(318) Baildon of Baildon

Baildon of Baildon

This family seems to be first recorded in the last years of the 12th century, when Hugh de Baildon was witness to a charter in the Wentworth muniments. The careful scholarship of William Paley Baildon in his three-volume work on Baildon and the Baildons (1912-24) has traced the descent of the family from that time onwards, although almost inevitably some elements in his account are more tenuous than others. The spelling of the name is inconsistent, and it is frequently given as Bayldon rather than Baildon, but this account uses the latter form, which was increasingly standard by the 17th century and is the accepted form of the place-name today. By the 14th century the family had a semi-timbered hall at Baildon, of which one element survives, and the fabric of the semi-timbered southern cross-wing that was rebuilt in the 15th century also survives inside a 17th century stone casing. We do not know which members of the family were responsible for these works, but the story begins to become clearer with the 16th century, and the genealogy below takes up the story with Walter Baildon (c.1448-1510) and his son, John Baildon (c.1468-1526), who was mayor of Doncaster in 1520-21 and lived largely in that town after his second marriage. His son Robert Baildon (c.1496-1559) was sent to the court of King Henry VIII to complete his education, and having caught the king's eye remained there as a Groom of the Chamber until 1526, when he inherited the family estate in Yorkshire. If part of Baildon Hall was rebuilt in 1553, as a datestone recorded in 1848 suggests, it may have been the initiative of his son, Nicholas Baildon (c.1519-60), who was living at Baildon by 1545. He died within a few months of his father, and the estate passed to his son, Robert Baildon (1541-99), who expanded the estate by a significant purchase of lands in 1572.

Robert Baildon was succeeded by his son William Baildon (1562-1627), who had antiquarian interests and helped Roger Dodsworth with his collections of information about the history of Yorkshire. He was infirm and increasingly blind for the last decade of his life, and his son, William Baildon junior (c.1588-1627) therefore took over an increasing part of his father's role on the estate and in the county during his father's lifetime. He survived his father, however, by only a few months, and his widow, Frances, only gave birth to the heir to the estate several months after his death, in October 1627. Frances married again in 1632, to a recusant, George Tempest, from whom she was temporarily separated on account of their religious differences in about 1635, and she also had an affair with her friend Lewis Sheffield which resulted in a conviction for adultery and a large fine. She was, however, subsequently reconciled with her second husband and bore him several children. The guardianship of Francis Baildon (1627-69), her son by her first marriage, was sold by the Court of Wards & Liveries in 1633, and changed hands several times in the next few years. This sequence of events set up a situation in which too many people had competing and overlapping interests in the Baildon estate, with the predictable result that there was constant litigation about the estate for more than twenty years. At the same time, the Civil War was unfolding. In 1642, Francis Baildon was sent to Skipton Castle as a place of safety by his Royalist guardian, and he was still there when the castle was beseiged and surrendered in 1645. On the pretext that his presence indicated he had been in arms against Parliament, the Baildon estate was sequestered, and Francis' minority (which did not end until 1648) and the fragmented rights in the estate, meant that Francis was not able to finally complete the process of compounding for the estate until 1653. The complexities over the estate gradually unwound between Francis' coming of age in 1648, and the Restoration in 1660. It was probably after that he rebuilt the main part of the house, leaving only the south wing of the earlier building, which had been remodelled by his mother c.1630.

Francis Baildon and his wife Jane (d. 1694) had no sons, and their only daughter Mary (1649-79), the last of this main line of the Baildons, married Bredwardine Tindall (d. 1687) and also left only a single daughter: Lucy Tindall (1674-1715), later the wife of Edward Thompson of Marston. On the death of Jane Baildon in 1694 the estate passed to Lucy and her husband, who lived on her husband's property at Marston, and Baildon Hall began a long slide down the social scale to use as a farmhouse in the 19th century.

Baildon Hall, Yorkshire (WR)

Baildon Hall: entrance front, c.1912. The lower projecting wing on the right represents the earlier part of the house.

The Baildon family were settled at Baildon in the West Riding of Yorkshire from early times, and had at first a timber-framed hall house, of which the earliest surviving part is perhaps 14th century. This is a timber-framed partition with the textbook medieval arrangement of three pointed doorways between the lower end of the hall and the right cross-wing. The rest of the cross-wing is also timber-framed, and probably of the late 15th century, but was later encased in stone. This work is probably identifiable with the 'repairs to one end of the mansion house' which Frances Baildon stated in 1656 she had made in the years of her widowhood (between 1627 and 1632). The house was taxed on eight hearths in 1665.

Baildon Hall: ground plan, 1912.

The rest of the house seems to have been rebuilt in the mid 17th century, probably by Francis Baildon (d. 1669) after 1660, when his tangled affairs were straightened out. It is of two-and-a-half storeys, with a triple-gabled front. In 1848 the house had a porch (later removed), inside which was a reset date stone of 1553, which may indicate the date of the previous house. The centre of the house is occupied by the hall, which has a transomed window originally of ten lights, later truncated to seven. Behind the hall, in a gabled turret projecting at the back, is a handsome staircase with ornamented newels that terminate in ogee finials. To the left of the hall is the parlour or drawing room, which has an elaborate plaster ceiling with a geometrical pattern of ribs, little pendants etc., and contemporary panelling. Francis Baildon's initials appear in the frieze.

After Jane Baildon's death in 1694, subsequent owners of the house made increasingly little use of it, and it gradually descended into use as a farmhouse. In 1912, the house was said to be 'rather forlorn', and in the 1930s there was a real possibility that the house might be demolished. It was acquired in 1936 by a firm of house-builders who developed the land around it but were persuaded to preserve the house and sell it on, with very little land, to the local freemasons' lodge. During the Second World War they loaned it to the Auxiliary Fire Service, which converted it into a social club, and after the war it was acquired by Baildon Hall Social Club to maintain this use. It continues to function as a social club today.

Descent: John de Baildon (fl. 1362); to son, William de Baildon (d. by 1417); to son, Nicholas de Baildon (probably d. by 1437); to son, Nicholas Baildon (1396-c.1452); to son, Robert Baildon (d. 1473); to son, Walter Baildon (c.1448-1510); to son, John Baildon (c.1468-1526); to son, Robert Baildon (c.1496-1559); to son, Nicholas Baildon (c.1519-60); to son, Robert Baildon (1541-99); to son, William Baildon (1562-1627); to son, William Baildon (c.1590-1627); to son, Francis Baildon (c.1627-69); to widow, Jane Baildon (d. 1694); to granddaughter Lucy (1674-1715), wife of Edward Thompson (1670-1734) of Marston; to son, Francis Thompson (1701-41); to daughter, Anna Jane Thompson (c.1738-65), later wife of Paul Meyer (d. 1763) of Pontefract; to half-brother, William Meeke (later Meyer) (executed for murder, 1781); to son, William Meyer (later Thompson) (1772-1839); to sister, Anna Jane Meyer (later Meeke) (1775-1852); sold 1849 to William Maude (c.1781-1860); to son, Abraham Maude (d. 1876); to son, William Wade Maude (d. 1933); sold 1936 to a house-builder; sold 1936 to Baildon Lodge of Freemasons; lent to Auxiliary Fire Service, 1939, who converted it into a social club; sold late 1940s to Baildon Hall Social Club.

Baildon family of Baildon

Baildon, Walter (c.1448-c.1510). Son of Robert Baildon (d. 1472) and his wife Anne, daughter of Walter Calverley, born about 1448. He was granted administration of his father's goods, 11 January 1472/3. He married a daughter of Thomas Gargrave (probably of Wakefield), and had issue:

(1) John Baildon (d. 1526) (q.v.);

(2) Anne Baildon; married William Threapland and had issue;

(3) William Baildon (fl. 1501-35) of Baildon;

(4) Richard Baildon (fl. 1515) of Swinefleet; married and had issue.

He inherited Baildon Hall from his father in 1473.

He died before the Trinity term of 1511. His wife's date of death is unknown.

Baildon, John (c.1468-1526). Son of Walter Baildon (c.1448-c.1510) of Baildon and his wife, a daughter of Thomas Gargrave, born about 1468 or 1469. As a young man he was apparently a page in the household of Sir William Plumpton of Knaresborough Castle (Yorks WR), and he continued to hold some office at Knaresborough until at least 1508. In 1512 he was one of the collectors of the lay subsidy in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Mayor of Doncaster, 1520-21. He married 1st, c.1490, a daughter of John Haldenby of Haldenby (Yorks WR), and 2nd, Oct-Dec 1515 at Doncaster, Mary, daughter of Sir Thomas Mauleverer of Allerton Mauleverer (Yorks WR) and widow of Edward Copley (d. 1514) of Doncaster, and had issue including:

(1.1) John Baildon; died young, before 1522;

(1.2) Robert Baildon (c.1496-1559) (q.v.);

(1.3) Thomas Baildon (fl. 1530 and perhaps 1549);

(1.4) Edward Baildon, of Doncaster;

(1.5) Richard Baildon (fl. 1546) of Heaton near Bradford (Yorks WR); yeoman; attend the 1539 militia muster as a mounted archer; living in 1546;

(1.6) Edith Baildon (d. 1548); died unmarried, between July and December 1548; will proved, 14 December 1548;

(1.7) Jennet Baildon (fl. 1548).

He inherited Baildon Hall from his father c.1510. In about 1515 he moved to Doncaster on his second marriage.

He died 22 December 1526; administration of his goods was granted to his son, 9 January 1526/7; an inquisition post mortem was held 21 June 1527. His first wife died before 1515. His second wife's date of death is unknown.

Baildon, Robert (c.1496-1559). Son of John Baildon (c.1468-1526) and his first wife, daughter of John Haldenby of Haldenby, born 1496/7. He completed his education at Court, where he was subsequently employed as a Groom of the Counting House and later of the Privy Chamber c.1516-26, and was granted an annuity of £10 a year by 'the special favour' of the King, 1519. In 1520 he was one of two Grooms of the Chamber appointed to attend Queen Catherine of Aragon at the Field of the Cloth of Gold. He probably resigned his post at Court on the death of his father. In 1539 he attended a militia muster at Wyke near Harewood, and was recorded as a mounted archer. In 1540-41 he was one of the collectors of a Lay Subsidy in the West Riding. He married, probably in 1518, Margaret, daughter of Peter Mirfield of Tonge, and had issue:

(1) Nicholas Baildon (c.1519-60) (q.v.);

(2) George Baildon.

He inherited Baildon Hall from his father.

He died after 6 March 1559. His wife was living in 1554.

Baildon, Nicholas (c.1519-60). Elder son of Robert Baildon (c.1496-1559) and his wife Margaret, daughter of Peter Mirfield, born 1519/20. He married, 6 May 1539 at Halifax (Yorks WR), Sibyl (fl. 1577), daughter of Richard Waterhouse of Priestley near Halifax, and had issue:

(1) Ellen Baildon (fl. 1585); married George Pollard and probably had issue;

(2) Rosamond Baildon (d. 1608); married, before 1584, Walter Hartley (d. 1611) of Otley, husbandman, and had issue four sons and three daughters; buried at Otley, 15 November 1608;

(3) Robert Baildon (1541-99) (q.v.);

(4) Sibyl Baildon (fl. 1585); died unmarried;

(5) Anne Baildon (fl. 1608); married, before 1586, William Pulleyn (d. 1608), gent., of Hawkesworth (Yorks WR), and had issue four sons.

He lived with his wife's parents until he came of age and then at Southowram (Yorks WR) but he was living at Baildon by 1545 and could have been responsible for the work there indicated by a now-lost datestone of 1553. However, he only inherited Baildon Hall from his father in c.1559.

He probably died in the autumn of 1560; administration of his goods was granted to his widow, 21 November 1560. His widow was living in 1577; her date of death is unknown.

Baildon, Robert (1541-99). Only son of Nicholas Baildon (c.1519-60) and his wife Sibyl, daughter of Richard Waterhouse of Shibden, baptised at Halifax, 19 July 1541. In 1585 his arms and pedigree were recorded at the Heralds' Visitation of Yorkshire. He married 1st, Isabel (d. by 1583), daughter of Thomas Maude of West Riddlesden (Yorks WR), and 2nd, Isabel (fl. 1599), probably daughter of Francis Paslew (d. 1582) of Bingley (Yorks WR), and had issue:

(1.1) William Baildon (1562-1627) (q.v.);

(1.2) Anne Baildon (fl. 1585); probably died unmarried;

(1.3) Bridget Baildon (fl. 1585); probably died unmarried.

He inherited Baildon Hall from his father in 1560. In 1572 he enlarged his estate by buying lands at Baildon from Nicholas Tempest.

He died shortly before administration of his goods was granted 31 July 1599. His first wife was dead by 1583. His widow is said to have married 2nd, John Brearey of Menston; her date of death is unknown.

Baildon, William (1562-1627). Only son of Robert Baildon (1541-99) and his first wife, Isabel, daughter of Thomas Maude, born about September 1562. He seems to have had antiquarian interests, and was one of Roger Dodsworth's informants when he was collecting information on this part of Yorkshire in 1619. He was infirm and losing his sight by 1618 and was blind by 1625. He married 1st, 3 July 1586* at Bingley (Yorks WR), Margaret (fl. 1599), daughter of Arthur Maude, 2nd, 1609/10, Anne (d. 1613), daughter of John Grimshaw and widow of Simon Haydocke (d. 1607) of Haysandforth, Burnley (Lancs), and 3rd, c.1617, Jane (d. 1639), daughter of Robert Rishworth of East Riddlesden (Yorks WR) and widow of Thomas Savile of Darton and John Popeley of Woolley Morehouse, Royston (Yorks WR), and had issue:

(1.1) Robert Baildon (b. 1586), baptised at Bingley, 4 July 1586; died young;
(1.2) William Baildon (c.1588-1627);

(1.3) John Baildon (d. 1623); buried at Baildon, 3 March 1622/3;

(1.4) Margaret Baildon (d. 1635?), perhaps the person of that name buried at Bingley, 13 April 1635.

He inherited Baildon Hall from his father in 1599.

He died 20 December 1627 and was buried at Baildon, 1 January 1627/8; administration of his goods was granted to his widow, 6 February 1627/8 (effects over £40); an inquisition post mortem was not held until a long dispute in the Court of Wards was resolved; it was finally held 8 April 1634. His first wife died after 1599. His second wife died before 15 October 1613, when administration of her goods was granted. His widow died in 1638/9; her will was proved 8 March 1638/9.

* Possibly an error for 1585?

Baildon, William (c.1588-1627). Second, but eldest surviving son of William Baildon (1562-1627) and his first wife, Mary, daughter of Arthur Maude, born about 1588 and apparently of age in 1620. He married, 14 July 1623 at Baildon, Frances (fl. 1656), daughter of Thomas Savile of The Haigh, Kexborough (Yorks WR) and had issue:

(1) Jane Baildon (1624-34), baptised at Baildon, 11 April 1624; died young and was buried at Baildon, 11 April 1634;

(2) Robert Baildon (b. & d. 1625), baptised at Baildon, 26 March 1625; died in infancy and was buried at Baildon, 12 July 1625;

(3) Margaret Baildon (1626-35), baptised at Baildon, 10 May 1626; died young, before November 1635;

(4) Francis Baildon (1627-69) (q.v.).

He did not live to inherit Baildon Hall, but his widow was resident there for some years in the 1630s and in a deposition of 1656 said she then rebuilt one end of the house.

He died in the lifetime of his father, 1 August 1627; a grant of administration of his goods was made to his widow 22 May 1628*. His widow married 2nd, 15 September 1632 at Baildon, George Tempest (fl. 1656), fifth son of Sir Stephen Tempest of Broughton (Yorks WR), a recusant. The legality of this marriage was subsequently contested and after three or four years she and Tempest separated because she refused to convert to Catholicism, and she then went to live with her uncle John Rishworth of East Riddlesden. In 1635-36 she was accused and convicted in absentia of adultery with her friend Lewis Sheffield and fined £500; but she was later reconciled with her husband, converted to Catholicism, and had further issue three sons and two daughters. She was living in 1656. Her second husband was also living in 1656; they probably died fairly soon afterwards.

*The record says 1627 but this must be an error.

Baildon, Francis (1627-69). Second, but only surviving son of William Baildon (c.1588-1627) and his wife Frances, daughter of Thomas Savile, born posthumously in October 1627 and baptised at Baildon, 17 October 1628. His wardship was granted in 1633 to John Browne of St Martin-in-the-Fields (Middx) and assigned to Francis Neville of Chevet Park (Yorks WR) in February 1635/6, who reassigned it in July 1637 to Francis Malham of Elslack (Yorks). In 1642, at the commencement of the Civil War, his guardian sent him to the Royalist stronghold of Skipton Castle for protection, but the castle later came under siege and his presence there was construed to mean that he was in arms against Parliament, despite his tender age. In 1649 he compounded for his estate but the following year it appeared that the estate had been undervalued and part of it was again sequestered; after much legal wrangling he was finally allowed to compound for it in 1653. In 1657-58 he was apparently briefly confined in the Marshalsea for debt. In 1660, he was on the list of those proposed to be honoured by King Charles II as Knights of the Royal Oak, but the proposal was abandoned as being liable to perpetuate dissension. In the 1660s he was a Captain in the Trained Bands of the West Riding of Yorkshire. He married, c.1649, Jane (d. 1694), daughter of Sir Richard Hawkesworth, kt., and had issue:

(1) Mary Baildon (1649-79) (q.v.).

He inherited Baildon Hall from his grandfather in December 1627 and came of age in 1648. At his death it passed to his widow, and then to their granddaughter, Lucy Tindall.

He died 23 May and was buried at Baildon, 25 May 1669, where he was commemorated by a monument, now lost. His widow was buried at Otley (Yorks WR), 11 January 1693/4.

Baildon, Mary (1649-79). Only child of Francis Baildon (1627-69) and his wife Jane, daughter of Sir Richard Hawkesworth, baptised at Baildon, 3 January 1649/50. She married, 21 September 1665 at Hooton Pagnell (Yorks WR), Bredwardine Tindall (c.1641-87) of Brotherton (Yorks WR), eldest son of Henry Tindall, and had issue:

(1) Lucy Tindall (1674-1715), baptised 2 March 1673/4; married, 9 October 1689, Edward Thompson (1670-1734) of Marston, third son of Sir Henry Thompson, kt., and had issue seven sons and nine daughters; died 23 April and was buried at Marston, 29 April 1715.

Mary was buried at Brotherton, 29 October 1679. Her husband married 2nd, Margaret (fl. 1690), daughter of Anthony Byerley of Midridge Grange and died 12 March 1686/7.

Sources

W.P. Baildon, The Baildons of Baildon, 1912-24, 3 vols.; P. Leach & Sir N. Pevsner, The buildings of England: Yorkshire West Riding - Leeds, Bradford and the North, 2009, p. 107.

Location of archives

Baildon family of Baildon: genealogical notes of W.P. Baildon, 19th-20th cents. [West Yorkshire Archives Service, Bradford [WPB; 15D74 Box 10 Case 1]

Coat of arms

Argent, a fesse between three fleurs-de-lys sable.


Can you help?
Here are a few notes about information and images which would help to improve the account above. If you can help with any of these or with other additions or corrections, please use the contact form in the sidebar to get in touch. Can anyone:

• Supply good photographs of the parlour or staircase at Baildon Hall?

Revision and acknowledgements

This post was first published 18 January 2018.