1440 The Parles estate at Shutlanger was recovered from wardship when John Parles came of age [1]:
Not until 1440 was the surviving son of that generation, John Parles, born in 1419, able to recover the estate from a lengthy wardship. [2] [3] John himself died in 1452, seised of the same estate as his grandfather, leaving a widow Margaret and a daughter and heir Joan, aged five, to whom his estate was entailed after her mother's death. [4] [5] Margaret remarried almost at once, taking as her second husband Robert Catesby, [6] who died within a few years. Margaret herself died in 1459, leaving a son William Catesby, aged seven, as her heir, although it was noted that the manor of Watford (and presumably the other estates which had belonged to her first husband) should properly descend to her daughter Joan Parles, [7] who came of age two years later. [8]
A biosketch of John Parles reports [9]:
John Parles, born 1419; had seisin of his ancestral properties at his coming of age, 1440; died 1452; married Margaret Weldon, daughter of William Weldon of Weldon, Northants [10] (afterwards wife of Robert Catesby), died 1459 85 ; issue:
Joan Parles, born circa 1447; had seisin of the Northants properties, 1461; dead by 1504; married John Comberford, of Comberford, Staffs, and left issue, who succeeded to the Parles estates
The Parles Manor passed in marriage to John Comberford in the reign of Edward IV [11]:
In the reign of Edward III. the family of Parles held a manor here [Byfield parish, Northamptonshire, England] called Parles Manor, and which passed in marriage to John Comberford in the reign of Edward IV. ; and besides this there were three other manors in Byfield, called St Ebrulf's Abbey Manor, Zouch or Verney Manor, and St Andrew or Gotham Manor. The Parles Manor passed from Thomas Comberford, Esq., in the 5th of Henry VIII. (1514), to William Fitzherbert.
A summary of The Lords of Watford Manor and estate [12]:
John Parles (1419 - 1452) Born in Watford, John Parles married Margaret Parles (nee Walwyn) at an unknown date. They had a daughter; Joan in 1447. John Parles died in in 1452 leaving a widow Margaret and a daughter and heir Joan, aged five, (to whom his estate was entailed after her mother's death). Margaret was remarried almost immediately taking as her second husband Robert Catesby - who died within a few years. Margaret herself died in 1459, leaving a son William Catesby, aged seven, as her heir, although it was noted that the manor of Watford should properly descend to her daughter Joan Parles, (who came of age two years later in 1461. The estate was held in wardship By William Comberford. The Inquisitions for John and Margaret recorded an estate that included Watford Manor and Morcote with 6 messuages and 10 virgates of land.
[1] Philip Riden, Charles Insley, eds., A History of the County of Northampton, Vol. 5 (Victoria County History, 2002), 374-413, [BritishHistoryOnline].
[2] The National Archives of the United Kingdom Catalog, 19 Hen VI, "Parles, William, brother and heir of Walter, of Watford, son of Ralph Parles, esq: Herts" C 139/102/23, [UKNationalArchives].
[3] The National Archives of the United Kingdom Catalog, 19 Hen VI, "Parles, John, brother and heir of William, as above. Proof of age: Northants". C 139/102/24, [UKNationalArchives].
[4] The National Archives of the United Kingdom Catalog, 30 Hen VI, "Chancery: Inquisitions Post Mortem, Series I, Henry VI. John Parles Northants", C 139/146/15, [UKNationalArchives].
[5] Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Henry VI, Vol. 5, 1446-1452 (London: HMSO), 376-377, [HathiTrust].
[6] Baker, Northants, i, 245
[7] The National Archives of the United Kingdom Catalog, 38-39 Hen VI, "Catesby, Margaret, who was the wife of Robert: Northants", C 139/178/56, [UKNationalArchives].
[8] The National Archives of the United Kingdom Catalog, 1 Edw IV, "Parles, Joan: proof of age Northants", C 140/6/64, [UKNationalArchives].
[9] Michael Andrews-Reading, "Village Cromwells: The Parles Family, 1166-1452," Foundations Volume 2, Part 5 (2006), 342-349 at 349, [FoundationMedievalGenealogy].
[10] The National Archives of the United Kingdom Catalog, [UKNationalArchives].
[11] Francis Whellan, History, topography, and directory of Northamptonshire, Second Edition (1874), 447, [HathiTrust].
[12] The Lords of Watford Manor and estate, [URL].