Gerald de Clayton

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ^764,827,946
The earliest Clayton that anything is known about is Gerald de Clayton who died in or about 1213. He was succeeded by his eldest son Robert who was in possession of Clayton-le-Woods as late as 1242, who was followed by John de Clayton, likely his brother, in 1288.

Gerald de Clayton occurs in the Pipe Roll of 1194/5 as owing five marks for himself and his esquires, 'because he was with Count John' in John's rebellion against Richard I [Lancas. Pipe R. 90]. Gerald de Clayton received the serjeanty of the hundred of Leyland from Count John, and this grant was confirmed to him in 1199 when John became king [Cal. Rot. Chart., 26] Gerald had also been senescahl for Albert Bussel, lord of Penwortham (1164-1190), and held four oxgangs of land there as recompense [Lancas. Inq. and Extents, vol. i, 33].

Gerald de Clayton was a benefactor to the Cockersand Abbey, giving part of his land within bounds beginning at the clough under Scalecroft and going by waingate to the clough dividing Leyland and Clayton, and by Blacklache to the starting-point [Cockersand Chartul, ii., 498].

~VCH: A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 6, pp. 29-32

• Background Information. ⁷³⁸
Gerald de Clayton, the first of this name, of Clayton-le-Woods, was Senschal to Albert Bussel (1164-1190), from whom he had a grant of four sxgands of land in Penwortham, to hold by homage, and performing that office [Testa, vol. ii fol. 817]. He also held the office of serjeant of the wapentake of Leyland, by grant from John, Count of Mortain (1189-1194), which office Kin John confirmed by charter bearing date at Chinon, 19 Oct 1199 [Charter Roll, 1 John, m. 4]. He also held half the manor of Clayton of the barony of Penwortham, by the service of the tenth part of a knight's fee. Gerald de Clay died before 1212, and was succeeded by his son and heir Robert, of whom it is stated in the Testa de Nevill [vol. ii. fol. 665]

The Chartulary of Cockersand Abbey of the Premonstratensian Order, Vol. II, Part I, p. 498

Gerald married.