1050813Margaret Cralle
Key Facts
Snapshot:lived in 14th-century Kent, England
Parents:2101626Robert de Cralle
Her mother's identity is unknown.
Born:unknown
Died:unknown
Buried:unknown

1050813Margaret de Cralle is the daughter of 2101626Robert de Cralle, as explained below.

Problem: Resolved
Who is 1050813Margaret's father?

The following paragraph is copied from: Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, Volume IV, page 460.

11. RICHARD CHEYNE (or CHEYNEY), of Shurland (in Eastchutch), Kent, son and heir, born about 1355 (aged 10 in 1365). He married MARGARET CRALLE, daughter and co-heiress of Robert Cralle, of Cralle (in Warbleton), Sussex, by Margaret, daughter and heiress of Simon Peplesham (or Poplesham). They had two sons, William, Esq., and Simon, and five daughters, Alice (wife of John Cobham), Margery, Joan (wife of Thomas Atrown), Elizabeth, and Isabel (wife of John Pympe).
Hasted Hist. & Top. Survey of Kent 6 (1798): 248. Clutterbuck Hist. & Antiqs. of Hertford 1 (1815): 133 (Cheyney ped.). Sussex Arch. Colls. 25 (1873): 108-111 (Cheyney ped.); 65 (1924): 20-53. Genealogist n.s. 5 (1889): 129 (seal of Richard Cheyne dated 1393-4 — A shield of arms: Six lions tampant, a canton ermine. Legend: Sigillum Ricardi Cheyne). Philipot Vis. of Kent 1619-21 (H.S.P. 42) (1898): 43, 67. Benolte et al. Four Vis. of Berkshire 1532, 1566, 1623 & 1665-6 2 (H.S.P. 57) (1908): 102-105 (Cheney ped.: “Sr Richard Cheney of Sherland Kt 10 yeares old 36 : Edw : 3 [1362-3] = Margery da : & coheire of Robert Crall of Crall in Com. Sussex & Margarett his wife da : & h : of Symon Peplasham.”). Arch. Cantiana 29 (1911): 199. Misc. Gen. et Heraldica 4th Ser. 3 (1910): 313-317. Year Books of Richard II 5 (Ames Found. 8) (1937): 14-19. Roskell House of Commons 1386-1421 2. (1992): 557-558 (biog. of William Cheyne).

Although Richardson cites many sources, the evidence to support his claim that 1050813Margaret's father is 2101626Robert Cralle isn't immediately obvious. I therefore set out to understand the evidence better.

The following chart is excerpted (and slightly modified) from: L. F. Salzman, "Sussex Domesday Tenants, IV: The Family of Chesney or Cheyney," Sussex Archaeological Collections, Volume 65, page 48 insert. It may prove helpful as you read the following statement.


Robert de Cralle

2101626Robert de Cralle is mentioned in two heraldic visitations several centuries after his death: A 1619-1621 visitation describes him as "Rob'ti Cralle de Cralle in com. Sussex." 1 A 1665-1666 visitation describes him as "Robert Crall of Crall in Com. Sussex." 2 Neither visitation should be considered authoritative, and indeed the 1619-1621 visitation includes a fairly blatant error (It shows that 1050812Richard Cheyne was married to "Elizabeth," even though contemporary evidence proves that his wife was 1050813Margaret.3)

The visitations' mention of "Crall(e)" probably refers to Cralle Place in Warbleton. Although I have found no contemporary evidence (other than his name) to prove that 2101626Robert owned this manor specifically, contemporary evidence does prove that he lived in the same general area:

In two 1361 deeds involving land in Hooe, 2101626Robert (or, rather, his unnamed heir[s]) is mentioned as an adjacent landowner to the west.4,5 In 1352 2101626Robert signed a document in Hellingly.6 Warbleton and Hellingly both lie not far west of Hooe, consistent with the three records noted.

Simon Cheyne's Family

The abovementioned 1665-1666 visitation also shows that 1050812Richard Cheyne had a son (and thus 525406William Cheyne had a brother) named Simon.2 This claim is corroborated by contemporary evidence:

In 1449, Simon was a tenant of Shurland Manor,7 which his (proposed) father 1050812Richard had once owned.8

A 1437 demise record mentions that Simon and others conveyed a property that they had obtained from 525406William Cheyne and his wife 525407Eleanor.9 This suggests a likely family relationship.

Simon Cheyne's Land

Like his (proposed) grandfather 2101626Robert de Cralle, Simon seems to have lived near Hooe: In 1455 Simon appointed someone to transfer seisin of land in Hooe to Thomas Cobham.10

Simon's grandson requested to be buried in Warbleton.11

Putting It All Together

Since 2101626Robert de Cralle owned land at/near Warbleton, and since 525406William's brother Simon likewise owned such land, one may reasonably conclude that Simon and therefore 525406William were descendants of 2101626Robert de Cralle. The most plausible way they could have descended from 2101626Robert was via their (apparent) mother 1050813Margaret, wife of their father 525406William Cheyne. Therefore, 1050813Margaret is almost certainly a daughter of 2101626Robert de Cralle. Later heraldic visitations support this interpretation, as noted above.

She married 1050812Richard Cheyne by December 1374.3 I have found no further contemporary record of her thereafter.

Sources Cited:

1: Robert Hovenden, ed., The Visitation of Kent: Taken in the Years 1619-1621 (Publications of the Harleian Society, volume 42, London, 1898), 43.

2: W.H. Rylands, The Four Visitations of Berkshire (Mitchell, Hughes and Clarke, London, 1907), pages 102-103.

3: Kent Archives reference U991/T10. I found this reference cited in an unpublished (as of spring 2022) article by Nathan Murphy titled "The Parentage of Joan, Wife of Thomas Town (d. 1422-1424}."

4: East Sussex and Brighton and Hove Record Office reference number ASH/4501/22. I have not seen the original record and merely used the abstract at the link provided.

5: East Sussex and Brighton and Hove Record Office reference number ASH/4501/23. I have not seen the original record and merely used the abstract at the link provided.

6: East Sussex and Brighton and Hove Record Office reference number AMS5872/1. I have not seen the original record and merely used the abstract at the link provided.

7: British Library Additional Charter 44557. Cited in: L. F. Salzman, "Sussex Domesday Tenants, IV: The Family of Chesney or Cheyney," Sussex Archaeological Collections, Volume 65, page 49. As you can see, Salzman's description simply reads, "in 1449 William, Simon and Alexander Cheyne were tenants of the manor of Shurland (K ent)."

8: Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem and Other Analogous Documents Preserved in the Public Record Office, Volume XI, Edward III (London, 1935), pages 240-241.

9: East Sussex and Brighton and Hove Record Office reference number RYE/136/188. I have not seen the original record and merely used the abstract at the link provided.

10: British Library Harley Charter 47 H. 49 Cited in: L. F. Salzman, "Sussex Domesday Tenants, IV: The Family of Chesney or Cheyney," Sussex Archaeological Collections, Volume 65, page 49. As you can see, Salzman's description simply reads, "in 1455 William Cheyne of Sheppey and Simon Cheyne, esq., appointed John Cheyne their attorney to give seisin of land in Hooe to Thomas Cobham."

11: UK National Archives record PROB 11/10/175 (Prerogative Court of Canterbury / Wills and Letters of Administration / Will Registers / Vox / Will of John Cheyny of Walberton, Sussex). You can download a copy of the record here.