Sir John de Beetham Knight

   Another name for John was John de Betham.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Web Reference: The History of Parliament.
Sir John's ancestors acquired the manor of Beetham during the reign of Richard I, and subsequently became lords of the manors of Meathop and Farleton as well, holding most of their property as feudal tenants of the earls of Oxford. Little is known about Sir John's father, Robert Beetham, but his grandfather, Sir Ralph Beetham, was an extremely influential figure in the north west, where he served on various royal commissions and also took an active part in punitive raids across the border against the Scots.

Sir John Beethom struck up an alliance with the powerful landowner, Sir Walter Strickland, who lived near Shap, and whose son, Thomas II, was betrothed in 1405 to Beetham's daughter, Mabel. In return for the promise of land worth £100 to be settled by Sir Walter on the couple, Sir John agreed to deliver £93 6s.8d. to the Stricklands in five regular instalments.

• Records and Notes. ⁸⁵⁹
1379 John de Bethum, one of the commissioners of array in co. Westmorland [Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1379, p. 359].

1379-99 John de Bethum is said to have married Margaret, sister of Sir William Tunstall, knt., by whom he had issue. [The Beetham Repository, 155].

1380 Grant by John son and heir of Ralph Knott of Bethom to John de Bethom, lord of Bethom, of all the lands and tenements in Bethum which formerly belonged to the said Ralph. Dated 3 Richard II [Dodsworth's MS. 149, f. 144].

1389 John de Bethom one of the Keepers of the peace in co. Westmorland [Cal Pat. R., 1389, p. 137].

1395 William, Hugh, Robert, Thomas and John de Bethom are to answer the complaint of the abbot of Shap ("Hepp") [Cal. Pat. R. 1395, pp. 654, 731; 1397, p. 158; 1398, p. 503].

1403 John de Bothome, chivaler, and Christiana his wife obtain a writ out of the Chancery of the Duchy of Lancaster [Lancs. Fines (Rec. Soc.), pt iii, 67]

1405 John de Bethome, chivaler, was one of the knights of the shire [Parliamentary Return, 1, 270].

1406 Acknowledgment by Walter de Stirkland, knt., that he has received from John de Bethom, knt., and Richard Bethom the sum of £37 6s. 8d. [Dodsworth's MS. 149, f. 142b]

1407 John de Bethum, knight of the shire for co. Westmorland.
Thomas de Bethome, son and heir of John de Bethome, knt. [See Burton; Chan. Inq. p.m., 9 Henry IV, n. 38].
Pardon to William, Thomas, Hugh and Robert de Bethom, all of co. Westmorland, for all felonies and trespasses committed by them [Cal. Pat. R., 1407, p. 316].

1411 John de Bethome, chivaler, held the manor of Bethome of Philippa, late the wife of Robert de Veer, late duke of Ireland, by homage and fealty and the services of 32s. at Easter and Michaelmas, and the manor of Farleton in Kendale similarly for 26s. 8d. rent [Chan. Inq. p.m., 13 Henry IV, n. 44].

1415 John Bethom, chivaler, and Thomas Bethom with others are commissioners of array in co. Westmorland [Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1415, p. 408].
Thomas de Bethum, son and heir of Sir John de Bethum, knt., obtains a writ. [Lancs. Fines (Rec. Soc.), pt iii, 85].

~Records relating to the Barony of Kendale: Volume II, pp. 211-238

John married Margaret Tunstall, daughter of Sir William de Tunstall Knight and Ales.⁸⁵⁹ (Margaret Tunstall was born in Thurland, Lancashire, England.)