The Middleton Accounts of 1526: #34

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was undated but should have been between the 15th and the 22nd June due to the dates provided in nearby entries. It was described as Sir Henry’s offering at Mr Arthen’s burial. The amount was 4 pence, which was the equivalent of about £7.35 today.

It is not certain who the Mr Arthen mentioned was and there is no other mention of the specific surname Arthen in the Middleton Manuscripts. Given John Lewissay’s spelling in other entries, it is highly likely the name could be spelled different. In academic works, Arden has been recognised as an alternative spelling of Arthen. Under the name Arden, there is a noted possible burial around this time that the entry might refer to. That burial was for Sir John Arden of Park Hall, Warwickshire (Castle Bromwich). His will was proved on 15th June 1526 and he is reported to have been buried on 27th June at Pedmore, Worcestershire.

There is a very close connection between Sir John and Sir Henry. Sir John had married Alice Bracebridge on 13th February 1474 at Kingsbury in a notorious situation, which had required the legal mediation of Sir Richard Bingham. Sir Richard was the husband of the owner of Middleton, Margaret de Freville (Willoughby), who was the grandmother of Sir Henry Willoughby. Furthermore, Alice was the daughter of Richard Bracebridge and Joyce Willoughby, who was Margaret’s daughter, which thus made Alice and Sir Henry first cousins.

Brass grave monument for Margaret de Freville and Sir Richard Bingham in St John's Church, Middleton, 2015. Photograph taken by Debbie Jordan.

Sir John was the eldest son of Walter Arden and Eleanor Hampden and was born circa 1467 at Park Hall. The legal situation over the marriage occurred because Walter Arden alleged that Richard Bracebridge and his retainers abducted John. The tale reports that the fair young Alice Bracebridge and the young John Arden fell in love. However, John’s parents disapproved of the match because they desired a better match for their heir. Although the Bracebridge family owned Kingsbury Hall, they did not have the same pedigree, status and wealth as the Ardens. John was forbidden by his parents to see Alice and was kept at Park Hall, meanwhile Alice pined for her love watching and collecting flowers floating down the river Tame that were dropped in it by John. It was said that her father hated to see her heartbroken and thus undertook a raid with a few of his men on Park Hall, easily taking a reportedly very unreluctant John away.

When John’s parents returned to find him missing, they were outraged and demanded redress. At this time, it was not uncommon for daughters to be kidnapped, especially if they were heiresses, but this was viewed as a venial offence. However, to kidnap a son, especially an heir, was a grave unpardonable offence. They appealed to King Edward IV and Sir Richard Bingham and Sir Simon Mountfort were appointed to hear the dispute. Throughout this time John remained at Kingsbury. Bingham and Mountfort determined that: the marriage would be solemnised; a jointure of 200 marks (about £91,439.28 today) would be settled on Alice by her father; and, for the trespass done by Richard Bracebridge when stealing away the young man, Walter would be allowed to take away the best horse at Kingsbury Park.

Sir John and Alice are known to have had at least seven children: Thomas, his son and heir who married Mary Andrews; John, who died without issue after his father but in the same year; Geys, who married Thomas Brayles; Katherine, who married Richard Mucklowe; a daughter who married someone with the surname Brown; Margaret, who married someone with the surname Kambur; and Agnes, who married Richard Cotton.

Further Reading:

W. H. Stevenson, Report on the Manuscripts of Lord Middleton, Historical Manuscripts Commission, 1911. p.383.

John Burke, A genealogical and heraldic history of the commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, 1833, p.638.

Ben Guy, "Misunderstanding Old Welsh Orthography and Insular Script in the Jesus College", Celtica, 33, 2021, pp.59-96.

Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.

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