Bay Hall, Aylesford and Wakehurst
Culpeper Pedigree Charts
Generations 1-8
By Warren H. "Dick" Culpeper
Also see:
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Bay Hall (bh)
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Aylesford (a)
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Wakehurst (wk)
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1
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Sir Thomas
Culpeper 1 bh
The first Culpeper of record was Sir Thomas Culpeper of Bay Hall, in the parish of Pembury in the county of
Kent, England, not far from London. He was born about 1103 and
died about 1247. He was a Recognitor Magna Assisae (Judge of the
Great Assisae) in the time of King John, who reigned from 1199 to
1216. He was active in English affairs when the English barons
forced King John to sign the Magna Charta on 15 June 1215. Nothing
is known of his family except that he had a son and heir named
John Culpeper 2bh |
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2
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Sir John
Culpeper 2bh
John was the son of Sir Thomas de Culpeper 1bh, and inherited the
estate of Bay Hall. lie was born about 1220 and died about 1286.
He was knighted by King Henry III, who ruled from 1216 to 1276. He
received the Culpeper Coat of Arms from King Henry III. Sir John
expanded the Culpeper holdings in Langely, Boughton, East and
West Farleigh, Brenchley, Turnbridge, Yalding, Malling and
Shipboon. His only son and heir was Sir Thomas Culpeper 3bh. |
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3
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Sir Thomas
Culpeper 3bh
Son of Sir John Culpeper 2bh, Sir Thomas was born about 1251 and died about 1305. He inherited
the vast property holdings in the counties of Kent and Sussex from
his father Sir John. He was the Sheriff of county Kent during the
time of King Edward I, who ruled from 1272 to 1307. He had four
sons, all vigorous men of arms. All four sons, Sir Thomas, Walter,
John and Nicholas, were involved with Lord Thomas, Earl of
Lancaster, in his rebellion against King Edward II in 1321. Sir
Thomas, the oldest, from whom all the American Culpepers descend,
inherited Bay Hall. Walter, the second son, inherited Preston
Hall. John and Nicholas were given estates by their father, Sir
Thomas. |
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4
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From Bay Hall the Culpepers spread over the whole face of the
counties of Kent and Sussex. From the Bay Hall Culpepers came the Culpepers of the houses of Bedgebury, Wakehurst, Wigsell, the
Barons of Thoresway, and Feckenham, from whom the American Culpepers descend.
Sir Thomas Culpeper 4bh
Sir Thomas, son of Sir Thomas Culpeper 3bh, was born about 1273 and died in
1321. He and Margery, his wife, had a daughter, Margaret, who was
buried in the parish of Pembury, in county Kent. They also had
three sons: Walter, the oldest, died in a battle in Normandy, at
the age of 22 in 1327, without children. Sir John, succeeded to
Bay Hall on the death of Walter. Nothing is known of Richard, the
youngest, except that he was alive in 1365. King Edward I, who
ruled from 1272 to 1307, made Sir Thomas a knight of Bedgebury and
the Governor of Winchelsea. In the time of King Edward II, who
ruled from 1307 to 1327, he and his brother John was a partisan of
Lord Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, in his bitter fight at the Battle
of Boroughbridge and the fatal fight at Pontefract against King
Edward 11 in 1321. As a consequence, Sir Thomas was executed in
October of that year at Winchelsea, a short time before the king
executed his brother Walter at Leeds Castle. His brother John was
imprisoned in York Castle in 1322 and released from Castle
Berkhamstead by King Edward III, immediately upon his accession to
the throne in 1327; and returned his estate.
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4.
Walter Culpeper 4a
Walter Culpeper, son of Sir Thomas Culpeper 3bh, started the Culpepers of
Aylesford. The manor of Preston Hall, a large
land holding, was in the parish of Aylesford, county of Kent. It's manor house was
located close to the wandering River Medway, opposite the village
of Aylesford. Like Bayhall, it was an estate of some importance
and value. Walter was born about 1275 and died in 1321. Walter and
his wife Joane, had three sons. Thomas, the oldest, died young and
without children. Nothing is known of John, the youngest.
Their heir was Sir Geoffrey. In 1321, Walter and his younger
brother, Nicholas, were in the Battle of Boroughbridge with Sir
Thomas and John, the other brothers. Both Walter and Nicholas
later suffered for their refusal to admit Queen Isabel to Leeds
Castle. She personally approached the gate in the late afternoon
of a cold December day in 1321, and asked for shelter for the
night for she and her retinue, but Walter again refused. Walter
cared little for her or the king. For this indignity, King Edward
II, still pained for Walter's part in the rebellion against him,
besieged the castle and eventually took it. "He then took
Captain Culpeper and hoong him up," and imprisoned Nicholas
in Rochester Castle. The next year the king released Nicholas and
restored his estate. Nothing else is known of Nicholas. From
Walter came the Culpepers of Oxen Hoath and Aylesford. |
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5
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Sir John
Culpeper 5bh
Sir John was born about 1301 and died about 1372. He inherited the
vast estate of Bay Hall from his father Sir Thomas Culpeper 4bh.
He was the Sheriff of county Kent, beginning in 1370, during the
reign of King Edward 111 (1327-1377). He married Elizabeth Hardreshall, the second daughter of Sir John
Hardreshall, of the
county Warwick. Through Elizabeth, he became the owner of other
properties in county Warwick. He purchased the manor of Wigsell
from Simon de Etchingham in 1348. His only son and heir was Sir Thomas
Culpeper 6bh |
Sir
Geoffrey Culpeper 5a
Sir Geoffrey inherited the vast holdings of Preston Hall from his father Walter
Culpeper 4a. He was born about 1300 and died about 1353. He was the
Sheriff of county Kent during the reign of King Edward III who
ruled from 1327 to 1377. |
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6
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Sir Thomas
Culpeper 6bh
Sir Thomas was born about 1346 and died in October of 1428, a very old
man. His will was probated in March 1429. In it he stated that the
estate of Wigsell was settled upon him on the occasion of his
first marriage. He first married Ailanor, daughter of Nicholas
Green, of Exton, and thereby acquired an estate in county Rutland.
After her death, he next married Joyce, the daughter of John
Bruce, of Exton, thus acquiring the manor of Exton in county Kent.
He was knighted by King Richard II, in 1395, and made Sheriff of
county Kent. He and Ailanor had a son, Sir John Culpeper 7bh, who died in 1430,
leaving no male heir. Their daughter, Eleanor, married Reginald
Cobham and died 5 November 1420. Sir Thomas and Joyce left four
sons, Walter (below), Nicholas (below), Thomas (of whom, nothing
is known) and Richard (who died in a battle in France and
was buried at Pountose in Normandy). |
William
Culpeper 6a
William inherited Preston Hall in Aylesford, county Kent from
his father, Sir Geoffrey Culpeper 5a, and left a son, Sir John Culpeper
7a. |
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7
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Sir John
Culpeper 7bh
Sir John, son of Sir Thomas Culpeper 6bh and Joyce Bruce, inherited the manor of Exton. On his death in 1430, his estate
went to his half brother Walter. He married Juliana, the daughter
of Sir Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex. They had one daughter
Catherine, who married Sir John Herrington. Queen Elizabeth, her
distant cousin, made her grandson Sir John Herrington, Baron of
Exton.
Walter Culpeper,
Esq. 7bh
Walter, son of Sir Thomas Culpeper 6bh and Ailanor
Green, was born about 1398 and died 24 Nov 1462, and
buried in Goudhurst church. He fought for King Henry V at
Agincourt. He lived at Goudhurst, county Kent, a few miles from
Bay Hall. In his later years he lived at Bedgebury. About 1425, he
married Agnes (1402-1457), the daughter of Edmund Roper and the
widow of John Bedgebury, of Bedgebury, in Goudhurst. His daughter
Elizabeth, married John Hardes and Margaret married Alexander
Cliford, and died 19 January 1448. He and Agnes had three sons
also: Sir Richard (below) , Sir John (below) and Nicholas, Esq.
(below)
Nicholas Culpeper 7bh
King Henry VI, elevated Nicholas and his brothers to the status of
gentry in 1432. He had a daughter, Joyce, who married Walter
Lewknor of Walberton, county Sussex.
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Sir John
Culpeper 7a
Sir John, son of William Culpeper 6a, was made a Knight of Oxen Hoath
by King Henry IV, who ruled from
1399 to 1413. Sir John served as a judge of the Court of Common
Pleas. He and Katherine, his wife, left an heir, Sir William Culpeper
8a. |
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8
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Sir John
Culpeper 8bh
Son of Walter, he was born about 1428 and died 22 December 1480.
He married Agnes, daughter of John Gainford. He inherited the
manors of Hardreshull, Bedgebury and Wigsell. He was knighted by
King Edward IV in 1468 and made the Sheriff of county Kent. He was
buried in Goudhurst church beside his father. He left two son as
co-heirs and two daughters, Elizabeth and Joyce. The American line
is continued as the Wigsell Culpepers through John's son Walter Culpeper
9w.
Sir Richard Culpeper 8bh
Son of Walter Culpeper 7bh, Sir Richard was born about 1432. He married Margaret, the
daughter and co-heir of Richard and Agnes Wakehurst, the owners of
the estate of Wakehurst. He died without children. He willed
Wakehurst to his younger brother Nicholas.
End of the Culpepers at Bayhall |
Sir William
Culpeper 8a
Son of Sir John Culpeper 7a, Sir William was dubbed a Knight of Oxen Hoath, by King Henry VI.
In 1427, the king made him Sheriff of county Kent. He died the
following year and was buried in West Peckham church, as was his
wife Elizabeth, who died in 1460. Their son and heir was Sir John Culpeper
9a. |
Nicholas
Culpeper, Esq. 8wk
Son of Walter Culpeper 7bh, Nicholas was born about 1434. He
married Elizabeth, the sister of Margaret, his brother's wife. At
the death of his brother Richard, he inherited Wakehurst. He died
24 May 1510. He had ten sons and eight daughters. only two sons
survived, Edward, was a Dr. of Law and had no children. The oldest
and heir was Richard Culpeper, Esq. 9wk. |
Last Revised:
12 Apr 2004
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