff of Cornwall, Katherine Courtenay was descended from an aristocratic family, would they have married their eldest daughter to a teenage second son?

It seems much more likely that Cate Kekewich married the recently widowed John Lanyon, the eldest son and heir to Richard Lanyon Esq and the head of the Lanyon family.

Whilst there is no record of a marriage for John Lanyon and Cate Kekewich there is a record which may help prove the relationship. In 1589 Richard Lanyon Esq and his eldest son John sold Tregemynion in Morvah to Richard’s fourth son William. The agreement is signed by Richard, John and Katherine his wife. (Hendersons MSS Vol XII p.83)

Abstract from Hendersons MSS

So it appears as though sometime after 29 Dec 1578, when Phelype Militon died, and before 1581 when George Kekewich’s will was written, that John Lanyon married for a second time to a woman named Katherine.

Breage parish register also has an interesting entry for a burial. On 29 Oct 1592 there is the following entry ‘uxor Johis Lanyon armiger’. Sadly the page is damaged so the wife’s name is not legible but John Lanyon, who has the right to bear arms, buried his wife. There is only one John Lanyon who has the right to bear arms at this time.

Breage Parish Register Burials

There are no records of any children of this marriage being baptised or buried. However looking at the wills of Cate’s brothers gives us some more clues. George Kekewich the younger’s will was written 22 Jun 1607 and proved 20 May 1612. It states:

“I give the blynde Lanian, my kinsman xx s a year towards his mayntenance untill my heire accomplish the age of xxj years.”

National Archives PROB 11/119/518

So Cate’s brother had a ‘kinsman’ called Lanian who was blind.

Cate’s brother Francis also left a will which was written 20 May 1633 which states:

“I give George Lanion twenty shillings a year during my lease of Manoby with the proviso that he wander not the country as a beggar contrary to God’s and Man’s laws. Hoping the rest of his friends will make up the rest that must be paid for his board.” (National Archives PROB 11/164/299)

So it appears as though Cate Lanyon had a son called George who was blind. He’s not mentioned in any Lanyon wills however most of the 16th century Cornish wills were destroyed during World War II bombing.

There is no record of a baptism, marriage or death of George Lanyon and we wouldn’t know anything about him but for these wills. None of the wills mentions Elizabeth Lanyne or Oliver Neilder.

Whilst none of this is actual proof that Elizabeth Neilder was the daughter of Katherine Kekewich and John Lanyon Esq it’s probably as close as we’ll come.

We know what happened to Elizabeth, she died an old woman in Menheniot. Perhaps ‘Blynde George’ lived out his life with her?

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1569

1569 was the year the first lottery was held in England, the prize was £5000. It was also the year Mary Queen of Scots was first imprisoned and of the Northern Rebellion against Elizabeth I.

Mary Queen of Scots
François Clouet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It was also an important year for the Lanyon family.

In 1567 William Laniene esq died. We don’t know his date of birth but his eldest son was born about 1516 and he had older sisters so it is estimated that William was born in the 1480s. There is an Inquisition Post Mortem of William Laniene of Coswynwollard, Gwinnear from 1586 which gives the date 20 Mar 1567 as the date of his death. This Inquisition gives his son Richard’s age as 70 (in 1586), so he was already 51 when he inherited his father’s estate in 1567.

In 1562 at the time of his son John’s marriage to Phelype Myliton, Richard was living at Tregaminian in Morvah. In 1567 he moved to Coswynwollard in Gwinear (now called Lanyon.)

Map of the Lanyon Estate at Gwinear

We don’t know which lands, if any, William Laniene senior intended for his sons as there is no will. In 1569 Richard granted estates to his brothers.

William ‘Generosi’ Lanyon

Richard’s brother William had been living at the family estate in Gwinear. His first wife Tamson was buried there on 26 Jun 1563. His son Baldwin was baptised at Gwinear on 1 Apr 1561 and buried 24 Jun 1563 just two days before his mother.

William was given the estate Tregonen at Breage. He appears on the Breage Muster Roll of 1569 ‘Furnished long bow sheaf arrows steel cap and black bill’ and he lived there until his death in 1597. His burial is listed in the Breage parish register where he is described as ‘generosi’.

Tregonning Hill near Breage which may be the location of Tregonen

Walter Lanyon

Walter married Elizabeth Nanspyan of St Erth. He is listed on the 1569 Muster Roll for St Erth ‘Bow shaft arrows, ability B’. His father owned land at St Erth as it is listed on the 1523 Penwith Subsidy Roll as having a value of 41 shillings (the same as the Gwinear estate.)

In 1569 he was given the tenancy of the Barton of Lanyon (the ancestral family home) at Madron by his brother Richard. Hendersons MSS 30534 pt 7 gives details of the lease and confirms the names of Walter’s son (John) and three grandsons (Francis, Alexander and David) also their ages.

The ancestral home at Lanyon near Madron. Bosullow was also part of the estate.

Edward Lanyon

The only record we have of William Lanyon having a son called Edward is a record from Kresen Kernow (Cornwall Record Office) AR/3/39 dated 11 Feb 1586. It’s a lawsuit over Crugmoreck in St Merryn.

“…..that Richard Lanyen esquire, on 20 September 1569 (11 Elizabeth), had granted to party (1-Edward Lanyen) 30 acres of land, being one close called Crukemorecke (parish of Seynt Meryn), for (1) to hold for term of 6 years from St Bartholomew last past [24 Aug 1569]; on the following 26 Sep [1569], (2-George Arundell)-(3-John Michall) forcibly entered the tenement and ejected him from it…”

The case goes on to mention that the sheriff of Cornwall Peter Edgecombe esq was a kinsman of Edward. Peter was the son of Joan Tregian the daughter of Thomas Tregian and that Edward was the son of Thomasine Tregian the daughter of Thomas Tregian.

We don’t know what happened to Edward after 1586. We don’t know if he had any children. All we know is that Richard Lanyon esq granted him the lease of the estate in Crugmoreck in 1569. There is an Edward Leyne on the Padstow muster roll of 1569 ‘bow 6 arr, ability a-ar’. Could this be the same person?

We don’t know where Crugmoreck lies today but the Lanyons owned lands at Harlyn, St Ervan, St Merryn and Padstow. Perhaps Crugmeer is the location?
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The Flight Family

Septima Flight married Lewis Lamotte and their daughter Catherine Septima Lamotte married Arthur Herbert Lanyon in 1899. The Flights are an interesting family and probably deserve their very own website.

Thomas Flight and Judith

Thomas Flight lived in Henley in Berkshire and the little we know about him comes from his wife’s will. We don’t know when he was born or when he married but presumably it was before 1691 when his eldest son Thomas was born. When Judith died in 1729 she was a widow and her will described Thomas as a baker. They had 5 daughters and 4 sons all named in Judith’s will.

Thomas Flight and Martha Fuller

Thomas and Judith’s eldest son Thomas Flight married Martha Fuller 1st Aug 1720 at St. Leonards, Wallingford, Berkshire. Thomas was buried on 8th Aug 1767 at Bunhill Fields in London. His burial record records that he was a dissenter. His will names his children: Joseph, Thomas, John, Ann, Mary, Elizabeth and Hanson, son in law Joseph Pattison and grandson Joseph Pattison. He left the sum of £1600 to his wife to be shared amongst his children. His eldest son Joseph inherited his lands in Farringdon and his youngest son, Hanson, inherited his lands at Abingdon. His sons Thomas and Joseph are his executors.

His daughter Martha Pattison died in 1766

His son Joseph was a turpentine merchant and wheelwright. He died in 1788.

His son John was a maltster and draper. He died in 1769.

His youngest son was Hanson.

Hanson Flight and Martha Underhill

In 1752 aged 15 Hanson was apprenticed to Francis Gawthern a citizen and farrier of London for seven years however three years later his apprenticeship was passed to Gurdolfston Rolfe a citizen and mercer of London.

Freedom of the City Admission Papers

Hanson Flight and Martha Underhill pledged to marry at Bermondsey, Surrey in Feb 1765 and married at St Anne, Soho two days later on the 24th.

London and Surrey, England, Marriage Bonds and Allegations

Hanson and Martha had at least two sons:

  • Joseph 1773 – 1811 married Jane Greenwood in 1801
  • Hanson 1776

Joseph was a miller and lived at the Abbey Mills at Barking. Joseph was attacked and murdered by footpads at Bow Bridge, River Lea at Stratford on 2nd Feb 1811. He left a wife and six children under the age of 10.

Bow Bridge at Stratford

The Abbey Mills no longer exist but on the site today is the Abbey Mills pumping station.

Joseph Flight’s son was also called Hanson and worked as a collector to a draper.

Joseph’s great great great great granddaughter also married a Lanyon!

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The Fiji Lanyons

I was surprised to discover that there is a flourishing branch of the Lanyon family tree in Fiji!

After a little research I discovered this branch is descended from the Gwinear branch of the tree.

Edward James Lanyon 1848-1928 was the son of Edward James Lanyon and Jane Brown. He was born in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire and for a long time there was no further trace of him. Then I came across the Fiji Lanyons on a Facebook post and a whole new avenue opened up!

Edward James Lanyon travelled out to the other side of the word to become a plantation owner. He was very successful, he married Te Maotarawa in Fiji and they had three children:-

  • Jack (John) Lanyon abt 1880-1972
  • Rerebati Lanyon
  • Ned (Edward) Lanyon

Jack married Naom and they had five children:-

  • Rerepati Elizabeth Lanyon 1910-
  • Wilson Lanyon 1910-1999
  • George Lanyon
  • Tapanou Lanyon
  • Mary Lanyon

Rerebati married George Low King and they had two daughters Mereka and Beri

Ned married Oriwe and they had five sons and his second wife was Meresi:-

  • Jack Lanyon 1940-1980
  • Edward Koaia Lanyon
  • David Lanyon
  • Frank Lanyon
  • John Lanyon

Curiously Edward James Lanyon was a great great nephew of William Lanyon RN who sailed with Captain Cook. Perhaps the desire to sail to the other side of the world is in the genes!

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The Milliners

The Milliner – Richard Edward Miller, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Edward Lanyon was the son of William Lanyon and Frances Wills. He was baptised on 20 Jul 1787 at St Ewe in Cornwall. He married Jane Gill in 1821 at High Bickington, Devon. They had nine children:-

Edward & Jane’s tree
  • Edward James Lanyon 1822-1899
  • Mary Jane Lanyon 1824-1915 – milliner
  • Esther Stanbury Lanyon 1827-1890 – milliner
  • Catherine Lanyon 1828-1923 – married a milliner
  • Elizabeth Lanyon 1830-1910 – milliner
  • Frances Lanyon 1833-1903 – milliner
  • Lucy Lanyon 1835-1891 – milliner
  • George Lanyon 1836-1866
  • Emily Ann Lanyon 1838-1840

Map of St Ewe near Mevagissey, High Bickington near Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.

Edward was an excise man. In 1851 the family were living at Ilfracombe and Edward was still working at the age of 63.

Edward’s eldest son Edward James Lanyon was an inland revenue officer, he married twice, first to Jane Brown who died before 1867 and second to Elizabeth Parkin. There were three children from the first marriage:-

  • Edward James Lanyon 1848-1928 he founded the Fiji branch of the Lanyon family
  • Jane Lanyon 1851-1881
  • Emma Eliza Lanyon 1854-1935

In 1867 Edward married Elizabeth Parkin in Barnstaple, Devon. They moved to Liverpool and they had six children:-

  • Rose Lanyon 1872-1951
  • George Lanyon 1875-1954
  • Nora Lanyon 1877-1966
  • Ellen Lanyon 1879-1941
  • Richard Lanyon 1885-1937
  • Maud Lanyon 1886-1940

Of Edward senior’s daughters only two married and they had no children. Catherine married Joseph Hicks and Frances Lanyon married William Henderson. All the daughters were at one time working as milliners or hat makers.

The Little Milliners 1882 by Edgar Degas, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Over the decades the census shows them living together with Joseph and Catherine Hicks in London and Cornwall. Joseph was a warehouseman, a manufacturer of women’s clothing and a milliner. They must have been fairly successful as they were all able to live ‘on their own means’.

In 1881 they were living at 13 Alwyne Road, Islington, London and employed three servants.

13 Alwyne Road today.

Their younger brother George worked as a draper and a grocer, he died aged just 30 from TB.

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Poisoned?

Occasionally you come across a document which really helps to paint an accurate picture of a person.

Whilst searching through the online archives at Kresen Kernow (Cornish Record Office) I found a legal opinion dated 1689 for Sir John Coryton against Sir James Tillie. This is of interest to us as Sir John’s servant was called John Lanyon.

From the documents held at Kresen Kernow John Lanyon was witnessing Sir John Coryton’s documents from 1674 onwards so by 1689 he must have been a trusted member of staff.

Sir John Coryton was the 2nd baronet of Newton Ferrers. He was married to Lady Elizabeth.

Sir James Tillie was Sir John Coryton’s land agent. He wanted to be married to Lady Elizabeth!

Sir James Tillie – Creative Commons Licence

The counsel’s opinion for Sir John Coryton against Sir James Tillie details how Sir John’s wife Elizabeth had been ‘carried off’ by Sir James Tillie. Sir John was advised that he could take action against the man/men who carried off his wife but he was liable to give her reasonable maintenance until a divorce.

The document also explains that Lady Coryton had been a ‘maltster’ (a brewer) in Sir John’s house and he was advised that he could sell the stock and receive the proceeds. The legal opinion goes on to explain that if Lady Coryton was with child which Sir John did not want to inherit then he must sue for divorce but must have full proof of adultery.

Elizabeth was the daughter of Sir Richard Chiverton who had been Lord Mayor of London from 1657-1658.

Whilst all this was going on John Lanyon had been busy defrauding Sir John. He wrote secret letters to James Tillie threatening to murder John Coryton and his wife. When Lady Elizabeth left her husband and was ‘carried away’, John Lanyon, realising the game was up, fled.

After he’d gone papers and goods belonging to Sir John were found in Lanyon’s study. These showed that he had been threatening Sir John’s tenants and trying to obtain rents and properties.

Legal Opinion 1689 – Source CY/7197

Conveniently Sir John died mysteriously at the age of only 42. There is speculation that he was poisoned. Lady Elizabeth married Sir James Tillie who divided the Newton Ferrers estate and built ‘Pentillie’. John Lanyon escaped prosecution.

Rod Allday / Pentillie Castle

James Tillie died in 1713 and his will left instructions that he was not to be buried but placed in a vault sitting in a sturdy chair in his finest clothes with his pipe so he could await resurrection! His instructions were carried out but his body was later moved and then lost. 300 years later it was found!

So what happened to John Lanyon and where does he fit on the tree?

Clearly John Lanyon was an educated man. If he was working for Sir John from 1674 onwards then he was probably born early 1650s.

There are currently 315 John Lanyons on the family tree but there is only one candidate that really stands out and that is John Lanyon 1652-1720. (See post ‘William ‘Generosi’ Lanyon of Breage.)

John was the eldest son and heir of John Lanyon a ‘sea and sand barge daily labourer’.

The Parochial History of Cornwall stated that John Lanyon senior:

‘…had a son named John Lanyon who having had his education under Hugh Boscawen, gent, Master of Arts, who kept a school at St Michael Penkevill Church, became afterwards a steward to Trefusis, St Aubyn, Coryton and lastly came into the service of Brook Lord Chandos, and having by these services accumulated considerable riches he gave lands and built and endowed an almshouse for the poor people.’

John Lanyon’s branch of the tree.

After he fled he must have headed to London and persuaded Lord Chandos to hire him. He later married Sarah Symons. We now have a pretty good idea how he acquired ‘considerable riches’! Perhaps the alms houses were a way to atone for past sins!

For more information see Nigel Baker’s article on John Lanyon:

https://www.keaparishcouncil.org.uk/lanyon-alms-houses-author-councillor-nigel-baker

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William of Illogan

William was the son of William Lanyon and the grandson of John Lanyon Esq.

William was baptised at Sancreed in 1603. He may have had a first wife called Catheren as there was a Catheren Lanyne buried at Illogan in 1623. He married Grace (surname not recorded) at Illogan in 1636. He signed the Protestation Return on 1641/2 as William Lanyne Illogan.

William had three children who’s baptisms and burials have not been traced. Assumption is that they were all born after their parent’s marriage in 1636 and were still alive when their father’s will was proved in 1687.

  • John aft.1636-aft.1687 married Jane
  • Jane aft.1636-aft.1687 married John Penberthy – children
  • Joan aft.1636-aft.1687 married Bloyes, no children at the time of the will.
PROB-11-391-197 William Lanyon Illogan first pageDownload

William’s will is long, I’ve only added the first page, and a transcript.

Transcript William’s willDownload

William’s son John Lanyon was married at least twice. His first wife was Prudence Brow and they married at Illogan in 1663. They had a daughter Grace baptised in 1665 and Prudence died in 1667. John married again to Jane, surname unknown. John had three more children but it isn’t clear if the mother was Jane or Prudence as we don’t know the dates of baptism just the dates of their burials:

  • William – 9 Jul 1669
  • Elizabeth – 27 Jun 1669
  • Thomas – 13 Jul 1669

It appears as though William, Elizabeth and Thomas died in an epidemic – they were buried within three weeks of one another.

There is a John Lanyon who married Ann at Illogan in 1690. Perhaps Jane died after the will and John remarried. No record of any children.

Grace baptised in 1665 married Stephen Cock at Illogan in 1683 and is mentioned in her grandfather’s will. It sounds as though she has had a child and perhaps lost it. ‘If my granddaur Grace Cock have another child in my lifetime £100 to same at 21.’

The John Lanyon of St Ives ‘my kinsman’ mentioned in William’s will is his nephew, the son of John Lanyon and Mary Ellis. William is also mentioned in Mary (Ellis) Lanyon’s will of 1676.

We don’t know much about William of Illogan but we do know he was summoned to appear at the Consistery Court of the 29 April 1663. We don’t know what the summons was for but on the 16 May he “makes humble acknowledgement of his sorrow for not appearing.” Source – letter from HL Douch, curator Royal Institution of Cornwall to WSL Lamparter. 1 Nov 1962.

With no surviving grandchildren called Lanyon this little branch of the family died out.

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Paskis Lanyon

Paskis Lanion married Thomas Shetford at St Just in Penwith in 1625. Who was Paskis Lanion? If only the answer was straight forward!

A quick trawl through the Cornwall Online Parish Clerks database revealed no baptisms for a Paskis/Paksis/Pascha/Pasca/Paska/Paskes/Paskas Lanion/Lanyon.

However the Heralds Visitation for Cornwall 1620 does have a suitable candidate:

Vivian’s Herald’s Visitation of Cornwall 1620

Richard Lanyon Esq submitted his tree showing that his wife was Jane Mooring alias De La More from Devon and their eldest daughter was called Pasca but was she old enough to get married in 1625?

Their eldest son was John aged 10 in 1620 so therefore born in 1610. Could Pasca be older than John? When did Richard marry Jane? The Royal Institution of Cornwall has a marriage settlement between Richard Lanyon and Jane his wife dated 1608 so presumably they married about 1608. The letter from Mrs Rose Tolman confirms that Jane’s mother was called Pascha Risdon so eldest daughter was named after her grandmother.

Marriage settlement Richard Lanyon and Jane Mooring 1608Download

If we list all Richard and Jane’s children we may see a gap where Pasca could fit.

  • John baptised 13 Jul 1610 Madron
  • Unbaptised child buried 12 Nov 1611 Madron
  • Unbaptised child buried 12 Jun 1612 Madron
  • Philippa 2nd daughter baptised 20 Apr 1613 Padstow
  • Francis 2nd son – deposition taken 1635 when he is aged 16 so born in about 1619
  • Elizabeth baptised 17 Nov 1622 St Merryn

The children with no baptisms recorded are:

  • Pasca eldest daughter born before 1613 when Philippa is baptised
  • Jane 3rd daughter born after 1613 and before 1622
  • Richard not listed on Herald’s Visitation so presumably born after 1620
  • Thomas not listed on Herald’s Visitation so presumably born after 1620
  • Margerie – from Richard Lanyon Esq’s will it is implied that Elizabeth and Margerie are the youngest daughters

The latest Pasca could have been born was 1613 and with John born in 1610 and two unbaptised babies born in 1611 and 1612 it looks likely that Pasca was probably born about 1608/9 which would make her about 16 years of age at the time that the marriage to Thomas Shetford took place. So she is a possible candidate.

Richard Lanyon Esq’s will of 1636 left all his daughters £30 or £40 apart from Pasca who received 5 shillings which implies that in 1636 she was already married and had received her ‘portion’. Sadly the will does not mention her married name.

The only problem is that there is a second Paskas who is also a candidate.

Richard Lanyon Esq’s uncle William has a daughter also called Paskas.

William’s daughter’s baptism isn’t recorded but we know she existed from his will. Again we’ll have to list his other children and see where she could fit in:

  • Elizabeth baptised 31 Oct 1593 Sancreed
  • John baptised 8 Jun 1596 and buried 15 Sep 1601 at Sancreed
  • John born after Sep 1601
  • Jane baptised 24 Oct 1602 Sancreed
  • William baptised Dec 1603 Sancreed
  • Elyzabethe baptised 17 Jul 1607 Sancreed

Both daughters called Elizabeth survived and are mentioned in William’s will of 1624!

William’s Will of 1624 – Source CRO AP/L/256

Abstract:-

WILLIAM LANYON of Sancreed written: 24 Dec 1624 proved: 8 Feb 1624/5

poor of Sancreed – 3 sh.
poor of St. Just – 5 sh.
poor of Gulval – 12 d.
poor of Maddern – 12 d.
poor of Antony – 12 d.
poor of Buryan – 12 d.
daughter: ELIZABETH – mare, 3 sheep, calf, mare colt
JOHN her son – calf & a sheep
WILLIAM her son – calf & a sheep
daughter: JANE – calf, 1 sheep, brazen crock
daughter JANE’s child – a ewe lamb
daughter: PASKAS – 4 kyne, mare, 10 sheep, 10 pounds
youngest daughter: ELIZABETH – 4 kyne, 10 sheep, 10 pounds
son: WILLIAM – all my part of tin and tin stuff, 13 pounds, 6 sh., 3 d.
son: JOHN – all the rest & executor

The will implies that Paskas is younger than Jane and older than Elizabeth his youngest daughter which suggests that she was born between 1602 and 1607. So aged about 18-23 in 1625 when the marriage to Thomas Shetford took place.

It’s interesting that William leaves 5 shillings to the poor of St Just as that’s the town that Thomas Shetford comes from.

Who was Thomas Shetford?

The Shetford/Shutford (and occasionally Shitford!) family originally came from Somerset. They were cheated out of a half share in six manors in Cornwall by Sir Thomas Bodulgate during the Wars of the Roses.

Source – History of Parliament Edward IV

We know very little about Thomas, the parish registers for St Just in Penwith start quite late but with the little we know we can create a tree that might be correct.

  • We know that Paskis Lanion married Thomas Shetford at St Just in Penwith in 1625 so he was probably born about 1600
  • There is a baptism for a Margarett Shetfod (Sic) daughter of Thomas on 14 Nov 1630 at St Just listed in the Exeter Bishop’s Transcripts
  • 16 Oct 1647 marriage at St Just between Elizabeth Shetford (daughter of Thomas) and John Rawlyn (Source – OPC)
  • Baptism of Alse Shutford, daughter of Thomas 20 Dec 1633 St Just (Source- FHL film number 0226217, 0226218, 962681)
  • Burial of Paskes Shetford, widow 19 Dec 1681/2 St Just in Penwith (Source – OPC)
  • The will of Joan Lanyon (Shutford) 1655 (Source – NA PROB 11/257/72) Joan was the wife of David Lanyon of Madron and her will mentions her Shutford relatives

There is also a record at Kresen Kernow (The Cornish Record Office) which mentions Thomas and William Shilford.

Lease, tenement, Treloweth Wartha, Illogan

Parties: 

1) Right Honourable John Lord Robartes, Baron of Truro.

2) William Lanyon, Yeoman, of St Just, Cornwall.

Property: Tenement, Treloweth Wartha, Illogan, Cornwall.

Consideration: £130.

Term: 99 years, or the natural lives of [?] Lanyon, John Lanyon his brother and William Shilford, son of Thomas Shilford.

Annual rent: 46 shillings 8 pence, one capon or 12 pence, a harvest day or 6 pence.

Heriot: Best beast or £3.

Reference numberCL/1/124
Date3 Oct 1635

I think it should be William and Thomas Shitford/Shetford rather than Shilford. Could Thomas have a son called William and could these Lanyons be Paskas’ brothers?

The Paskas born in Sancreed had brothers called John and William. ‘William Lanyon Yeoman of St Just’ listed in the lease is definitely not the St Merryn family of Lanyons.

There is a marriage of a William Shetford and Mary Edward at St Just on 26 Nov 1653, they had two daughters: Rebecea (sic) bapt. 1655 and Ellizabeth (sic) bapt. 1657.

There is a legal dispute between John Lanyon and William Shutford in 1659, the year Thomas Shutford died. Source – NA C 10/48/84

Lanyon v Shutford. 

Plaintiffs: John Lanyon. Defendants: William Shutford, James Pratt and Robert Baynard. Subject: property in Sancreed, Cornwall.

This is the hypothetical tree I’ve created from all those snippets of information.

We still haven’t conclusively answered the question which Paskis Lanion married Thomas Shutford in 1625 but I think the Paskas born to William Lanyon of Sancreed is the more likely candidate.

William Lanyon died in 1624 (his wife had died in 1619) and left Paskas £10 and some cattle. The following year she married Thomas from the neighbouring parish of St Just in Penwith.

Ultimately geography may be the best clue, the distance between St Just and Sancreed (near Penzance) is a lot smaller than the distance between St Just and St Merryn (near Padstow).

With thanks to Louise Quigley who first posed this question in 2014 and the Penwith Genealogy Group who produced some great answers and evidence.