Origins in the Rishworth Area
Then via Coley and Colne to Ghyll Grange
It is suggested that our family history begins in Halifax where Thomas Rishworth, who was living about 963 A.D., had a daughter Ann, born in Rishworth about 1009 A.D. Ann apparently rose to the position of Vicar or Rector of Halifax, although no evidence has been found as yet..
Ann married Adam de Copley, who was slain when William the Conqueror laid siege to York in 1070.
Adam and Ann had a son Hugh Talva de Copley, who married Margaret, daughter of Richard de Liversedge.
Hugh and Margaret had three sons, Rafe, Richard, and Adam (Rector of Halifax until 1273) and a daughter Margaret.
It is subsequently reported that Rafe’s grandson John, who lived from 1339-1381, bequeathed the Copley lands to Henry Rishworth c 1320, suggesting that the families had remained closely connected for over 300 years. These dates are obviously incompatible but since there is evidence to support the 1320 date it is suspected that other dates associated with the Copleys are incorrect estimates.
The accuracy of the above is questioned because names were essentially Anglo-Saxon prior to 1066, and names of generally French origin were then introduced.
Another author has quoted the genealogical saying “that without verification, Family History is speculation”, and this might very well apply here.
The Crusades mainly occurred during the 12th Century. It is said that King Richard I bestowed a gift on a Rishworth Knight for services rendered in the Christian/Moslem Holy Wars in the Middle East. Although no evidence appears to be located, the Rishworth Coat of Arms seems to bear this out, apparently having its origin in the 12th Century. (There are a few variations of the Rishworth Coat of Arms).
In the meantime, William de Rishworth was born in about 1150. He had a son Elias de Rishworth.
Elias was married and had two sons, John de Rishworth and Elias de Rishworth. In about 1200 he owned, or at least received money from all lands in Holdsworth from Assoh de Holdsworth.
John de Rishworth was a clerk in Cromwell Bottom and had a son Henry de Rishworth. Henry de Rishworth was Foreman of Halifax Jurors in 1285. He was married to Alicia and they had three daughters, Margaret, Agnes and Isabel. Henry owned the Manors of Rishworth and Barkisland and resided at Rishworth Hall. He died in 1307 at Coley.
Thomas Rishworth was married to Hawyse and had a son Robert de Rishworth. A further example of wider land ownership is that in 1277 Thomas and Hawyse were reported to have 6 acres of land in Holme in Almondbury Parish (Huddersfield outskirts).
Robert de Rishworth was married to Christine de Coldley and they had two sons, Thomas de Rishworth and Henry de Rishworth, and a daughter Margery Rishworth.
Margaret, daughter of Henry, married Sir John Saville, certainly before 1306 and probably in 1300. The Rishworth property thus passed to the Saville family and the ownership continues to recently.Agnes married William de Langfeld.
Isabel married Jordan de Insula.
Elias de Rishworth owned, or paid 10 shillings for land in Lightazles from Adam de Lightazles in 1275. He was married and had a son Thomas.
It is about this time that the family acquired lands in Coley. Coley is in Hipperholme township some eight miles down stream from Rishworth in the Calder Valley. The previous owners had been the “de Coldley” family and there is a record of Robert de Rishworth and his son Henry acquiring lands in 1339. Just when the family moved to Coley is not absolutely certain, but probably between 1330 and 1340. The Coldleys had obtained the land about 1270 from the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem who had a Hospital there in 1187.
Thomas de Rishworth is reported without marriage or descendants. Margery Rishworth is also reported without descendants, although there is a statement that she married John Savile in the latter half of the 1300’s.
Henry de Rishworth was reported to have a daughter Margaret Rishworth, and three sons Nicholas de Rishworth, Henry Rishworth and John Rishworth.
Margaret Rishworth married Thomas Savile.
Nicholas Rishworth married Helen and they had a son Henry de Rishworth.
Henry Rishworth had a daughter Alice who married John Brande.
John Rishworth had two sons Thomas Rishworth and John Rishworth.
Henry de Rishworth married Joan Bercroft and they had two sons John de Rishworth and Henry de Rishworth
John de Rishworth married Joyce Neville and they had two sons, John de Rishworth and James Rishworth, and a daughter Agnes Rishworth.
The narrative is continued with the children of John de Rishworth and Joyce Neville.
No further information is recorded for James Rishworth.
John de Rishworth was born c1440 and it is believed he died c1478. He married an Unknown Lacy, and they had a son Alexander Rishworth and a daughter Agnes Rishworth. John Rishworth settled lands in Horton, Manningham and Haworth on Alexander Rishworth.
Agnes Rishworth married John Waterhouse. They lived at Shibden Hall and their Coats of Arms are included in a window there.
Alexander Rishworth was born c1470 and married Grace Townley in 1488. They had a son John Rishworth.
John Rishworth was born in 1502 and died in 1575. He married Agnes Parker in 1529 and they had four sons, Alexander, Robert, John and Thomas, and five daughters, Elizabeth, Joan, Luce Alice, Ann and Phoebe. He leased Coley Hall from his grandfather then came into full possession of the Estate in 1537. He acquired Stanroyd Hall, Colne through marriage to the Parker family.
Alexander Rishworth J.P. married Beatrice Tempest c1546. They had three sons and a daughter. In 1572 Alexander sold Coley Hall on the death of his father, thus the Estate passed out of the family. It is suggested elsewhere that Alexander was born in 1530, shortly after his parent’s marriage. Alexander had 4 sons, Richard, John, Lawrence and Abraham and a daughter Cecilie. It is suspected that Richard may have been the father of John Rushworth, the Civil War Historian. All subsequent descendants of Alexander were known as Rushworth or Rushforth.
John Rishworth, also known as John of Kinsley, bought the reversion of lands in Shelf and Great Horton from his brother Alexander. John is widely described as b 1520 but as suggested in the section on Hemsworth it is considered more likely that he was born about 1535. A separate chapter is provided for the Hemsworth branch.
Thomas Rishworth, born c1540, was given Stanroyd Hall in 1566, establishing the line there.
Robert Rishworth, born c1542, and died 1602, married Ann Townley then Ellen Paslew daughter of Walter Paslew owner of East Riddlesden Hall which he subsequently acquired. He was responsible for the building of the barn at East Riddlesden, which remains a legacy to the nation. Robert and Ellen had a son John and 3 daughters. John had 2 sons Richard and Robert and 5 daughters. Richard had 1 son and 1 daughter but there is no information beyond this
In the case of Alexander and Robert the name Rishworth was only continued for 2 or 3 generations. It is through Thomas that the mainly recognised Rishworth line is continued, but the name continued vigorously in the Hemsworth area (see Hemsworth).
Elizabeth Rishworth was born 1537. She married John Gascoigne.
Joan Rishworth was born 1520? She married Lawrence Whittaker then Bernard Hartiley.
Luce Alice Rishworth married Henry Bannister then Bernard Parker.
Ann Rishworth married Richard Sunderland and Phoebe Rishworth married William Savile
Stanroyd Hall, Colne.
John Rishworth had acquired Stanroyd Hall after his marriage to Agnes Parker in 1529. He subsequently shared his time between Stanroyd Hall and Coley Hall.
Thomas Rishworth, who had been given Stanroyd Hall in 1566 died and was buried at Colne in 1604. He married Joanna Whitley and they had three sons, Thomas Rishworth, Anthony Rishworth, and Johannes (John) Rishworth and three daughters Ellen Rishworth, Jennet Rishworth and Margareta Rishworth. All the children were born at Ghyll Grange.
Anthony Rishworth was born c1585 and married firstly Isabel Unknown then Francisca Unknown at Kildwick. It is considered that Anthony Rishworth was the father of Thomas Rishworth and William Rishworth, who were made sole executors on his death in 1640/41, and also of John Rishworth who was baptised at Kildwick in 1594, but the background to this information is not confirmed.