1. HENRY RAYNSFORD of Oxfordshire, died shortly before 3 May, 9 Edward IV [1469] when a writ of diem clausit extremum was issued (Calendar of Fine Rolls: Edward JV& Henry VI, 1461-1471, 20:246). He acquired the manor of Tew Magna, or Great Tew, in Oxfordshire through marriage with Elizabeth Wilcotes, daughter and co-heiress of John Wilcotes of Tew Magna by his second wife Elizabeth Cheney. Elizabeth Wilcotes, aged nine in 1422 according to her father's inquisition post mortem, received the manor of Tew Magna by her father's will of 11 April 1422 (see MacNamara, "The Wilcotes Family," 3:102-104; W. F. Carter s commentary in same, 12:109-11), and through her mother provides Raynsford descendants with lines to such pre-Conquest worthies as William de Mandeville, William de Say, and Hugh Maminot (see Complete Peerage).
Proof of the claim that Henry Raynsford was "of Rainsford Hall, Lancashire" has not been seen. He is probably the man who, with others, exchanged London properties on 25 April and 26 May, 17 Henry VI [1439] and on 14 December, 19 Henry VI [1440] (Calendar of Close Rolls: Henry VI, 1435-1441, 3:259, 260, 267, 445). On 16 April 1442 a complaint of intrusion against Henry Reynford was brought by John,
Edward Raynsford of Boston 229
Earl of Huntingdon; Thomas Grey, knight; Thomas Catworth and Thomas Knolles, grocers; Thomas Mulso, esquire; and Thomas Bcvys, gentleman, touching their free tenement in the parish of St. Martin in the Vintry, London (Calendar of Plea & Memoranda Rolls preserved among the archives of the corporation of the City of London at the Guildhall, AD 1437-1457, ed. Philip E. Jones, p. 46 "Roll A69"). Henry Raynsford was among those receiving lands from Thomas Middleton on 22 April 1448 and who on the same date granted William Melborn and William Brown a charter with warranty, of all his lands, rents, services, etc., in the town and fields of Hadlegh Castle, co. Essex, which he had by demise and feoffment of Thomas Burgoyn and of John Wade, citizen and grocer of London (Calendar of Close Rolls: Henry VI, 5:51, 67). On 1 July, 3 Edward IV [1463] Henry Reynford, Richard Quartermayns, William Marmyon, Richard Danvers and Thomas Stonour received commissions of justice of peace for Oxfordshire (Calendar of Fine Rolls: Edward IV& Henry VI, 101, 106).
Printed from NEHG Register, Volume 139, July 1985,© New England Historic Genealogical Society & Broderbund Software, Inc., Banner Blue Division, May 22, 2001