Sir Robert de Assheton Knight

   Another name for Robert was Sir Robert Ashton Knight.

  General Notes:

Burke's A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies of England, Ireland, p. 20, only names Sir Robert as the grandson of Thomas Ashton while Butterworth's History and description of the Town and Parish of Ashton-Under-Lyne, p. 13-14, names Robert as the son of Thomas. Glover's History of Ashton-under-Lyne, p. 51, names Sir Robert Assheton as the son of a Sir John. VCH, A History of Lancaster, Volume 4, pp. , states: "He (Orm de Assheton) was succeeded by his son Thomas, and Robert de Ashton occurs in 1254 [Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 193], but the descent in the absence of evidence cannot be made out quite clearly. In 1274 Thomas de Ashton defended his title to the manor of Ashton against John de Kirkby [De Banc. R. 11, m. 3; 15, m. 4 (printed in Lancs. Pipe R. 405) 21, m. 8 d.; 27, m. 29; 28, m. 24 d]." ^535,763,833

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ⁵³⁵
Sir Robert de Ashton was the grandson of Sir Thomas de Ashton. Sir Robert was vice chamberlain to King Edward III, and a commissioner to treat for peace with France. He was later governor of Guynes, warden of the cinque ports, and admiral of the Narrow Seas. In 43 Edward III, he was made justice of Ireland. Four years later he was treasurer of England. Lastly, he was appointed constable of Dover Castle. Sir Robert was one of the executors of the last will of Edward III, and he appears to have enjoyed the confidence of the succeeding monarch, for we find him in 4 Richard II, once again the warden of the cinque ports.

~Burke's A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies of England, Ireland, p. 20

• Background Information. ⁹³¹
Sir Robert Assheton, the eldest son of Thomas, married, a woman of unknow parents, named Elizabeth. Sir Robert was Vice Chamberlain to Edward III, Admiral of the Narrow Seas (as appears by fines in the Tower, 43d Edw.III & 1Pt.P, 43d Edw, III m. 15), and Justice of Ireland 46th Edw. III and dischared 47th Edw. III. Sir Robert de Assheton, along with the other honors, was alsothe Treasurer of the Exchequer, 49 Edward III. (25 Jan1340-24 Jan 1341). He had a son, Sir Thomas, who served in Parliament, the 12th year of Richard II, as one of the Knights of Lancashire.

~History and Description of the Town and Parish of Ashton-Under-Lyne, p. 14

• Background Information. ¹⁰¹¹
Sir Robert de Ashton, a civil, military, and naval officer under Edward III, was of the great northern family of Ashton or Assheton, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the county of Lancaster. The house claims descent from Emma, the daughter of Albert de Gresley, the first baron of Manchester; she married Orm, the son of Ailward, and received from her father as a dowry a portion of the lands he had received from Roger of Poictou. From this union, probably of Norman heiress and Saxon thane, descended Sir John Ashton, who was twice married. The date of the birth of his son Robert is not known, nor are there records of his career until we find him, in 1324, a member of the parliament of Westminster, and afterwards occupying positions of great importance and trust. In 1359 he was governor of 'Guynes' near Calais; in 1362 he was lord treasurer of England; in 1368 he had the custody of the castle of Sandgate near Calais with the lands and revenue thereto belonging; in 1369 he was admiral of the Narrow Seas; in 1372 he was justiciary of Ireland; and in 1373 again lord treasurer of England and king's chamberlain. In 1375 he became chancellor of the exchequer, and held that office until the death of Edward III in 1377, when he was succeeded by Simon de Bureley. The new king did not discard his father's old servant, and in 1380 Ashton was appointed constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports. He died at Dover Castle 9 Jan. 1384-5, and was buried in the church there, to which he had previously presented a large bell. He was twice married. By his first wife, Elizabeth, whose surname is not known, he left a son, Thomas, and a daughter, Eleanor. His second wife was the widow of Lord Matthew de Gomey, and after Ashton's death married Sir John Tiptoft, knt., and died in 1417. Such are the scanty details of the career of a man who, going from a then remote and little-known district, achieved distinction alike in court and camp, by land and by sea.

By William Edward Armytage Axon, The Dictionary of National Biography, Volume II, 1885 edition, p. 180

[Sources cited: Rymer's Fœdera, 3rd edit. 752, 820, 822, 824, 844, 845, 862, 924, 930, 942, 977, 978, 979, 990, 1010, 1052, 1062, 1069, 1076, 1077; Baines's Hist. of Lancashire; Axon's Lancashire Gleanings.]

• Background Information. ⁸⁸³
Sir Robert de Assheton married an woman of unknown parentage by the name of Elizabeth,, who was the mother of his sons Thomas and William.

Glover, History of Ashton-under-Lyne, p. 53

Robert married Elizabeth.⁸³³