The Pedigree of Tatton, Kenworthy & Cicely de Massey

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PAGE 4 UPDATED 3rd July 2025

ANCIENT MUNIMENTS OF TATTON part 3 of 3.  - The Tatton & Kenworthy direct line of descent cont'd.

We know that Hamon de Kenworthy’s birth is around the early 1230’s based on the public records of his son Roger de Kenworthy. The age of Roger de Tatton the elder in record TW/2 would be about the time of Henry 3rd 1216-. In order to “square the circle”, to which generation of the direct line of descent is Roger Tatton a younger brother? Alanus is lord of Tatton in c.1230, 34 years after his father Alan died in 1196. I would assume Alanus would by this time be at least in his 60’s. Quenild is probably also too old to be a young father & so, the obvious choice is William de Tatton, the son of Quenild. Theoretically therefore, we have Roger de Tatton (son of Quenild de Tatton & younger brother of William de Tatton), agreeing to a bond of marriage with Cicely de Massey who brought with her a dowry for half of Northenden, from which Hamon (Roger de Tatton's heir) would have taken his name & title. At this time in history, the locative surname was as important, legally, as the knight's seal, and became his domain name & was charter proof of entitlement to his holding, his new domain. As the son of a younger brother in the direct Tatton line of descent, Hamon would have been granted a charter in fee tail for Kenworthy, directly from Roger de Tatton & Cicely de Massey his parents who would have gifted this title at birth.

https://www.sloansterling.com/venables/norman_surname.htm

 Early Tatton line of descent to 1297 when the seat is held by Robert de Tatton. (See Tatton/Wythenshaw pg 1 ).

 1) Alan de Tatton. b. c1150. Mentioned in 1186. Held the seat of Tatton by the order of the Knights of St. John, (see above). Appointed the 5th prior of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in 1190 & was raised to the bishopric of Bangor in 1195, but spent most of his time with the Hospitallers. He died in 1196. 

2) Alanus filius de Tatton, b. c1170. Son of Alan de Tatton. During Henry 3rd 1216-1272. Alanus filius de Tatton assumed the surname of Tatton & was Lord of all Tatton in c.1230. He gave the land of Bruchel to William de Massey (Henry 3rd 1216-) (Orm. Vol 1 p440).

3) Quenild de Tatton. b. c1190. Mentioned in the grant in 1286 below as father of William de Tatton.** Probably so named after the Manor of Quenington, a village & Manor in the Cotswolds. A 13th century gatehouse is the only surviving building from a Preceptory (manor/estate) of the Knights Hospitallers. Founded in 1144-62 by Walter, the first Prior of the Order in England (1142-1162) & dissolved in 1540. It was one of the earliest Hospitallers Preceptories, built after the first crusade 1095-1291.

4) William de Tatton, b. c1210. Mentioned in the grant 1286 below, father of William FitzRobert de Tatton.** See below

*Roger de Tatton of Tatton. b. c1212. Presumed younger brother of William de Tatton & son of Quenild de Tatton during Henry 3rd c1216. As father of Hamon de Kenworthy c1230. Roger Tatton probably married Cicely de Massey, granddaughter of Baron Hamon de Massey 3rd (5th pg2) who received half of Northenden from her Aunt Sibil, which passed to the seat of Tatton by c.1230.

5) William Fitz Robert de Tatton, b. c1230– Mentioned in the grant 1286 with his father and grandfather above.**  Grant of a parcel of land to Richard Massey.

**Ormerod Vol 1 p440. "William son of William son of Quenild de Tatton granted a great part of Tatton unto sir Richard Massy and Isabel his wife, about the year of Christ 1286, which  Peter Hackham, then prior of the hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England confirmed."

6) **Robert de Tatton, b. c1250. Lord of Wythenshaw & living in Kenworthy 1297. Mentioned as the son of William FitZRobert de Tatton in the pedigree of the Tattons of Wythenshaw. Ormerod, vol 3 p609. He also occurs as a witness to a charter of lands in Northenden c.1290 and by another charter at Wythenshaw as a grantee of lands in 1297, then taking up residence in Kenworthy. vol 3 p604.

Early Kenworthy line of descent from c.1230. (Kenworthy pedigree).

 **(See Muniment TW/2. Grant by Robert de Tatton to Roger de Tatton, Son of William, son of Roger de Tatton).

(Proviso)-  With Primogeniture, the eldest son inherited the main estate and, often, the title. This often led to the eldest son taking on the name of the estate, while the younger sons continued with the family name or developed their own. In Hamon's case, as the eldest son of Roger de Tatton c.1212 he adopts the place name of Kenworthy. Any younger brothers of Hamon or sons of Roger de Tatton would continue with the name of Tatton.  So we have:-

Roger de Tatton b. c1212   - younger brother of William de Tatton, son of Quinild de Tatton. (See above &  page 2)

m. Cicely de Massey b. c1214- granddaughter of the (3rd baron, or 5th - see page 2).  This Roger de Tatton being the last named in muniment TW/2 shown above.

*Hamon de Kenworthy of Kenworthy. b. circa.1230. Presumed heir of Roger de Tatton & Cicely de Massey, c.1230

Bond 1313 to William de Baguley - Opens by addressing his son Roger de Kenworthy of Kenworthy.

Roger de Kenworthey - Son of Hamon de Kenworthy, b. circa.1255-1260                                                   

Quitclaims & Land Grants, Inquisition witness 1276, Land Grant 1310, Plea Rolls 1312 & 1313, Witness to 2 Grants 1316, & 1317. 

John de Kenworthy of Kenworthy - (Son of Roger)     

Witness to Land Grant 1353 – Reference to both John & father Roger de Kenworthy both living in 1353.   

William de Kenworthey of Kenworthy - (Son of John?)

Bond 1377, Inquests 1389, 1390, 1394, Witness to 2 Land Grants 1396                                   

James de Kenworthy of Kenworthy                             

Quitclaim 1449                                                                                 

Nicholas Kenworthy of Kenworthy             

Grant 1493 

John Kenworthy of Northenden - (Son of Nicholas Kenworthy of Kenworthy)

Obligation 1512, Court Assizes 1510, Land Lease 1533

Note: -

The Tatton line of descent above flows to William de Tatton, but then the Kenworthy line probably starts with William’s younger brother Roger de Tatton & Cicely de Massey, whose son & heir would be Hamon de Kenworthy of Kenworthy, c.1230.  GL

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Page last updated 3rd July 2025