'Ridley02'
Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Rydley of Battersby, Ridley of Coastley, Ridley of Parkend, Ridley of Ridley (Northumberland), Ridley of Walltown, Ridley of Willimoteswick (Willymondswyke)
| Nicholas Ridley of Ridley (Northumberland), probably also of Willimoteswick (Northumberland) | |||||||||||||||
| (1) There is uncertainty as to how the Ripleys of Willimoteswick (spelt in many ways including Willimotswike, Willymondswyke & Willimons Wight) connected to the Ridleys of Ridley. Hodgson shows Nicholas as father (by _ Cramlington) of (a) Thomas of Ridley (father by Audrey Musgrave of Nicholas father of (William and) Nicholas father of Nicholas & Lancelot), (b) John, and (c) Nicholas of Willimoteswick (father by Anne Lawson of (Bishop Nicholas + Hugh of Unthank + John of Walltown and) ?? father of Nicholas). Betham starts with Nicholas of Willymondswyke father (by Alice Skelton) of Nicholas father (by Anne Eglesfield) of Sir Nicholas father (by Mary Curwen) of (Christopher of Unthank who was father of Bishop Nicholas and) Nicholas. (2) The dates make it likely that the first Nicholas of Willymondswyke, mentioned by Betham (and others) as living in 1400, was of this generation but Hodgson suggests that it was his 3rd son who was the 1st Nicholas of Willimotswike. We suspect that this was indeed the first Nicholas of Willimoteswick and that one of several reasons behind the confusions is that Ridley, previously the family's principal seat, was passed to his 2nd son (Thomas) whilst the Nicholas who obtained Willimoteswich was not his 3rd son but his 1st son. However, this still leaves the discrepancies as the wives of successive Nicholases. We speculate that this was because both this Nicholas and his son Nicholas married more than once. Please note that this leaves us with uncertainty over the first 2-3 generations on this page. However, we have provided enough information to enable contributors to separate what is given by Hodgson from what is given by Betham should they so wish. Please note also that we are concerned that too many generations may be shown here. It is possible that each successive Nicholas had children when still in their late teens/early twenties but such is perhaps unlikely for so many consecutive generations. (3) As reported above, Hodgson shows Nicholas (with connection to his ancestors) as father of Thomas, John & Nicholas by _ Cramlington whilst Betham shows (the first) Nicholas (with no ancestors) as father of Nicholas by Alice Skelton. We speculate that he married and had children as shown below. |
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| m1. Alice Skelton (dau/coheir of _ Skelton of Bramford) | |||||||||||||||
| 1. | Nicholas Ridley of Willimoteswike (a 1450?) | ||||||||||||||
| As partly reported above, Hodgson shows this Nicholas (son of Nicholas by _ Cramlington) as father, by Anne Lawson, of ?? (father of Nicholas), Bishop Nicholas, Hugh of Unthank, John of Walltown, Alice & Mrs. Whitfield. Betham shows this Nicholas (son of Nicholas by Alice Skelton) as father, by Anne Eglesfield, of Sir Nicholas & Thomasin. Noting that Wikipedia ("Nicholas Ridley (martyr)") supports Betham in showing Bishop Nicholas as 2nd son of the undermentioned Christopher, thereby reducing support for Hodgson as to the next generation, and that Betham is supported by various Visitations (as reported below), we speculate that this Nicholas married and had children as shown below. | |||||||||||||||
| m1/2. Anne Eglesfield (Eglysfeld) of Cumberland | |||||||||||||||
| A. | Sir Nicholas Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Mary Curwen (dau of ?? Curwen of Workington) | |||||||||||||||
| i. | Nicholas Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Mary Musgrave (dau of Richard Musgrave son of Sir Richard) | |||||||||||||||
| a. | Sir Hugh Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Isabell Heron (dau of Sir John Heron of Chipchase) | |||||||||||||||
| (1) | Sir Nicholas Ridley of Willymondswyke (d after 29.10.1574) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Mabell Dacres (dau/heir of Sir Philip Dacres of Morpeth, son of Lord Humfrey) | |||||||||||||||
| (1) The Visitations that support Betham, identified in Main Sources (2) below, end with naming Nicholas and various daughters as their children. Betham shows Sir Nicholas & Mabel as parents of Nicholas, William of Battersley (whom we show 2 generations earlier), Alexander and several daughters. (2) Betham shows their eldest son Nicholas as father of Nicholas (ancestor of the Ridleys of Craw Hall), Lancelot, and Thomas, whose line he follows. We have not so far found any Ridleys of Craw Hall. (3) Over the next few generations we follow DK, identified in Source (3) below. Note that 2 of DK's sources relate to legal cases and so need not be expected to refer to all members of the family. The 3rd source, an article by W. Percy Hedley (1954), mentions Sir Nicholas & Mabel's sons as Nicholas, William & Alexander but does not mention either Lancelot or Thomas which throws doubt on Betham. We now show Lancelot #1# below. We are left unsure on where Thomas fits into the family. |
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| (A) | Nicholas Ridley of Willymondswyke, Sheriff of Northumberland (b c1550, dsp 16.01.1585/6) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Margaret Forster (dau of Thomas Forster of Adderstone) | |||||||||||||||
| (B) | William Ridley (d 03.05.1599) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Barbara Heron (dau of John Heron of Chipchase) | |||||||||||||||
| (i) | William Ridley (b by 1590) | ||||||||||||||
| m. (before 1635) Anne Musgrave (dau of Richard Musgrave, possibly uncle of 1st Bart) | |||||||||||||||
| (a) | William Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| DK, who ends with identifying William, Musgrave, Mary & Jane as of this generation, notes that the Chancery case is clear that William was the eldest son. Percy Hedley identifies his wife as ... | |||||||||||||||
| m. Troth Kennet (dau of William Kennet of Coxhoe) | |||||||||||||||
| ((1)) | Michael Ridley (d c1741) | ||||||||||||||
| (b) | Musgrave Ridley, last of Willymondswyke (a 1652) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Mary Ridley (dau/heir of Rev. Cuthbert Ridley of Simonsburn) | |||||||||||||||
| ((1))+ | issue - Cuthbert, Nicholas | ||||||||||||||
| (c) | Thomas Ridley of Parkend, Northumberland | ||||||||||||||
| BLG1886 starts its continous pedigree with 'Thomas of Parkend, son of William, younger brother of Musgrave'. He is not mentioned by Percy Hedley. | |||||||||||||||
| ((1)) | Thomas Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. (1680) Dorothy Ridley (dau of George Ridley of Gate House) | |||||||||||||||
| ((A)) | John Ridley of Parkend | ||||||||||||||
| m1. (1731) Susanna Maughan (dau of Nicholas Maughan of Whinetly) | |||||||||||||||
| ((i)) | Thomas Ridley of Parkend (d 1816) | ||||||||||||||
| m. (1774) Mary Brown (dau of T. Brown of Corbridge) | |||||||||||||||
| ((a)) | John Ridley of Parkend (b 17.05.1780, d 08.1865) had issue | ||||||||||||||
| m. (12.09.1811) Bridget Atkinson (d 11.1880, dau of Matthew Atkinson of Temple Sowerby) | |||||||||||||||
| ((b))+ | other issue - Mary, Susan, Dorothy, Catherine | ||||||||||||||
| m2. Mary Ripon of Whasneyburn | |||||||||||||||
| ((ii))+ | other issue - John, George, Catherine, Mary, Elizabeth | ||||||||||||||
| ((B))+ | other issue - Mary, Catherine | ||||||||||||||
| (d)+ | other issue - Mary, Jane | ||||||||||||||
| (ii)+ | other issue - Michael, Nicholas, Mabel, Margaret | ||||||||||||||
| DK notes that Nicholas is only mentioned in the Chancery case whilst the others are only mentioned by Percy Hedley. | |||||||||||||||
| partner unknown | |||||||||||||||
| (vi) | Marmaduke Ridley mentioned by Percy Hedley | ||||||||||||||
| (D) | Thomas Ridley 'of Hardriding' (d c1604) mentioned only by Betham, see note (3) above | ||||||||||||||
| m. Mary Ridley (dau of John Ridley of Walltown) see #2# below | |||||||||||||||
| (E)+ | other issue -Alexander of Whitshields (a 1628), Jane, Margery, Elsabeth, Mabell, Izabell, Anne | ||||||||||||||
| (2) | John Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Jane Errington (dau of John Errington, brother of Gilbert of Errington) | |||||||||||||||
| (3) | Cuthbert Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| (4) | Thomas Ridley of Walltown, Northumberland | ||||||||||||||
| m. Elizabeth Ridley (dau/heir of John Ridley of Wall Town) @@ below | |||||||||||||||
| (A) | John Ridley of Walltown (a 1615) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Anne Charlton (dau/coheir of ?? Charlton of Hesleside) | |||||||||||||||
| (i) | John Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Elizabeth Charlton (dau of Thomas Charlton of Charlton Hall) | |||||||||||||||
| (a)+ | 4 sons + 4 daughters | ||||||||||||||
| (ii) | William Ridley of London & Walltown | ||||||||||||||
| m. Anne Woodman | |||||||||||||||
| (a)+ | issue - John, Cuthbert, William, Anne named in Visitation (London, 1633-5, 'Ridley') | ||||||||||||||
| (iii) | Elizabeth Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. William "of the Morrelle" | |||||||||||||||
| (iv) | Margaret Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Ralph Thurlway | |||||||||||||||
| (v) | Thomasin Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Daniel Stoughton | |||||||||||||||
| (vi) | Mary Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Thomas Ridley of Hardriding see also #2# above | |||||||||||||||
| (5) | Dorothy Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Henry Jacson | |||||||||||||||
| (6) | daughter possibly of this generation | ||||||||||||||
| m. William Weltden | |||||||||||||||
| b. | William Ridley or Rydley | ||||||||||||||
| We presume that this was the William of Battersby who is shown by Visitation (Foster, Yorkshire, 1612, 'Ridley of Battersby') as having family as follows. | |||||||||||||||
| m. _ Blakestone | |||||||||||||||
| (1) | Robert Rydley of Battersby | ||||||||||||||
| m. Margaret Jefferson | |||||||||||||||
| (A) | Christopher Rydley of Battersby (a 1612) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Anne Garbrfay (dau/heir of Richard Garbray) | |||||||||||||||
| (i) | Christopher Rydley (b c1592, a 1612) | ||||||||||||||
| (B) | Nicholas Rydley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Elizabeth Marwood | |||||||||||||||
| (i) | William Rydley (b c1602, a 1612) | ||||||||||||||
| (C) | Robert Rydley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Isabell Wilson (dau of Robert Wilson) | |||||||||||||||
| (i) | Henry Rydley (b c1610, a 1612) | ||||||||||||||
| c. | Jane (Joan) Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. John Heron of Chipchase | |||||||||||||||
| d. | Anne Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. William Wallis of Knaresdale (Walles of Knaresdell) | |||||||||||||||
| e. | Margaret Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. John Fetherstonshaugh of Stanhope | |||||||||||||||
| f. | Mabell Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m1. _ Fenwick of Little Harle | |||||||||||||||
| m2. Sir John Lumley | |||||||||||||||
| ii. | Christopher Ridley of Unthank, Northumberland | ||||||||||||||
| a. | Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London (b c1500, d 16.10.1555) | ||||||||||||||
| b. | Hugh Ridley of Unthank | ||||||||||||||
| c. | Elizabeth Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Thomas (probably not John) Ridley of Walltown (d 1562) @@ above | |||||||||||||||
| iii. | John Ridley of Willimoteswick | ||||||||||||||
| #2# John is not shown here by any of our Main Sources but is shown below by Hodgson (as son of the first Nicholas by _ Cramlington). However, Wikipedia ("Lancelot Ridley") identifies Lancelot as son of John, grandson of Sir Nicholas, and 1st cousin of Bishop Nicholas, which would place him here. The dates make this look more likely than 2 generations earlier. | |||||||||||||||
| m. Margaret Horton (dau of Richard Horton) | |||||||||||||||
| a. | John Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| (1) | William Ridley of Whittingham | ||||||||||||||
| b. | Launcelot Ridley of Canterbury & Cambridge (d 1576, rector in Stretham) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Margaret or Mary Parkinson (dau of Christopher Parkinson of Brampston) | |||||||||||||||
| (1) | Henry Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Catherine Stuart or Stewart | |||||||||||||||
| (A) | Lancelot Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| (2) | Mark Ridley (b 1560, d c1624, physician) | ||||||||||||||
| Wikipedia ("Mark Ridley") reports that Mark became personal physician to the Tsar of Russia, compiled a Russian-English dictionary, and wrote about magnetism. | |||||||||||||||
| iv. | Jane Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Gilbert Errington of Errington | |||||||||||||||
| B. | Thomasin Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Thomas Carnaby of Halton Castle (b 1455, d c1541) | |||||||||||||||
| m2/1. Anne Lawson (dau of (Sir) John Lawson) | |||||||||||||||
| C. | Alice Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. George Shipside | |||||||||||||||
| D. | daughter | ||||||||||||||
| m. _ Whitfeld (or Whitfield) | |||||||||||||||
| i. | Raffe Whitfield | ||||||||||||||
| m2. _ Cramlington (dau of Sir John Cramlington) | |||||||||||||||
| 2. | Thomas Ridley of Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Audrey Musgrave (sister of Sir Simon Musgrave of Musgrave) | |||||||||||||||
| A. | Nicholas Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| i. | Lancelot Ridley (3rd son) | ||||||||||||||
| Our first attempt at this page followed Betham and showed Lancelot as grandson of Sir Nicholas & Mabel Dacres (#1# above). We now follow Hodgson in showing him as of this generation. | |||||||||||||||
| a. | Thomas Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| (1) | Sir Thomas Ridley (d 22-3.01.1628, doctor of civil law) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Margaret Boleyn (dau/heir of William Boleyn son of William son of William son of Thomas & brother of Lord Mayor Sir Geoffrey) | |||||||||||||||
| (A) | Anne Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Sir Leonard Bosvile (son/heir of Sir Ralph of Bradborne) | |||||||||||||||
| (B) | Elizabeth Ridley | ||||||||||||||
| m. Mark Cottle in Canterbury | |||||||||||||||
| ii.+ | other issue - Nicholas, William | ||||||||||||||
| 3. | John Ridley of Coastley (a 1434) | ||||||||||||||
| #2# Rev. John Hodgson (1840, p339) shows this John as the John (m. Margaret Horton) whom we show above as 2 generations later. The later John Crawford Hodgson, in 'A History of Northumberland' (vol 4, 1897, 'Ridley of Coastley', p14) shows this John as 'of Coastley' and ancestor of the following. | |||||||||||||||
| A. | John Ridley (a 1469) probably father of ... | ||||||||||||||
| i. | John Ridley of Coastley & Coastleyhope (d 11.02.1508/9) | ||||||||||||||
| a. | ?? Ridley (dvp) | ||||||||||||||
| (1) | John Ridley of Coastley (b c1498, d 06.04.1579) | ||||||||||||||
| (A) | John Ridley (b c1522, bur 17.02.1596/7) | ||||||||||||||
| m. (27.06.1585) Margaret Jackson (bur 16.10.1595) | |||||||||||||||
| (i) | John Ridley of Coastley (bur 28.05.1610) | ||||||||||||||
| m. Margaret (m2. Henry Widdrington of Rothbury) | |||||||||||||||
| (a) | Dorothy Ridley of Coastley (a 1642) | ||||||||||||||
| m. (c1624) Richard Carr | |||||||||||||||
| (ii) | Martin Ridley of Langhope (bur 23.04.1632) probably of this generation | ||||||||||||||
| m. (20.10.1601) Agnes Noble | |||||||||||||||
| (B) | Barbara Ridley (d c1598) probably of this generation | ||||||||||||||
| m. _ Fenwick of Cocklaw | |||||||||||||||
Main source(s):
(1) 'History of Northumberland' by Rev. John Hodgson (part 2, vol 3, 1840, 'Haltwhistle Parish - Ridley Township', p339+), Visitation (Surtees 1932, The North, Northumberland 1575, 'Ridley of Willimoteswick') with input/support as reported above
(2) Betham's 'Baronetage of England' (vol 3, 1803 , '263. Ridley of Heaton in Northumberland', p259+) with input/support from Visitation (Surtees (1921), The North, Part 2, 1567, 'Ridley of Willimoteswick (Northumberland)', p214) [which merely repeats Visitation (Surtees (The North, Part 1), Harvey, Northumberland, 1552, 'The Pedegre of Nycholas Rydley of Wyllymontysyke' (sic), p19)], Visitation (Yorkshire, 1563-4, 'Ridley')
(3) Used for review on 16.06.25: information kindly provided by a correspondent (DK, 06.2025) identifying 3 sources: National Archives (Chancery records, C 2/JasI/A3/45), 'The Ridleys of Ridley and Willimontswick' (W. Percy Hedley, Archeologia Aeliana, series 4, vol 32, p165+, see here), an article that refers to the murder of Nicholas Ridley in 1585 (see here)
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