Geoffrey de Cotesford

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ⁹¹⁰
The author of The Early History of the Stricklands of Sizergh believes that Robert de Strickland's wife and the mother of Sir Robert de Strickland was Beatrice, daughter of Geoffrey de "Cotesford" (Coatforth). An entry in the Westmorland Assize Roll of 1256 suggests that the mother of Sir Robert de Strickland may have been a co-heiress of the manor of Melcanthorpe, for in that year, Robert de "Styrkeland" was defendant in a claim for dower in a moiety of the manor of "Melkinthorp" at the suit of Beatrice, widow of Robert de "Wythehered: [Assize Roll, 41 Hen. III, no. 979] Later the same moiety reappears as in the possession of William de "Stikeland," the son & heir of Sir Robert. Before the moeity of the manor of Melcanthorpe was in Beatrice's hands, it had been in the possession of Geoffrey de "Cotesford" (Coatsforth) of Asby Coatsforth, Westmoreland, who died circ 1230 without male issue. Geoffrey's land in Asby were held by his daughter Christian and her husband William l'Engleys. It is not unlikely that Geoffrey had another daughter, Beatrice, who brought the Melcanthrorpe property in marriage to Sir Robert de Strickland's father Robert.

Geoffrey de Cotesford was the nephew of Hugh de Cotesford and grandnephew of Richard de Cotesford who were maong those fined for the treacherous surrender of Appleby castle to the King of Scots in 1174, and who had originally held his lands of Melcanthorpe and Asby under Hugh de Morville. Perhaps Geoffrey's father was an elder Geoffrey (of Melcanthrhorpe) who is called "brother" of Hughh de Cotesford in a Lowther charter circ 1200. The younger Geoffrey de Cotesford was granted "half my manor of Melkinthrorpe" circa 1190 by his uncle, Hugh, who seems to have divided both the Asby and Melcanthorpe estates between this same Geoffrey and Hugh's brother Robert.

~The Early History of the Stricklands of Sizergh, pp. 36-37