I’m researching Elizabeth Clodeshale who married Thomas Aston c.1385 (previously she was married to William Devereux). She’s commonly identified as the daughter of Richard Clodeshale and Isabel Edgbaston, but that can’t be right – Richard and
Isabel married c.1416 and Elizabeth Clodeshale was already on her second marriage by c.1385. I’ve been trying to unravel this and could use some help please.
I should add that my starting point for this was a previous post in this discussion group, and I’ve quoted some of it here: Thomas de Aston (d. abt. 1412) and His Wife Or Wives: Are There Too Many Elizabeths? (6 Nov 2015 - https://groups.google.com/u/1/
g/soc.genealogy.medieval/c/_tK19kTuiZA/m/f-MfaJMRBgAJ)
I should also say that I’ve tried to stick to primary sources as far as possible and have largely ignored the secondary sources which seem muddled to me (or maybe I’m the one that’s muddled, it’s a distinct possibility).
I’d like to start with Walter Clodeshale, Lord of Saltley Manor, who married Alice Bishopsden – they received their marriage settlement of Woodcote manor in 1345 from Alice’s father, Roger:
Marriage settlement of Walter, son of Richard de Clodeshalle of Birmingham and Alice, daughter of Roger de Bishoppesden: Roger settles the manor of Wodecote and his lands and tenements in Little Cokesay, Upton and Bentley, with the bailiffship of the
royal forest of Lekehay upon Walter and Alice and their heirs with reversion to Richard de Clodeshalle and Alice his wife and their heirs. Lands at Wellesbourne, Brymerton and Wychband with lands at Elmley Lovett which Thomas atte Verne and Margaret his
wife hold for life, are settled on Walter and Alice and their heirs, with reversion to Roger de Bishopsden and his heirs: Likewise the Manor of Larkstoke, Glos., which John de Peyto junior and Beatrice his wife [mother of Roger] hold for life; to Walter
and Alice with reversion to Roger and his heirs. Provision by Richard de Clodeshalle for jointure for Alice
Date: Palm Sunday 19 Ed III [20 March 1345] https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/ef41403b-c9bc-4c38-b271-f25778ee1a11
Woodcote manor has previously been in the Bishopsden family for several generations.
The next person I’d like to hightlight is Walter and Alice’s great-grandson, Richard Clodeshale, who married Isabel Edgbaston (widow of Thomas Middlemoor) in c1416 (sourced from Philimore’s book on the Middlemoors,citing Dugdale). This three way
connection between Clodeshale / Middlemoor / Edgbaston connection is confirmed by the 1422 attempt by John, son of Thomas Middlemore and Isabel Edgbaston, to wrest Edgbaston from Richard Clodeshale after his mother’s death c.1422:
John Middelmore requests remedy, stating that by the tenor of a fine made in the time of King Edward, the manor of Edgbaston ought to descend to him and the other children of his mother following her death. However, her husband, Clodeshale, has forcibly
seized the manor and prevented Pulteney and the other feoffees from entering. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C9334389
The descent from Watler Clodeshale to his great-granson Richard is outlined in a claim made in 1426 by Richard and Isabel’s daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband Robert Arden:
“Note that Robert Arden and Elizabeth his wife claim the manor [unidentified] in right of Elizabeth as daughter and heir of Richard Clodeshale, son of John, son of Richard son of said Walter and Alice his wife, who was daughter of Roger de Bishopsdon,
which Roger was son and heir of John de Byschopesdon, Kt. and Beatrice his wife.” (Source: Bishopton manorial records https://collections.shakespeare.org.uk/search/archive/arch-73645)
I feel cautious about this proposed descent because a. that’s a lot of history Elizabeth and Arden are claiming to know, and b. they were obviously self-interested. Plus I haven’t been able to find any primary sources to confirm any of it.
Nevetheless, it’s been suggested that Walter’s son Richard married Joanna de Ribbesford (widow of Robert de Ribbesford, of Bewdley I think), and that Richard’s son John married Beatrice Golofre. I don’t have dates for them but it roughly fits in
chronologically between Walter marrying in 1345 and Richard marrying Isabel Edgbaston in 1416.
Going back to our original person of interest, Elizabeth Aston (née Clodeshale), she turns up in 1410 when Elizabeth and Thomas Aston sell their interest in Woodcote manor to Richard Braz [Brace] and Margaret his wife:
CP 25/1/260/26, number 23.
Link: Image of document at AALT
County: Worcestershire.
Place: Westminster.
Date: One month from St Michael, 12 Henry [IV] [27 October 1410].
Parties: Richard Braz and Margaret, his wife, querents, and Thomas Aston', knight, and Elizabeth, his wife, deforciants.
Property: The manor of Wodecote.
Action: Plea of covenant.
Agreement: Thomas and Elizabeth have granted to Richard and Margaret the manor and have rendered it to them in the court, to hold to Richard and Margaret and the heirs of their bodies, of the chief lords for ever. In default of such heirs, remainder to
the right heirs of Margaret.
For this: Richard and Margaret have given them 100 marks of silver. [http://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/fines/worcestershire.shtml]
Thomas Aston had married Elizabeth Devereux (widow of Wm. Devereux d.1385, née Clodeshale) between 1385/7. Two sources confirm this is the same Elizabeth married to both men – the murder of Thomas Jeddefen is the connection:
From Patent Rolls [Cal. Pat. Rolls Ric. II, vol. 3 (1385-9)]:

p. 45: 25 October 9 Ric. II [1385], Westminster. Grant in fee simple, to Simon de Bureley, under-chamberlain, of the manor of Chastelfrome, co. Hereford, the inheritance of Elizabeth Clodeshale, late the wife of William Deverose, knight, of the yearly
value of 40 marks, which has been seised into the king's hands because she covined with others to murder Thomas Zeduyn, the king's esquire, and absconded. (Similar entry, p. 197, 26 June 10 Ric. II [1386])
p. 435: 17 March 11 Ric. II [1387], Westminster
Pardon, at the supplication of William Bagot, knight, to Thomas de Aston, knight, of the county of Stafford, and Elizabeth Cloddeshale, his wife, for the murder of Thomas Jeddefen of the county of Hereford, at Jeddefen on Wednesday after Michaelmas 9
Richard II.
Margaret Brace’s identity is confirmed by this source:
Cal. Close Rolls Edw. IV, vol. 2 (1471-3), p. 243 (#895):
Walter Arderne of the Logge esquire, of the parish of Aston co. Warwick, to Elizabeth Unet, one of the daughters of Margaret Brace, and Roger Monnyngton, and Margaret his wife another daughter of the aforesaid Margaret, their heirs and assigns. Gift with
warranty against the prior of Canwall co. Stafford and his successors, of all his rights in the manor of Wodecote, and in default of heirs to the said Elizabeth and Margaret with remainder to the right heirs of Margaret Brace, daughter and heir of
Richard Clodsale and Joan his wife. Dated 2 May, 12 Edward IV.
Note it identifies Margaret’s parents as “Richard Clodsale and Joan his wife”. I’ve seen it suggested elsewhere that Margaret could have been Elizabeth Aston’s daughter – this suggests not. Instead, could this be Richard Clodeshale and Joanna
de Ribbesford? I’m not sure – Margaret is described as Richard’s heir, but it’s suggested he had a son John, who would presumably have been his heir?
Anyway, the obvious connection is that Elizabeth Aston and Margaret Brace are both née Clodeshale, which along with the Woodcote interest implies a connection with Walter Clodeshale and his wife Alice.
Woodcote then appears again when in 1471, the manor is gifted to Elizabeth Unet and Margaret Monnyngton (daughters of the aforementioned Margaret Brace) by Walter Arden, son of Elizabeth Clodeshale and Robert Arden, mentioned above:
Walter Arderne of the Logge [the manor first appears in records as Park Hall in 1365 but was also known as Le Logge juxta Bromwiche] esquire, of the parish of Aston co. Warwick, to Elizabeth Unet, one of the daughters of Margaret Brace, and Roger
Monnyngton, and Margaret his wife another daughter of the aforesaid Margaret, their heirs and assigns. Gift with warranty against the prior of Canwall co. Stafford and his successors, of all his rights in the manor of Wodecote, and in default of heirs to
the said Elizabeth and Margaret with remainder to the right heirs of Margaret Brace, daughter and heir of Richard Clodsale and Joan his wife. Dated 2 May, 12 Edward IV.
Cal. Close Rolls Edw. IV, vol. 2 (1471-3), p. 243 (#895)
John Arden, son of the Walter, subsequently tries to get Woodcote back in an action against Rowland Ewnett, son of the Elizabeth Unet mentioned in the 1471 transaction above. (Source: Visit. of Warw. (Harl. Soc. xii), 73. cited on this page https://www.
british-history.ac.uk/vch/worcs/vol3/pp19-33)
This is interesting because it suggests an interest in Woodcote has also descended via Clodeshill/Edbaston line in parallel to the Woodcote interest transacted in the Aston/Brace line. John Arden’s actions also seem to suggest there was some dispute
between the two lines about who could rightfully claim Woodcote. I guess Woodcote could have been passed to Walter Ardern after Margaret Brace acquired it in 1410, rather than there being parallel interests, but I have been unable to find any sources
suggesting this was the case. Is it possible that Walter Clodeshale had split Woodcote between his heirs? I cannot find Walter’s will so it’s just a theory.
This seems to me key to understanding who Elizabeth Aston (née Clodeshal) is. As I said at the outset, she cannot be the daughter of Richard Clodeshale who married Robert Ardern, she’s a generation or two earlier than that. Indeed, I can’t find any
good source to suggest her father was named Richard at all. I wonder if she was in fact a daughter of Walter and Alice who married in 1345? She married Thomas Aston in c.1385 having already been married to Wm Devereux, so conceivably she could be of an
age which puts her in range as a possible daughter of Walter. Alternatively, Elizabeth could have been the daughter (or widow) of on of Walter’s other sons – there is, for example, evidence of a John Clodeshale, son of Walter (1330: Cal. Pat. 1327-30,
555; 1332: Warws. Lay Subs. 70. (https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/warks/vol7/pp73-80#p47 also available at https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015031081071&view=1up&seq=573)
In conclusion, excepting any errors in my research / reasoning (I’m sure there will be plenty, I’m sure someone will kindly point them out!), the main issue to be resolved is how Elizabeth Aston and Margaret Brace fit into the Clodeshale lineage, and
secondarily, how was Woodcote inherited after Walter and Alice owned it?
Sorry it’s been long-winded, I’m not au fait with the sort of shorthand that I often see in this group. Plus I’m a bit of a windbag.
Thanks for reading!

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