Is your name Mouldsworth?

If your name is Mouldsworth your ancestors may have lived in the township of that name on the edge of Delamere Forest, near to Chester.

Randle de Moldeworth was living there in the thirteenth century. Roger, his successor, who had a brother Peter, was a juror at an enquiry regarding the Church of Thornton early in the fourteenth century. William de Mouldsworth and his wife Lucy had the manor in 1327. He had three brothers, Robert, John and Adam who held lands in Mouldsworth, the latter being heir to William.

Eventually, Adam also held the manor of Little Barrow. Adam was succeeded by his son Adam who was forester of Mara and was living in 1364. Adam and Cecily his wife had two sons, Richard, who had lands in Kelsall from his father, and Roger who became Lord of Mouldsworth and married a daughter of Richard Manley. Roger was living in 1394 and was succeeded by his son Nicholas who held lands in Tarvin.

He was living in 1442 when he was seventy years of age. He had three sons, Robert, John and Richard and it appears that the two latter with others were indicted for an assault at Budworth in 1421.

Robert was appointed collector of a subsidy in Edisbury Hundred and was Forester of Mara, whilst John leased the King's lands in the forest. Richard became Forester in 1438.

John succeeded to Mouldsworth and was followed by his son Richard and later by Richard's son, another John who was living at Mouldsworth in 1502. John's son John Mouldeworth sold the Mouldsworth estates and was succeeded by his son Robert who confirmed the sale in 1521.

Robert appears to have had a son Richard, succeeded by Edward who was living at Wincham, near Northwich, in 1624. Edward's son William Mouldsworth married Dorothy, daughter of William Trafford, of Bridge Trafford, and had descendants.
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