Edward de St. John of Shirborn & Empshott ^{2 3}

  General Notes:

His widow [Eve Dawtry], married, before 26 May, following, as her 3rd husband, Edward DE ST. JOHN (a). He died 30 November 1347. In July 1350 Eve had licence to make a pilgrimage overseas. She died 16 August 1354.

(a) He was known as Edward de St. John 'le uncle'. In his inq. mention is made of John de St. John (of Basing) his brother. In 1348-9, after his death, Eve made a settlement of the manor of Barlavington and the advowson of Hardham Priory on herself and her issue by him.

[Complete Peerage X:327-33, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]

  Events

• Manorial Estate, 1315, Litchfield Manor, Whitchurch, Hampshire, RG28, GB. ⁵ On the death of Isabel, Litchfield passed to William and Eva [de Echingham], and was sold by them in 1315 to Edward de St. John of Barlavington (co. Suss.). Edward obtained a grant of free warren in his demesne lands of Litchfield in 1334 and died about 1340, leaving a widow Eva, who in 1346 was stated to be holding half a fee in Litchfield which had belonged to Isabel de Stopham. Eva died in 1354, leaving by Edward an only daughter Elizabeth, who became the wife of Henry Dyke of Sussex, from whom the manor ultimately descended to two sisters and co-heirs, Eleanor the wife of William Dering of Surrenden (co. Kent) and Constance the wife of John Goring of Burton (co. Suss.). In 1514 the manor was settled on John Goring and Constance for life with remainder to their son William in tail-male, but this settlement seems later to have been set on one side, for in 1537 John Kingsmill, who married Constance daughter of John Goring (if the pedigrees are correct), but in all probability his widow, obtained a quitclaim of the manor from Nicholas Dering, son and heir of William Dering and Eleanor, in return for an annuity of £6 12s. 8d. In 1540 John obtained a grant of the rent of 13s. 4d. issuing from the manor formerly belonging to Hyde Abbey, and died seised of the manor in 1556, leaving a son and heir William. From this date the manor has followed the same descent as Sydmonton (q.v.), the present owner being Mr. Andrew de Portal Kingsmill.

• Manorial Estate, 1316-1354, Empshott Manor, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU33, GB. ⁶ William Dawtrey (de Alta Ripa) was holding the manor of Empshott in 1291, in which year he settled it on Peter de la Stane (or Stone) for life, with reversion to John Dawtrey (possibly son of William) and Elizabeth his wife, who may have been a daughter of Peter, with reversion to the heirs of Peter if John and Elizabeth died without issue. It is just possible that this Elizabeth survived her husband and became the wife of James de Norton who held the manor in the early fourteenth century. By 1316, however, William Paynel was holding Empshott, evidently by the right of his wife Eva, who possibly was the direct heir of Peter de la Stane, and succeeded to the manor on the death of Elizabeth because Elizabeth had no children by her first husband. William died without issue in 1317, and Eva, who in 1321 was abducted and married by Edward de St. John, 'she being willing and consenting thereto,' was holding the manor conjointly with her second husband in 1346. She survived him also and lived until 1354, when the manor passed to her kinsman and heir Roger son of John de Shelvestrode. Joan, the daughter and heir of John de Shelvestrode, and probably granddaughter of Roger, married John Aske of Yorkshire, who in 1428 was holding the half fee in Empshott which Edward de St. John once held.

• Inquisition: Post mortem, 30 Nov 1347. ⁴ 53. EDWARD DE SANCTO JOHANNE.

Writ concerning the lands, &c. of the said Edward which he held for life of the king in chief, of the inheritance of Margaret and Isabel, sisters and heirs of Edmund, son and heir of Hugh de Sancto Johanne, deceased, who died a minor and in the king's wardship. 30 November, 21 Edward III.

SOUTHAMPTON. Inq. taken at Odyham on Thursday before the Purification, 22 Edward III.

Shireburne. The manor, except the parks of Prevet and Mourgarstone and the pond, held for life by the demise of John de Sancto Johanne his brother, of the inheritance of the aforesaid Margaret and Isabel, of the king in chief by service of half a knight's fee.

He held no other lands, &c. in the county.

He died on Friday, the feast of St. Andrew last. Writ of dedimus potestatem to Roger de Pykeryng to receive the attorneys of Henry de Burghersh and Isabel his wife, one of the sisters and heirs of the said Edmund, and the attorneys of Margaret, the other sister and heir of the said Edmund, whom John de Sancto Philberto married, to seek and receive in the chancery the shares of the said Isabel and Margaret of the manor of Shirebourn, co. Southampton, which is held of the king in chief by knight's service, and which Edward de Sancto Johanne, deceased, held of the inheritance of the said Isabel and Margaret; and also to receive the fealty of the said Henry.- 7 April, 22 Edward III. Endorsed by the said Roger that he has received the said attorneys and fealty.

C. Edw. III. File 85. (7.)

E. Enrolments &c. of Inq. No. 63.

Edward married Eve Dawtry, daughter of John Dawtry of Barlavington, Sussex and Elizabeth de la Stane, before 26 May 1318.¹ (Eve Dawtry was born about 1297 and died on 16 Aug 1354 ¹.)