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'Spofforth1'Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Spofforth of Spofforth (Spofford of Spofford)

(1) BLG1863 reports "Before the portitioning of England amongst the retainers of the Duke of Normandy, the lordship or manor of Spofforth, of Spofford (near Wetherby, Yorkshire), was held by a Saxon family of the same name." BFR reports "The name shows Danish descent."
(2) ANHRS includes BFR & BLG1863 amongst its sources but reports that, of the "descent, generation by generation, from pre-Conquest days" provided by BFR, "There is, in reality, no authority for such a claim, which at times borders on the ridiculous".

Orm (b c965, d before 1042, "a prominent Northumbrian thane")

Orm (a temp Domesday Book)

Gamel of Spofforth (d 1064)

'A new history' identifies Gamel as ancestor also of the family of Gambles.

Orm of Wellebrune

Gamelbar de Spoford or Spofford (a 1066)

William de Spofforth (Spoford of Spoford) (a 1066)

Walter de Spofforth

(1)

John de Spofforth (a 1105)

m. Juliana (dau of Nigel de Plumpton)

(A)

Henry de Spofforth (a temp Stephen who r. 1135-1154)

(i)

Elwine de Spofforth or Soofford (a 1186)

(a)

Gamel de Spofforth

((1))

William de Spofforth (a temp John who r. 1199-1216)

((A))

Nicholas de Spofforth (a 1265)

m. Dyonysia de Plumpton

((i))

Roger 'Blase' de Spofforth (a 1307) - continued below

((B))+

other issue - Henry (a 1286), William (a 1293)

(b)

John Spofford, Provost then Mayor of Limerick (a 1198) had issue in Ireland

Roger 'Blase' de Spofforth (a 1307) - continued above

Robert de Spofforth (a temp Edward III who r. 1327-1377)

m. Agnes Castlelay (dau of William Castlelay)

Robert Spofforth

m. (1337) Evorta (relict of Vavasour de Norwode)

Robert Spofforth (a 1360)

m. Mary de Malebis (dau/coheir of Sir Thomas de Malebis, sister of Elizabeth (m. Adam Beckwith de Clint))

Thomas Spofforth (a 1381, vicar of Bredon)

John Spofforth of Newsam, near Spofforth (a 1396)

m1. Maria Meynell

(1)

Robert Spofforth of York & Menthorpe (near Selby) (a 1431)

m. Ann Anlaby (dau of William Anlaby of Elveley & Etton by Alice, dau/heir of Peter Ughtred of Etton by Alice Ravesson)

(A)

Roger de Spofford (a 1406, cleric)

(B)

Robert Spofforth of Wistow Manor, near Selby (a 1480)

m. Ellen Roucliffe (dau of Brian Roucliffe of Cowrothpe (a Baron of the Exchequer))

(i)

Brian Spofforth (b 1500, d 1555, rector of Barton in Rydale)

BFR reports that Brian m. 1530 Alice, dau of Walter Fawkes of Leeds, "and was deprived of his benefice in 1554, temp. Queen Mary, in consequence of marrying". ANHRS supports that story but names his wife ...

m. (1530) Agnes Aslaby (possibly of the family of Whitwell or Welbourne)

(a)

Richard or Robert Spofforth (b c1540) named Richard by ' ANHRS but Robert by BFR & BLG1863

m. (1565) Agnes Clare (dau of Gilbert Clare of Pontefract)

BLG1863 starts its pedigree with Thomas Spofforth of Wistow Lordship (d 1595), identifying him as son of Robert of Newsam by Maria Meynell, and father (by Lucy, dau of John Simeon) of Simeon (m. Mary Palmer) and John (puritan vicar of Silkstone). BFR shows Robert & Agnes Clare as parents of John (puritan vicar of Silkstone), Simeon (m. Mary Palmer) & Joshua (a 1660, prebendary of Dunnington). Note that the following generation, given by ANHRS, was omitted by BFR.

((1))

Richard Spofforth of Crambe (b c1565, d 1611)

m. Anne (d 1623) widow of Richard, presumed mother of ...

((A))

Christopher Spofforth

((i))+

2 sons

((B))

John Spofforth (b 1588, d 1668, vicar of Silkstone, puritan)

ANHRS identifies the 2nd son of Richard of Crambe as John and reports that this was "probably" John, the puritan vicar of Silkstone.

m. ?? (d 04.1679)

((i))

John Spofforth of Rowley, Massachusetts (b 1612, d 1678, a "Pilgrim Father") had issue in America

m. Elizabeth Scott (dau of Thomas Scott of Ipswich in America)

((C))

Richard Spofforth (b c1590, d 1620-1, rector of Barton le Street)

m. (c1611) Magdalen Gilmin of York

((i))+

issue - Richard (b c1612), Elizabeth

((D))

Thomas Spofforth (b c1595)

m. Margaret

((i))+

issue - John (b c1620) and/or Thomas

((E))

Rebecca Spofforth (b c1591)

m. Roger Rome

((F))

Katherine Spofforth (b 1595)

m. Thomas Bambrough (son of Sir William Bambrough)

((G))+

other issue - George (b c1589), Barbara (b c1597)

((2))

John Spofforth (a 1598)

m. Margaret Selby

Having reported the above, ANHRS reports "It is necessary at this stage to call a halt in the claims of the Howden branch of the family to a more or less direct descent from the Norman Conquest. In 1949 an intensive investigation and examination of the eary Spofforth Wills was made by the Compileter, which showed that the accounts given by Burke and the Harleian MSS. of the family between 1550 and 1675 were mainly conjectural, and contained many grave inaccuracies." We speculate (wildly!) that the Joshua and Simeon shown below were connected to the above in the following ways.

(b)

?? Spofforth

((1))

?? Spofforth

((A))

?? Spofforth

((i))

Joshua Spofforth (a 1660, prebendary of Donnington)

((a))

Mary Spofforth (father a John?)

m1. Francis Dawtre of Full Sutton

m2. (13.09.1665) Francis Horsley of Full Sutton (b c1630)

((2))

?? Spofforth

((A))

Thomas Spofforth in Selby mentioned by ANHRS as "may have been the father of ..."

((i))

Simon or Simeon Spofforth or Spoford of Selby (b c1640, d 07.12.1688)

m. Mary Palmer (bur 14.02.1679, dau of William Palmer)

((ii))

William Spofforth of Carlton (b c1643, dsp1665)

m. (1665) Anne Binsley of Drax

((iii))

daughter

m. _ Launsdale

((a))

Anne Launsdale

((iv))

daughter

m. Edward Atkinson

(ii)

Thomas Spofforth (a 1526, cleric)

(C)

Richard de Spofford (d 1450, cleric) had issue

m2. Joan Warde (dau of Robert Warde of Lowthorpe)

ii.

Roger Spofforth or Spofford (a 1396)

m. Cecilia

Thomas Spofford, Bishop of Hereford b 1370, (d 1456)

b.+

other issue - Agnes, Matilda

Henry de Spofforth of Grassington (priest)

John de Spofford (friar of Knaresborough)

Main source(s): BFR ('Spofforth', p543+), 'A New History of the Spofforth Family' (Ralph Spofforth, 1949, referred to above as "ANHRS") with a little input & support from BLG1863 ('Spofforth of Eastthorpe Hall')
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