'Colepeper1'Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Colepeper of Bay Hall, Colepeper of Exton, Colepeper of Wakehurst

                               
1) The impressive 'Culpepper Connections' site at http://gen.culpepper.com, referred to below as "CulCon", suggests that the spelling of this family's name was originally Colepeper (which is still used in South Africa) but later became Culpeper in Britain with Culpepper being used by many American families.
(2) We had already released the first version of this page (based on BE1883, certain Visitations & TCP) when the above-mentioned CulCon was brought to our attention by a contributor and we came across additional relevant data in BEB1841, another Visitation, & VCH. The amount of detail provided in CulCon, with sources normally cited, shows that significant effort has been put into it. Except where mentioned below, we have found it to be consistent with what we found from our own work (although it should be noted that we have only partly checked our data against that site). It appears that much of the site's data came from 'The Sussex Colepepers' by Col. F.W.T. Attree & Rev. J.H.L. Booker, published in 'Sussex Archaeological Collections' in 1904-5. We are impressed by that site but when we rebuilt this page we did so based primarily on our traditional sources and have used CulCon as a supportive rather than a leading source.
Sir Thomas Colepeper 'the Recognitor' (a temp John who r. 1199-1216)
(3) Sir Thomas 'the Recognitor' is mentioned by both BEB1841 (Culpeper of Preston Hall) & VCH as the first recorded ancestor of note and was (to use VCH's phrasing) "one of the recognitores magnæ assise, or justices of the great assise, in the reign of king John". However, only CulCon shows the connection through a son John to Sir Thomas, father of Sir Thomas the castellan & Walter.
(4) BEB1841 (Culpeper of Wakehurst) reported of this family that "before the time of Edward III, it was divided into chief branches:- the Culpepers of Preston Hall, and the Culpepers of Bay Hall" and then reports that " The elder line has not however been established, each claimed seniority". Although VCH does say that Thomas was the elder son, this suggests that the earliest generations had not been completely confirmed, a view which is strengthened by the fact that VCH suggests that the progenitors of the two branches when they split (Thomas and Walter) were sons of a Sir Thomas but BEB1841 (Culpeper of Wakehurst) identifies the father of Thomas as a Sir John whilst BEB1841 (Culpeper of Preston Hall) starts with Walter without naming his father at all. It is therefore thought likely that there was confusion between successive Johns and Thomases at the point where the 2 main branches split. Although it looks as though that confusion may have been sorted out (at least in part) by CulCon, we are not convinced that it is not presumptuous to show this connection. Accordingly, we show the following John in italics.
1. John Colepeper
  A. Sir Thomas (or John) Colepeper of Bay Hall in Pepenbury, Kent
  i. Sir Thomas Colepeper of Bay Hall (d 1321, castellan of Leeds Castle)
  m. (c1299) Margery Bayhall named by CulCon
  a. John Colepeper of Bay Hall (a 1370)
m. Elizabeth Hardreshall (dau/coheir of Sir John Hardreshall of Hardreshall or Hardreshull)
  BE1883, BEB1841 & Visitation all show John & Elizabeth as parents of Sir Thomas, Walter, Thomas & Nicholas (father of Joyce, called Susanna Joyce by BE1883). However, VCH mentions only 1 son (Sir Thomas) and shows Walter, Nicholas (dau m. Walter Lewknor) & Alianore (m. Sir Reginald Cobham) as children of the following Sir Thomas. CulCon shows Sir Thomas as the only child of John & Elizabeth. We follow VCH & CulCon not least because we think that the dates appear to support the view that Walter (at least) was not of the next generation but of the one after.
  (1) Sir Thomas Colepeper of Bay Hall & Exton, Sheriff of Kent (a 1394, d 1428-9)
  m. Alianore Green (dau of Nicholas Green by Joan, dau of John Bruse of Exton)
  Sir Thomas's wife was called Jane/Joan by BE1883, BEB1841 & Visitation but Alianore by VCH, CulCon & the Brus source. CulCon shows Thomas as having married twice: firstly to Alianora de Greene (mother of John & Alianore) and secondly to Joyce (name uncertain, mother of Nicholas, Thomas, Richard, Joyce & Walter).
  (A) Sir Thomas Colepeper of Exton, Rutlandshire named John by CulCon
  m. _ Cromwell named Juliana by CulCon
Visitation shows the following Catherine as Thomas's sister but BE1883, BEB1841 & CulCon show her as his dau/heir.
  (i) Catherine Colepeper
  m1. John Harington of Exton
  m2. Bryan Talbot
  (B) Walter Colepeper of Goudehurst, later of Bedgebury (d 1462)
  m. Agnes Roper (dau of Edmund Roper of St. Dunstan's)
  (i) Richard Colepeper (dsp)
  m. _ Wakehurst (dau/coheir of Richard Wakehurst) named Margaret by CulCon
  (ii) Sir John Colepeper (d 1480)
  m. Agnes Bedgebery (dau of John Bedgebery of Bedgebery)
(iii) Nicholas Colepeper (d 1510) - continued below
  m. Elizabeth Wakehurst (dau/coheir of Richard Wakehurst of Wakehurst)
  (iv) Margaret Colepeper confirmed by CulCon as the Margaret (bur 19.01.1488) who married ...
  m. Alexander Clifford of Bobbing
  (v) Elizabeth Colepeper
  m. Jacob (John) Hardres of Hardres
  (C) Nicholas Colepeper 'of Bedgbery' identified by CulCon as the eldest son (d 1434)
m. Elizabeth mentioned by CulCon
  (i) Joyce Colepeper
  m. Walter Lewknor of Walberton
  (ii) Benedicta Colepeper mentioned by CulCon
  (D) Alianore Colepeper
  m. Sir Reginald Cobham of Sterborough (b 1381, d 1446)
  (E) Joyce Colepeper mentioned by CulCon
  m. (09.1410) Sir Hugh Hailsham
  (F)+ other issue - Thomas, Richard
  b.+ other issue - Walter, Richard, Margaret mentioned by CulCon
  ii. Walter Colepeper of Preston Hall (d 1321)
  m. Joane Bayhall
  iii.+ other issue - John of Lynleigh, Nicholas mentioned by CulCon

 

 

Nicholas Colepeper (d 1510) - continued above
m. Elizabeth Wakehurst (dau/coheir of Richard Wakehurst of Wakehurst)
1. Richard Colepeper of Wakehurst
  m. Joan Naylor (dau of Richard Naylor of London)
  A. John Colepeper of Wakehurst (d 1565)
  m. Emma Erneley (dau/coheir of Sir John Erneley or Ernle)
  i. Thomas Colepeper of Wakehurst (b c1525, d 01.04.1571)
  BEB1841 mentions only Thomas's marriage to Philippa Teacher (sic). Visitation (Kent) mentions Thomas but stops at this generation. We show his wives as reported by Visitation (Sussex), which starts with this generation, but note that he may have (also) married Anne Ashburnham (d 1620, ## see here ##) who some sources (## see here ##) identify as grandmother of William, the 1st baronet.
  m1. Mary (cousin/heir of John Pelham)
m2. Phillipa Thatcher (dau of John Thatcher or Teacher or Presthouse)
  a. Sir Edward Colepeper of Wakehurst (b 1571-2, bur 09.04.1630, Serjeant-at-law)
  m. Elizabeth Farnefoulde (d 23.08.1633, dau of William Farnefoulde or Farnfold or Fernold of Nash in Steyning)
  (1) Sir John Colepeper (bpt 24.02.1594-5, dvpsp bur 12.02.1620-1)
  (2) Sir William Colepeper or Culpeper, Sheriff of Surrey & Sussex, 1st Bart of Wakehurst (bpt 04.06.1602, bur 06.12.1678)
  m. (13.07.1626) Jane Pellett (bpt 04.07.1602, bur 08.08.1665, dau/heir of Sir Benjamin Pellett or Pellat of Bodney or Bolney)
Visitation and BEB1841 disagree over the next few generations. TCB (vol 2, Colepeper or Culpeper of Wakehurst) supports BEB1841. For once, we are more impressed by the Visitation (which has been extended by the Harleian editor) than we are by TCB and so follow the Visitation. For the record we note that BEB1841 & TCB show Sir William as father of Benjamin (2nd Bart) and Edward (3rd Bart) plus William, John, Elizabeth (dsp), Jane (dsp), Dorothy, Anne, Catherine & Mary; Benjamin (2nd Bart) as father of Elizabeth by Catherine, dau/coheir of Goldsmith Hudson; and Edward (3rd Bart, wife not named) as father of Benjamin (dvp) father (by Judith Wilson) of Sir William (4th Bart, d unm).
  (A) Benjamin Colepeper 'of Lindfield' (bpt 11.11.1628, dvp 04.08.1670)
  m1. (1651) Margaret Hodgson (dau of Goldsmith Hodgson of Framfield)
  (i) Mary Colepeper (d 1658)
  (ii) Elizabeth Colepeper (bpt 13.09.1655)
  m. (21.09.1671) Sir Robert Fagge of Wiston, Bart
  m2. Judith Wilson (d 09.05.1685, dau of Sir William Wilson, Bart of Eastborne, m2. Captain Christopher Mason)
(iii) Sir William Culpeper, 2nd Bart of Wakehurst (b 23.11.1668, d unm 28.03.1740)
  (iv)+ other issue - Benjamin (bpt 06.07.1670, bur 18.08.1670), Mary (bpt 1667, d 1678)
  (B) John Colepeper (bpt 10.05.1642, bur 13.10.1694, 4th son)
  m. Jane
  (C) Anne Colepeper (bpt 16.09.1634, bur 23.04.1697)
  m1. (05.12.1655) Ninian Burrell of Cuckfield (bur 03.09.1674) named Simon by BEB1841
m2. (10.11.1679) Allen Savage of Sudney in Cuckfield not mentioned by BEB1841
  (D) Catherine Colepeper (bpt 24.07.1635, bur 28.04.1691)
  m1. (18.11.1680) Edward Browne of West Hoathly (bur 1681)
  m. (1682) George Brigstock of Worth
  (E) Mary Colepeper (bpt 17.01.1636-7)
  m. (04.10.1671) Alexander Haddon
  (F)+ other issue - Edward (bpt 26.05.1631, bur 19.07.1672), Thomas (bpt 15.02.1638, bur 11.04.1638), Dorothy (bpt 12.09.1633)
  (3) Edward Colepeper bpt 24.02.1604-5, (a 1634)
  m. Mary Bellingham (dau of Sir Edward Bellingham)
  (4) Elizabeth Colepeper (bpt 13.12.1584)
m. (21.05.1611) John Whitfield of East Sheen
  (5) Timothea Colepeper (bpt 28.04.1588)
  m1. (25.06.1611) George Phillips
  m2. Thomas Turner of Surrey
  (6) Dorothy Colepeper (bpt 13.02.1590)
  m. (22.06.1614) John Theobald of Seale
  (7) Margery Colepeper (bpt 18.04.1593, bur 02.08.1628)
  m. (19.02.1626) Anthony Bickerstaffe of Godstone
(8) Anne Colepeper (bpt 06.03.1595-6, bur 1624)
  m. (25.06.1616) Thomas Wood of E. Hoathly
  (9) Catherine Colepeper (bpt 03.07.1597)
  m. (24.02.1619-20) Richard Infield of Graveley in W. Hoathly
  (10)+ other issue - Philippa (bpt 13.08.1598), Eleanor (bpt 23.12.1599), Mary (bpt 24.02.1604-5)
  b. Elizabeth Colepeper probably of this generation, presumed of this marriage
  m. Thomas Duke of Cossington (d by 1608)
  ii.+ other issue - William, Edward
  B. Jasper Colepeper
  m. Anne Stafford (widow of Richard Clifford)
  C. Elizabeth Colepeper
  m. John Fynes of Sussex
  D. Anne Colepeper
  m. John Hayward
  E. Alice Colepeper
  m1. Roger Harlakenden of Harlakenden (d 29.03.1523)
  m2. William Bynde (not Bird) of Sussex (a 1557)
  F.+ other issue - Gerard, Edmund, John of Norfolk, Thomas, William, Mary (dsp)
2.+ other issue - Thomas, George, Edward (had issue), Richard, Margaret

Main source(s):
(1) For upper section : BE1883 (Colepeper of Thoresway), BEB1841 (Culpeper of Wakehurst) with support from Visitation (Kent, 1619, Colepeper) and a little (on the Exton line) from VCH (Kent, vol 5, Pembury) all being supported, as reported above, by the above-mentioned http://gen.culpepper.com (identified above as "CulCon" for 'Culpepper Connections')
(2) For lower section : BEB1841 (Culpeper of Wakehurst), Visitation (Kent, 1574, Coulpeper), Visitation (Sussex, 1662, Colepeper of Wakehurst in Ardingley)
Back to top of page