Robert Banastre

  General Notes:

Father or Grandfather of the Next Robert Banastre.
~Memorials of the Family of Langton of Kilkenny, p. 62 ⁷⁶²

~Memorials of the Order of the Garter, p. 205, also calls him the father or grandfather of the next Banastre. Some of what this Robert is created to may belong to two Robert Banastre's, father and son. ¹³⁸

~Ormerod's History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, vol. II, p. 574, Banastre, Lee & Hoghton, of Molynton Pedigree, p. 574-575, Robert lost his lands in Wales during the wars, and had his castle of Prestatyn destroyed by Owen Gweneth, during the reign of Henry II, of England. He Had Walton-in-le-Dale by grant of Henry de Lacy, and the Makerfeld fee. He was the male heir of Robert Banastre lord of Prestatyn in Englefeld, Flintshire, who name occurs in the roll of Battle Abbey. ⁷¹³

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ⁷⁶²
The first Robert Banastre came into England at the Conquest, and held many lands, amongts the rest of Prestatyn in the part of North Wales called Englefield. The tower which was built there was destroyed when Owen Gwynedd, in 1167, when Owen Gwynedd, in 1167, recovered that country from the English. At this time Robert Banastre brought all his people into Lancashire.

We the find a Robert Banastre called a son, but is more likily a grandson, (Visitation of Lancashire calls him a son, pg. 16) of Robert Banastre, holding the fee of makerfield in the time of Henry II. And Henry de Lacie, who flourished in the reigns of Stephen and Henry II, granted to him "Walatum" and other lands, to be held by kinght's service.

Basnaste or Banastre and Benate, are words used in various parts of France, answering to the medieval Latin, "Banasta," "Banastum," and provincially, : Banasto," and having the meaning of Basket or creel, such as may be carried on the back, or slung in pairs, as dossera across a pack-saddle. Although there is no elevated origin for this family of feudal nobles, their patriarch appears on the Roll of Abbey, and one of whose scions ranks amongst the founders of the order of the Garter.

~Memorials of the Family of Langton of Kilkenny, p. 62
~Visitation of Lancashire, Vol I, pp. 15, 16, 19

• Background Information. ⁸¹³
Robert Banastre, who lead all his people to Lancashire after Owen Gwynedd, prince of North Wales, recovered his land from Britain, had three sons, Richard, who died without issue in 1204; Warin, who married a woman named Sarah, but died without issue, and Thurstan, who finally succeeded. Thurstan Banastre, in 1213, 15 John, gave 500 marks to the King, to have an inquisition whether the land of Makerfield should descend to him on the part of Robert his father and Warin his brother. He married Cecilia, and died in 1218 or 1219, leaving a son, Robert, who succeeded him, and probably another son, Thurstan, the ancestor of the Banastres of the Bank, to whom his brother gave his land in Newton, in the hundred of Wirrall, Cheshire.

Robert was only one year old at the time of his father's death. Philip de Orreby, Justice of Chester, made a fine of 500 marks to have the wardship and marriage of this Robert Banastre, which Robert died before 27 Feb 1241, having married Clementia, survived him. He had two sons, John who died in infancy about 26 Henry III, and Robert who succeeded him.

Robert Banastre, the fourth of that name, and four in descent from the first Robert Banastre who came to England after the Conquest, had a charter of free warren in Walton and Newton in 41 Henry III (1256-57), and in the following year he obtained a grant for a market and fair in the manor of Newton. He claimed Prestatyn in 6 Edward I, and in his petition to the King in parliament, he gives his descent, with an account of his family. By deed dated 13 Aug, 11 Edward I (1283), calling himself Sir Robert Banastre, knight, he gives to the Abbot and convent called "Locus Benedictus" of Stanlawe ten acres of land in his manor of Walton. He was living in 13 Edward I and died before 21 Edward I. He married Alice, daughter of Gilbert Woodcook, and they had a daughter named Clementia who married William de Lea, to whom he gave in frank marriage the manor of Mollington Banastre, in Cheshire. He also had a son, James Banastre, who married Elena, daughter of William le Botiler, baron of Warrington, and dying in his father's life-time, left a daughter and heir, Alice who succeed to her grandfather's estates. In 20 Edward I, this Alice Banastre was in ward to Sir John Byron and espoused to his son John. She was then stated to be under age, and, being at the time very young, the married was probably never consummated, for shortly after this date she is given in marriage to John de Langton, son of Robert de Langton of West Langton, in the county of Leicester. Alice was alive in 32 Edward I, as is shown by a fine levied of the manors of Walton and Newton and of the advowson of Wigan in that year, being a settlement of the heirs of John and Alice. John was still alive in Edward II.

~The History of the Church & Manor of Wigan in the County of of Lancaster. pp. 792-793

• Background Information. ⁸²³
~The Coucher Book, Or Chatulary of Whalley Abbey, Vol. I, p. 113-114, Robert Banastre, son of Robert I Banastre, built a castle at Prestatyn, which was overthrow 1167, when Owen Gwynedh succeeded in driving all the King's people from Wales. At this time Robert Banastre led his followers into Lancashire, where (during reign of Edward I), they were still called "les Westroys." He had the Lordship of Walton le Dalewith it appurtenances, as one kingith's fee, by charter from Henry de Lascy, Lord of Blackburn Hundred, and also held the barony of of Newton in Makerfeld. He had three sons:
• Richard who died before 1204
• Warin, married a woman named Sarah and died withou heirs.
• Thurstan, who finally succeeded his father