Sir Richard Bingham

The 22nd May 2026 is the 550th anniversary of the death of Sir Richard Bingham, who died on 22nd May 1476 at Middleton Hall. Sir Richard was the second husband of Margaret de Freville. She had inherited Middleton, and, after their marriage in the summer of 1450, Middleton Hall became their principal residence.

Richard is thought to have been born about 1400 in Nottinghamshire and was the son of John Bingham. He was a cousin of Margaret’s first husband, Sir Hugh Willoughby, as they were both descendants of Ralph Bugge. Ralph’s two sons each inherited one of his Nottinghamshire manors, one at Bingham and the other at Willoughby-on-the-Wolds and their descendants adopted the surname of the respective manor they had received. Richard is known to have inherited the manor of Watnow-Chaworth (Watnall) in Nottinghamshire from his father, who was a descendant of a younger branch of the Bingham family.

Richard’s first marriage was to Ellen and she died in 1448. They are thought to have had four children: Richard, who married Margery Rempston; John, his heir, who married Elizabeth Charnell; Jane, who married Steven le Scrope; and Margery, who married Hugh Hercy. However, there are conflicting pedigrees and testimonies.

On 14th February 1443, King Henry VI ordered Richard Bingham to take the degree of serjeant-at-law. Serjeants-at-law were a small, well respected, elite ancient order of barristers. Originally, only these serjeants could become judges of the Courts of the King’s Bench and Common Pleas. Legally they were ranked above all other legal professionals and socially they were ranked above a knight.

Following his appointment as a serjeant-at-law, Bingham’s legal activities expanded substantially. On 19th February 1445, he was appointed as a justice of the assize by the King for the counties of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Staffordshire, which was in addition to Nottinghamshire where he had already been a justice before his elevation.

On 5th May 1445, Bingham was appointed as a justice of the King’s Bench. He continued in this role for most of the rest of his life. As the King’s Bench focused on breach of the peace and cases involving the Crown, Bingham’s presence in this Court and his commissions incidentally revealed England’s descent into and troubles throughout the War of the Roses.

Before 1450, Bingham’s judicial commissions are significantly less frequent and less violent, for example, there was one in 1448 concerning wardships and marriages. However, afterwards his commissions involved adjudicating things all over the country for such crimes as: treason; insurrection; felonies; trespass; Lollardry; conspiracy; confederacy; false allegiance; riot; rout; congregation; unlawful gathering; unlawful league; maintenance; ambidexterity; champerty; extortion; oppression; misprision; offence; negligence; falsity; robbery; homicide; murder; rape of women; error; deception; usurpation; concealment; excess; injury; grievance; mis-deed; burial without notification to the coroner; and more.

His commissions indicate that he was sent to adjudicate, amongst others: Cade’s Rebellion; the Duke of York’s Rebellion in 1450; Neville/Percy factions fighting in 1456; Yorkist/Lancastrian conflict in 1459 at Blore Heath and Ludlow; the lands of Richard of York and the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury after they were attainted in December 1459; Lancastrian uprising in 1460 for which he had accompanied Richard of York to adjudicate and this was when Richard of York was killed at the Battle of Wakefield; invasion of England by Margaret of Anjou in 1462; diverse Lancastrian supporters in Warwickshire in 1465; the two Yorkshire rebellions of 1469; Lincolnshire Rebellion of 1470; and the diversionary Rebellions in Yorkshire in August 1470.

The coronation of Elizabeth Woodville, wife of King Edward IV, as Queen of England took place on 26th May 1465. To mark this occasion, at the Tower of London, 48 Knights of the Bath were made and one of these was Richard Bingham.

The brass of Sir Richard Bingham and his wife Margaret in St John's Church, Middleton, 2015. Photograph taken by Debbie Jordan.

Sir Richard was buried at St John’s Church at Middleton. His likeness was conveyed on the shared brass with Margaret on the floor of the chancel. It is noted as unusual to have both husband and wife represented on a single brass but this is believed to have been the result of Margaret’s status as the owner of Middleton. On the brass, Sir Richard wears his justice's robes and is three feet two inches in height. Today, this brass is worn and the coats of arms on the corners have been lost but the Latin plaque on the brass is still visible and, translated, states: “Here lies Sir Richard Bingham, Knight and Justice of the King's Bench, who died 22 May 1476, and the Lady Margaret; to whose souls God be merciful. Amen.”

Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.

Please consider supporting Middleton Hall Trust by sending us a donation.