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'Hill01'Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Hill of Heligan, Hill of Hillton, Hill of Hunston (Houndston), Hill of Spraxton (Spaxton)
[Much of this page was first launched within Draft Hill06, initially on 17.12.09, extended on 25.02.11, moved here to facilitate further expansion.]

Lodge reports that "This noble Family is of Norman extraction, and was anciently called de la Montagne". Lodge also said that "They have resided in the counties of Devon and Stafford from a very early period; and from the time of Q. Elizabeth have been of prime distinction in the counties of Down and Antrim in Ireland." The first mentioned by Lodge, before reporting on the Hillsborough line, was Sir John of Hill's Court (shown below as father of a Robert). The first mentioned by Vivian is also a Sir John (also father of a Robert) but, whereas various web sites identify the Johns as the same person, Lodge identifies that second Robert as the first Sir John's "relation and contemporary", not as his son. Provisionally, we presume to show them connected as follows but we may well revisit this in due course. The reference to Devon might indicate a connection to the family shown on Hill09 but the coat of arms shown for Sir John, Sergeant-at-law, is "Gu. a saltire vair between four mullets Arg." differs from that family's.

/? Hull or Hill

Sir John Hill of Hill's Court (in Exeter, Devon) & Hunston (Somerset) (a 1362, d 1408, Sergeant-at-law, justice) - continued below

This Sir John is the first mentioned by both Weaver & Vivian (Cornwall, Hill of Heligan). Weaver causes some confusion by identifying John's 2nd wife Matilda as dau of Sir G. Daubeny of Barrington whilst also showing Maud, dau of Sir G. Daubeney of Barrington, as wife of John, great-grandson of this John. Vivian identifies this Matilda as shown.

m1. Dionisia Durburgh (dau of Sir John Durburgh, widow of Robert Chalons & Martin Langdon)

m2. Matilda (a 1392, widow of Sir Henry Percehay)

Sir John Hill (a temp Richard II who r. 1377-1399)

This Sir John is the first mentioned by Vivian (Devon, Hill of Shilston) & Vivian (Cornwall, Hill of Truro and Constantine).

Sir Robert Hill, 1st of Shilston (Devon), also in Staffordshire & Kent (a 1408, King's Serjeant, judge) - continued below

m. Isabella Wadham (dau of Judge John Wadham by Elizabeth, dau/coheir of William Shilston of Shilston)

Sir John Hill of Hill's Court (in Exeter, Devon) & Hunston (Somerset) (a 1362, d 1408, Sergeant-at-law, justice) - continued above

m1. Dionysia Durburgh (b 1340, d 13.10.1387, dau of Sir John Durburgh, widow of Robert Chalons & Martin Langdon)

Robert Hill of Hunston, later of Spaxton (d 1423-4, judge)

m1. Isabel Fichett (dau of Sir Thomas Fichett of Perry Fichett & Spraxton, sister/heir of Thomas)

John Hill of Spraxton or Spaxton (b c1402, d 1434)

m. Cicely Stourton (dau of John Stourton or Sturton of Preston Plucknett, m2. Sir Thomas Keryell)

John Hill of Spraxton (b c1424, d 1455)

m. Margaret Rodney (dau of Sir Walter Rodney of Rodney Stoke, son of Sir John by Ann Croftes)

daughter (dsp?)

m. _ Walgrave

Jenopath (or Jenopher or Jenoflekke or Genofeffe = Jennifer or Genevieve?) Hill (b c1455, dsp)

m. Sir William Say of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire

ii.

?? Hill

(1) Weaver shows that the John who m. Margaret Rodney m2. Maud Daubeney by whom he was father of Ralph. Vivian confirms that some sources do show that but points out that Jenopath was the heir of John of Spraxon, "clearly proving that he had no male heir". Vivian then shows the husband of Matilda Daubeny as a younger brother of John of Spraxton, possibly also being called John.
(2) CTG (vol 1, 1834, p409 (in Addenda)) covers some of these generations but appears to confuse them, apparently mixing up this generation with the Sir John shown above as his great-grandfather. There issue may be revisited in due course.

m. Matilda (Maud) Daubeney (dau of Sir Giles Daubeney of Barrington) CTG suggests that she d 21.04.1416

Ralph Hill of Hunston

m. _ of Gloucestershire possibly the Edith Mode of Cloucester named by CTG

(1)

Robert Hill of Houndston (Somerset) & Talaton (Devon) (d 08.09.1493)

Weaver identifies Robert's wife as Alice, dau of John Sturton of Preston, Vivian as Alice, dau/coheir of John Stourton. TCP (Daubeney) identifies her as ...

m. Alice Stourton (b c1432, a 07.1490, dau/coheir of John Stourton of Preston Plucknett (d 1439) (by Katherine, dau of Thomas Payne of Paynshay), relict of William Daubeney, 9th Lord))

(A)

Giles Hill of Hounston or Houndston (b c1469, d 30.04.1547)

m. Agatha (Alice or Agnes) Brent (b 1479, dau of Robert Brent of Cossington by Margaret, dau of Hugh Malet of Currypool)

(i)

Robert Hill of Giles Hill 'of Heligan' (b 1503, bur 04.10.1578)

m. Margaret Fantleroy (dau of Peter Fantleroy (Fauntleroy) by Jane, dau/heir of Thomas Flamock of Heligan)

(a)

Giles Hill

m. _ Littleher of Essex

((1))

Moris Hill of Heligan, Conrwall (d 16.03.1609)

m. Margaret Carnsew (dau of John Carnsew of Bokally)

((A))

Humphrey Hill , last of Heligan (b c1589, a 1641)

m. Grace Corriton (dau of Peter Corriton of Newton)

((i))+

issue - Humphrey (b c1614, a 1641), John (bpt 12.07.1621)

((B))

Katherine Hill

m. Peter Toker (brother of Christopher)

((C))

Honor Hill

m. Christopher Toker of Helland

((D))+

other issue - Moris (b c1592?, a 1620), Richard (bpt 02.01.1595), Anthony (bpt 27.08.1583, bur 28.08.1583), Giles (bur 08.02.1601)

((2))

Robert Hill

(b)

Joyce Hill

m. John Yeo

(c)

Catherine Hill

m. (21.07.1568) Alexander Arundell of Ley

(d)

Philip(pa) Hill

m. William Byll

(e)

Agatha Hill

m. Richard Langdon

(f)

Jane Hill

m1. Michael Vivian of Skyburiowe

m2. Nicholas Fortescue

(g)

Mary Hill

m. (30.06.1579) John Levelis

(h)+

other issue - John (dsp), Peter, Humphry (bur 01.11.1576), Isabell, Ann, Thomasine, Dorothy

(ii)

Hugh Hill 'of Heath' (b 1507)

m. Johanna Cole (dau of Thomas Cole, m2. Robert Dowrish)

(a)+

3 daughters

(iii)

Andrew (or Anthony?) Hill (6th son)

m. Margaret Moryce (dau of Sir John Moryce (of Baut**?), widow of _ Sothee of Devon)

(a)+

issue - John, Richard, Lewis

(iv)

Anne or Dorothea Hill

m1. Christopher Hadby or Hadley

m2. Lewis Stukeley

(v)

Maud Hill (b 1505)

m. John Trevylian of Nettlecombe (d 1563, son/heir of John of Nettlecombe)

(vi)+

other issue - John (dsp), Baldwin (cleric), Bryce (dsp 1588), Jane (d unm), Dorothy

(B)

Margaret Hill

m. Sir Hugh Lutterell of Dunster (d 1521)

(C)

Joan Hill

m. Sir Nicholas Wadham of Merefield

(2)+

other issue - Elizabeth, Elinor

iii.

Elizabeth Hill

m. Sir John Cheyne 'of Pinhoe'

m2. Johanna Bodrigan (dau of Sir Otho Bodrigan, widow of John Trevaygon, Ralph Trenouth & John Trevarthian)

Joan Hill

m. Sir John Malet (son/heir of Sir B.)

Margaret Hill probably of this generation, presumed of this marriage

m. (1407) William Harington or Harrington, 5th Lord (d 03.03.1457-8)

m2. Matilda (a 1392, widow of Sir Henry Percehay)

BHO (Magna Brittannia, vol 6, Devonshire, 'Parishes: Maker-Musbury') reports that "The manor of Shilveston, or Shilston, ... passed, either by purchase or alliance, to Robert Hill, made one of the justices of the Common Pleas in 1408. Judge Hill's posterity continued here for eight generations"

Sir Robert Hill, 1st of Shilston (Devon), also in Staffordshire & Kent (a 1408, King's Serjeant, judge) - continued above

m. Isabella Wadham (dau of Judge John Wadham by Elizabeth, dau/coheir of William Shilston of Shilston)

Lodge next mentions Sir Robert's son or grandson, Thomas of Hillton (who was Sheriff of London in 1474, Mayor in 1484) and says "this estate", it not being clear if this referred to Hillton or Shilston (we presume it was Hillton), "remained in the family for several years, 'till it was at length wasted and disposed of by Robert Hill, Esq. and his son Edward, whose younger brother (was) Moyses Hill, Esq. the ancestor of the present Earl of Hillsborough" (who became 1st Marquess of Downshire). That is as much as Lodge connects the Hills of Hillsoborough to the Hills of Shilston.

Robert Hill of Shilston (b 1392)

m. Margaret Champernowne (dau of Sir Richard Champernowne of Modbury)

John Hill

Vivian shows only one son in this generation other than the above Robert, this John. Noting the reference (above) to the fact that the following Thomas was (son or) grandson of the above Sir Robert, we speculate that John was father of ...

Thomas Hill of Hillton, Sheriff then Mayor of London (a 1474, 1484)

?? Hill

Uncertain on number of intervening generations.

?? Hill

(1)

Robert Hill of Hillton

(A)

Edward Hill, last of Hillton

(B)

Sir Moyses Hill of Hillsborough (b c1554, d 02.1629-30, provost marshall of Ulster)

m1. Alice MacDonnell (sister of Sorley Boye MacDonnell)

m2. Anne Grogan

Johanna Hill probably the Jane who married ...

m. Thomas Carminowe (b c1394, d 1442-3)

Alice or Margery Hill

m. William le Moyne

Elizabeth Hill

Vivian ('Hill of Shilston') shows Elizabeth, wife of Otes Gilbert, as of this generation. We follow Vivian ('Hill of Truro and Constantine') in showing her a generation later.

Main source(s): italics shows where the data was taken from various web sites
(1) For upper section : Lodge (vol 2, 1789, 'Hill, Earl of Hillsborough') with support /presumption as reported above
(2) For middle section : Visitation (Weaver, Somerset, 1551+1575+1595 (based on 1531), 'Hill of Houndston in Odcombe (and of Spaxton)'), Visitation (J.L. Vivian (1887), Cornwall, 1530+1573+1620+additions, 'Hill of Heligan', p227+)
(3) For lower section : Lodge (vol 2, 1789, 'Hill, Earl of Hillsborough'), Visitation (J.L. Vivian (1887), Cornwall, 1530+1573+1620+additions, 'Hill of Truro and Constantine'), Visitation (J.L. Vivian (1895), Devon, 1531+1564+1620+additions, 'Hill of Shilston')
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