Gathered here is the most comprehensive repository of materials on the life of John Belknap (about 1305-after 1367), father of Sir Robert Belknap (about 1330-1401) who served as Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in England during the 14th Century. Click on the links below to access biographical and historical information about this individual:
Biographies and Related Materials
- Foss, Edward. The Judges of England; With Sketches of Their Lives, and Miscellaneous Notices Connected with the Courts of Westminster, from the Time of the Conquest (1851), vol. IV, pp. 31-35 (all citations: 3, 14, 17-18, 31-36, 47, 64, 198 (different Belknap))
- Howard, Joseph Jackson, ed. Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica, vol. 2 (1876), pp. 324-37: “Finch Genealogy”
Calendar of Patent Rolls
- CPR, Edward III, vol. 10, p. 68: 16 May 1354
- CPR, Edward III, vol. 10, p. 448: 4 Jul 1356
- CPR, Edward III, vol. 13, p. 436: 10 May 1367
Court of Common Pleas: Plea Rolls (from WAALT (Wiki for the Anglo-American Legal Tradition Website WAALT, project of the Anglo-American Legal Tradition (AALT), University of Houston))
- CP 40/359, Michaelmas Term (Fall), 1349; Side: f, Image 8703, County of Surrey, Case Type: Land; Plaintiff: Abbot of Chertsey; Defendant(s): Agnes de Arderne, formerly wife of John, who vouched John Alresford; William de Fishide; John Beleknap
- CP 40/359, Michaelmas Term (Fall), 1349; Side: f, Image 8703, County of Surrey, Case Type: Land; Plaintiff: Abbot of Chertsey; Defendant(s): Agnes de Arderne, formerly wife of John, who vouched John Alresford; William de Fishide; John Beleknap
- CP 40/359, Michaelmas Term (Fall), 1349; Side: f, Image 8703, County of Surrey, Case Type: Land; Plaintiff: Abbot of Chertsey; Defendant(s): Agnes de Arderne, formerly wife of John, who vouched John Alresford; William de Fishide; John Beleknap
Feet of Fines
- Elrington, C. R., ed. Wiltshire Records Society: Abstracts of Feet of Fines Relating to Wiltshire For the Reign of Edward III, vol. 29 (1974), p. 32, 254/41/33: “[1331] 89. Oct. of Mic. Roger Ashurst, pl.; John Byleknap and Alice his wife, def., by John de Bereford in Alice’s place by the king’s writ. Two messuages, 24 acres of land, 3 acres of meadow, and 1 acre of wood in West Hacche. Right of pl. by gift of John; grant back and render to def. To hold to def. and the heirs of John’s body. Remainder to the right heirs of John.” (John Byleknap and his wife Alice were sued by Roger Ashurst in October 1331 for two messuages with appurtenances in West Hacche, which he had by gift of John. Roger grants the property back to John and his heirs of his body with remainder to right heirs of John, Oct 1331)
- Index of Wiltshire Fines, From 1 Edward III to Richard III, vol. 2 (1835): Lansdown MSS 306: Jno. De Beleknap and Alicia “q. [querents] Rog. Ashurst, d. [deforciant] de ten in Westach”, 1331
UK National Archives
- UK National Archives, Berkeley Castle Muniments (2189, BCM), The Mowbray Estate (BCM/D), The Segrave Inheritance, BCM/D/5: Catalogue Description [TO COME]
- UK National Archives, Berkeley Castle Muniments (2189, BCM), The Mowbray Estate (BCM/D), The Segrave Interitance (BCM/D/5), West Hatch (Wiltshire), BCM/D/5/92: Catalogue Description [TO COME]
- UK National Archives, Berkeley Castle Muniments, The Mowbray Estate, The Segrave Inheritance, West Hatch, Wiltshire, BCM/D/5/92/6 (Berkeley Castle Muniments, file GC2711): Lady Alice de Segrave; and John Bilknap of West Hatch and Robert Writhelok of the same. Sun. after Michaelmas, 4 Edw. III. Alice has demised at farm to John and Robert, for her life, her manor of Westhach (Wilts.); rent £20 a year to be paid at her manor of Northpidele. At: North Piddle, 30 Sep 1330
- UK National Archives, Berkeley Castle Muniments, The Mowbray Estate, The Segrave Inheritance, West Hatch, Wiltshire, BCM/D/5/92/7 (Berkeley Castle Muniments, file GC2803): John Bilknap of West Hatch and John de Swaleweclyve. Sun. the feast of St. Leonard, 8 Edw. III. John Bilknap has granted to John de Swaleweclyve, his heirs and assigns the manor of Westhache with the appurtenances, for the term of the life of Lady Alice de Segrave; rent to Alice £20 a year at her manor of Northpudele. Witnesses: Walter de Shireveton, William de Colyngebume, John de Reyny, John atte Forde, Richard de Hatche. At: West Hatch, 6 Nov 1334
Inquisitions Post Mortem
- Abstracts of Wiltshire Inquisitiones Post Mortem, Returned Into the Court of Chancery in the Reigns of Henry III, Edward I, and Edward II (1908), pp. 446-47: Stephen de Segrave (mentions John Bulkenap), 8 Jan 1327
- Abstracts of Wiltshire Inquisitiones Post Mortem, Returned Into the Court of Chancery in the Reign of King Edward III (1914), p. 76: Manor of Sutton Maundeville (mentions John Byleknapp), 1331
- Abstracts of Wiltshire Inquisitiones Post Mortem, Returned Into the Court of Chancery in the Reign of King Edward III (1914), pp. 186-87: Robert de Litelton of Henlegh (mentions John Bilknap), 1348
Medway Archives
- DRc_Rochester_Priory_and_other_Religious_Houses_1080_1541/DRc_T094_01, 1 Mar 1375/76: Robert provides for “souls of John de Beleknappe, his father, Alice, his wife and his mother, all their children and all his own children” [TO COME]
Miscellaneous
- Philipott, Thomas. Villare Cantianum; Or, Kent Surveyed and Illustrated. Being an Exact Description of All the Parishes, Boroughs, Villages, and Other Respective Manors in the County of Kent; And, The Original and Intermedial Possessors of Them, Down to the Author’s Time. Drawn Out of Charters, Escheat-Rolls, Fines, And Other Public Evidences; But Especially Out of Gentlemen’s Private Deeds and Muniment, 2d ed. (1776), p. 168
- John Beleknappe: practicing lawyer in London, 1346 [LOCATE SOURCE]
Spouse
Children
- Sir Robert Belknap (about 1330-1401)
- (John and Alice are reported to have had additional children)
Last update: 21 Jul 2023