Gerald de Clayton

  Information about this person:

• Background Information. ^764,827,946
The earliest Clayton that anything is known about is Gerald de Clayton who died in or about 1213. He was succeeded by his eldest son Robert who was in possession of Clayton-le-Woods as late as 1242, who was followed by John de Clayton, likely his brother, in 1288.

Gerald de Clayton occurs in the Pipe Roll of 1194/5 as owing five marks for himself and his esquires, 'because he was with Count John' in John's rebellion against Richard I [Lancas. Pipe R. 90]. Gerald de Clayton received the serjeanty of the hundred of Leyland from Count John, and this grant was confirmed to him in 1199 when John became king [Cal. Rot. Chart., 26] Gerald had also been senescahl for Albert Bussel, lord of Penwortham (1164-1190), and held four oxgangs of land there as recompense [Lancas. Inq. and Extents, vol. i, 33].

Gerald de Clayton was a benefactor to the Cockersand Abbey, giving part of his land within bounds beginning at the clough under Scalecroft and going by waingate to the clough dividing Leyland and Clayton, and by Blacklache to the starting-point [Cockersand Chartul, ii., 498].

~VCH: A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 6, pp.29-32