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Thomas Bulkeley, Esq.[1], was born in 1515 at Woore in the ancient parish of Mucklestone, Staffordshire. He was the son[2] of William Bulkeley and Beatrice, daughter and co-heiress of William Hill, Esq[1]. Woore is in Staffordshire about 12 km north east of Buntingsdale Hall in Shropshire.
The Pedigree of Barker and Bulkeley is included from Wills and Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica as found on Page 25 of the Acworth Pedigree[3]
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Pedigree of Barker and Bulkeley |
Thomas Bulkeley married[3] Elizabeth Grosvenor, daughter of Randall Grosvenor and Anne Charlton. They had two sons, Rowland and Edward, and three daughters, Margaret (wife of Thomas Smythe), Anne (wife of William Greene), and Katherine (wife of George Barker).[2]
Thomas Bulkeley lived at Buntingsdale[4], Shropshire. Buntingsdale is west of Market Drayton[5]. A new manor[6] was built at the location in 1721.
Thomas Bulkeley died in 1591[2]. He was buried[7] in the Buntingsdale Chapel at St Mary's Church[8] in Market Drayton, Shropshire, England[2]. There is a monument to Thomas Bulkeley and Elizabeth (Grosvenor) Bulkeley in St Marys, Market Drayton, Shropshire - in the Buntingsdale Chapel.
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Memorial to Thomas and Elizabeth Bulkeley in the Buntingsdale Chapel at St Mary's Market Drayton, Shropshire. |
Thomas Bulkeley left a Will[9][7] recorded at Lichfield on October 19, 1591.
At the time of its writing he was 'now remayning at Coulsis in pish of Drayton in Hales', and requested burial in Our Lady Chapel in the Church of Saint Mary, Drayton in Hales (Market Drayton).
He was steward of Drayton Manor, and held various property and messuages at Gravenhunger and Woore (in Mucklestone), Shropshire; Knighton and Oakley (in Mucklestone), Staffordshire; Hurleston, Cheshire; Buerton (in Audlem), Cheshire; Haughton (in Eddisbury Hundred), Cheshire; Bridgemere, Hunsterson and Poole (in Nantwich Hundred), Cheshire; Moulton (in Northwich Hundred), Cheshire; and Stoke (in Wirral Hundred), Cheshire. Bio by: Todd Whitesides.
Will[10] of Thomas Bulkeley, died 1591.
The 23 June 33 Elizabeth. Thomas Bulkeley now remayning at Coulsis in pish of Drayton in Hales, dio of coûtry & Licbfield of good & pfect health of bodie & mynde, etc. My Bodie to be buryed in the Chappel called our Ladie Cbappel in Drayton Church. T‘o the reparacons of the same chappel and my buryall XXs whereof Xs is to be bestowed by the church wardens and other Xs by 4 my executors. I will that Marie Bulkeley wyfe of my nephew Willm Bulkeley shall have & enjoy all such Lands as I have Conveyed to her use for the terme of her life as by Indre between Richard Colton of Cumbermaire, Esq, Co. Chester her father and me the said Thomas Bulkeley may more playnlie appear in full satisfaction of her dowrye & Joynture and after her decease the same to remayne to my sayd Nephew Willm Bulkeley son of Roland Bulkeley & to his heirs and for default of such Issue to the use of me and my right heires forever. I give my messuage Cottages lands tenements etc. in hunstanton & Bridgemere in the pish of Wibunburye, Co. Chester to the sayd Willm Bulkeley my Nephew & his heires And for default then to my right heirs. After my decease I give my Capital Messuage with all the apptenauncs called the halle of Bulkeley and all my Other Messuage lands, etc. in Woouer de Gravenhanger Co. Salop & in Okeley & Kneighton, Co. Stafford and in Bureton PooIe Stooke Hawghton hurleston moulton & Surtage Co. Chester unto my sayd Nephew Willm Bulkeley & to his heires males And for default then to Rowland Bulkeley my eldest son and Margaret now his wyfe for xl yeares if the sayd Rowland and Margaret or either of them so long lyve and after their decease then to the heires males of the sayd Rowland and for default then to my second son Edward Bulkeley & his heires male and for default then to my daughter Katherine Barker and her heris--I give to my son Edward Bulkeley an annual Rent of xls for Life out of my lands in Woover & Grënhonger To my Nephew WilIm as heire loomes two great potts & my greatest panne my best presse & best cupboard weh remayne now at my house in Wouer Also my best bed at Wouer wt all belonging to it wt all other my goods & Chattells at my sayd house at Wouer, And he shall not have any power to bargain sell or give away any of the sayd stuffe appoynted to him for heire loomes but only to occupie the same for his lyfe. I bequeath to my daughter Margaret Smith xx li in custody of Rowland Bulkeley and to my daughter Kathetine Barker xx li in Custody of her husband. To my son Edward Bulkelely xx li whereof x li is in his own Custody. To my three sons in Lawe George Barker, William Greene & Thomas Smith xls each in goods. To my sister Helen Mills xls. To my sister in Lawe Anne Bulkeley of Wou er and to her daughter in Law xls. To Thomas Bulkeley her son xls wch is in his own Custodie. To every godchild xijd. To my daughter in Lawe Margt Bullkeley v li. To Humfrey Wordley an angell of gould. To my son Barker my best gowne & cappe. The rest of my apparell to be divided amonge my friends & some to my servants. The rest of my goods to be devided into three parts, the first to the children of my son Edwd, the second arnonge the children of my daughter Margt Smith, the third amonge the children of my daur Katherine. To my cosen Edwd Clerke my furred cloke. To my cosen Thos Whitmore my gowne furred with conye. To my nephew William my bed that I now lie upon at Coulsis and all the furniture belonging thereunto. To my cosen Duffield of London and his weif xxs. To John Male xxs. To Raphe Bickerton and his weif xiijs iiijd. To Johane Hayward xiijs iiijd in pate recompence the paynes and travaile that she hath taken with me a in my sicknes. To my cosen Richard Derways & his wief xxs . To cosen Robert Grosvenor one angell of gould. To my daughter in Lawe Olive Bulkeley two angells of gould. Wheras my Nephew William Grinsell oweth me ??? markes now I give to his mother xls and the other xxvjs viijd I forgive him. I will that Mr Darker Vicar of Drayton and my son in Lawe George Barker and John Cartwrite of Drayton shall have v rnarkes of my goods to such use as I have declared unto them. I will that an alabaster stone be provided to be uppon me and my wief to be written upon as followeth "Here is buryed Thomas Bulkeley and Elizabeth his weif sonne & heire of William Bulkeley late of Woer and of Beatrice his weif daughter of William Hill some tyme Lord of Buntingsdale Blore and Longestowe which Thomas departed this world," etc. I make my son Edward Bulkeley sole executor, or if he dye before, then my son in law George Barker. Supvisors: the right worshipfull ffrancis Newport of Arcolie and Roland Barker of Haughmond, Esquiers, to either of whom I give one old Royall of Gould. l give to my son in law Geprge Barker fortie shillings to discharge my funerall as he shaJl think meete. Whereas I have by Deed bearing date 16 Dec. 28 Elizabeth devised and granted to my second son Edward Bulkeley my Capitall Tenement in Pullie, Co. Chester with all other lands tenements, etc. in Pullie afordesayd and in Stoke and Hurleston in the sayd Co. of. Chester from and immediatly after my decease and Elizabeth my wife allreadie deceased for sixty yeares as by the sayd deede indented more at large it doth and may appeare I do by this my present will demise and bequeath and my will is that the sayd Edward Bulkeley and his assigns shall quietly haue and inoye the sayd Capitall Messuage, etc. In witness, etc. Signed Thomas Bulkeley [the seal gone]. Witnesses: Roger Daker, Roland Hill, Osmary Hill senr. William Garner.
Proved at Lichfield 19 October 1591, by Wilhiam(?] Bulkeley son and executor.
Buntingsdale Hall was rebuilt in 1721. It seems that there must have been a well established manor house there in the time of Thomas Bulkeley if the chapel in St Mary's Church at Market Drayton was already in existence at the time of Thomas' death in 1591.
There are many small villages in this part of Shropshire and Staffordshire and records often mix the names of vilages with the name of the parish/region. For example, Woore is in the ancient parish of Mucklestone and close to Buntingsdale and Buntingsdale Hall. Coulchurch, mentioned in the Bulkeley Pedigree is just south of Buntingsdale. Calverhall is to the north west approximately 6 km. The Google Earth Image below shows the locations.
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Area around Buntingsdale in Shropshire, England |
Buntingsdale Hall was purchased by the RAF before WWII and used as the Headquarters of RAF HQ22 Group. The Hall was close to the Tern Hill Airfield.
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Categories: Market Drayton, Shropshire