WEST RETFORD: FAMILY OF THE DENMANS.
This family appears to be the most ancient in the neighbourhood, which has preserved its name through an uninterrupted succession of ages. At what period their settlement took place is too remote for me to state, but so early as 1430, such mention is made of them in several ancient documents, as evidently indicates them to have been rich and highly respectable. I have been at considerable trouble to ascertain what families have, at different times, been united with this; for which purpose, reference has been made to the parish registers of East and West Retford, Ordsall and Grove, but unfortunately without that success which was anticipated. It appears, however, that. Nicholas Denman, Esq. of West Retford, married Anne, the second sister of Sir John Hercy, to whom the estate at West Retford descended: the issue of this marriage was one son, Francis, who resided at Old Hall, in West Retford, he afterwards married and had issue, two daughters, Anne and Barbara. Anne married Mr. afterward Sir Thomas Ailesbury, Bart. Master of Requests, in the time of James the first. They had one daughter, who was sole heiress, and subsequently married Sir Edward Hyde, afterwards Earl of Clarendon and Lord High Chancellor of England, from whom descended Lady Anne Hyde, who was married to his Royal Highness James, Duke of York, afterwards James the Second, whose daughter Queen Anne, in due course of time, swayed the British sceptre.
Barbara, the second daughter, married Edward Darrel, Esq. of West Retford, by whom she had issue, Thomas, born June 13th, 1607; Brian, born 1st May, 1610; Edward, born 3rd June, 1613; and Francis, born August 7th, 1616; all of whom dying young, excepting Edward, the estate descended to him; who married and had issue, Thomas and John; at the death of Thomas, the whole of the property descended to Dr. John, with which, under his Will, was founded and endowed the hospital at this place.
About this period another branch of the family of the Denmans resided at Bevercotes, where they have ever since continued: and another branch settled in Derbyshire, from whom was descended Thomas Denman, Esq. the eminent barrister. It is, however, to be regretted, that the pedigree of the family cannot be made out so correctly as to preserve the line of descent uninterrupted. This, however, does not in the least invalidate the correctness of the foregoing statement, nor tend to disprove the facts, but is merely the result of the defective state of the registers in the sixteenth century, and of negligence in not preserving the documents pertaining to the family. The following pedigree of the Derbyshire branch is as correct as can be ascertained.
[<<Previous] [Next>>]
© A P NICHOLSON | PAGE LAST UPDATED: 29 MAY 2003