Born about 1350, he came from a minor gentry family who took their name from their estate of Hankford, near Bulkworthy in the Devon parish of Buckland Brewer. The names of his parents are unknown, and he had a younger brother named John who died before him.[2]
Careeredit
Educated at the Middle Temple and then practising law, from 1388 he was retained as counsel by the Earl of Devon. Appointed a serjeant-at-law in that year, he was raised to king's serjeant in 1389. In addition to pleading in the central courts at London, he acted as a royal judge in many provincial courts around southern England. In 1394 he accompanied King Richard II to Ireland,[2] where he apparently served as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench for Ireland from 1395 to 1396.[3]
In 1398 he was one of the judges asked by Richard II to pronounce on the validity of the opinions given in 1387 by the judges who decided that the actions of the Lords Appellant were unlawful and treasonable. He declared that the responses were sound and loyal and that he would have given the same answers himself.[2][4][5] Shortly after, he was appointed to succeed his friend Sir John Wadham as Justice of the Court of Common Pleas.[2][6]
He died on 12 December 1423 and was buried in Monkleigh church, which he had largely rebuilt, where his ornate Easter Sepulchre monument survives in the south wall of the Annery Chapel. A legend claims that he had ordered his gamekeeper to shoot intruders on sight and that, wandering in his woods at night, he was shot dead. As the same tale is told of another Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, Sir Robert Danby who died 51 years later in 1474, it seems improbable that two heads of the English judiciary should die in the same unusual way in the same century. In his will made two days before his death, in addition to family bequests (including provision for the education of two illegitimate grandsons), he left generous sums to churches, charities, and religious foundations in North Devon. Sir William Cheyne, his successor as Chief Justice, was one of his executors.[2]
Pair of sculpted heraldic escutcheons in spandrels of arches in doors of mediaeval wooden screen at west end of Annery chapel, Monkleigh church
Familyedit
By 1380 he had married Christine, who died before him and whose parents are unknown. Their son was:
Richard Hankford (died 1419),[2] twice MP for Devon, who with his wife Thomasine Stapleton was father of:[8]
Jane Hankford (died 1448), who married, as his second wife, Sir Robert Cary (died about 1431).[10][11] Having no children from this marriage, in 1433 she then married Sir Theobald Gorges (died 1470) and had three children with him.[12][13]
^ abcdefghijVirgoe, Roger (3 January 2008). "Hankeford [Hankford], Sir William (c. 1350–1423)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
^Ball, F. Elrington (1926). The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921. London: John Murray. p. 169.
^"Hankford, Richard (d.1419), of Hewish, Devon". History of Parliament.
^Cokayne, G. E.The Complete Peerage. Vol. 5 (2 ed.). pp. 504–5.
^Vivian, J.L., Lt.Col., ed. (1895). The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620. Exeter: Henry S. Eland. p. 150.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
william, hankford, 1350, 1423, also, written, hankeford, annery, devon, english, lawyer, acted, chief, justice, king, bench, from, 1413, until, 1423, arms, hankford, annery, devon, sable, chevron, barry, nebuly, argent, gules, contents, origins, career, family. Sir William Hankford c 1350 1423 also written Hankeford of Annery in Devon was an English lawyer who acted as Chief Justice of the King s Bench from 1413 until 1423 2 Arms of Hankford of Annery Devon Sable a chevron barry nebuly argent and gules 1 Contents 1 Origins 2 Career 3 Family 4 References 5 See alsoOrigins editBorn about 1350 he came from a minor gentry family who took their name from their estate of Hankford near Bulkworthy in the Devon parish of Buckland Brewer The names of his parents are unknown and he had a younger brother named John who died before him 2 Career editEducated at the Middle Temple and then practising law from 1388 he was retained as counsel by the Earl of Devon Appointed a serjeant at law in that year he was raised to king s serjeant in 1389 In addition to pleading in the central courts at London he acted as a royal judge in many provincial courts around southern England In 1394 he accompanied King Richard II to Ireland 2 where he apparently served as Lord Chief Justice of the King s Bench for Ireland from 1395 to 1396 3 In 1398 he was one of the judges asked by Richard II to pronounce on the validity of the opinions given in 1387 by the judges who decided that the actions of the Lords Appellant were unlawful and treasonable He declared that the responses were sound and loyal and that he would have given the same answers himself 2 4 5 Shortly after he was appointed to succeed his friend Sir John Wadham as Justice of the Court of Common Pleas 2 6 When King Henry IV replaced Richard II in 1399 he reappointed Hankford to the bench and at his coronation made him a Knight of the Bath 2 7 In the following years he was active as a judge and royal commissioner at times also attending Parliament and the Privy Council On the accession of King Henry V in 1413 he replaced Sir William Gascoigne as Chief Justice of the King s Bench an appointment that was renewed under King Henry VI in 1422 2 He died on 12 December 1423 and was buried in Monkleigh church which he had largely rebuilt where his ornate Easter Sepulchre monument survives in the south wall of the Annery Chapel A legend claims that he had ordered his gamekeeper to shoot intruders on sight and that wandering in his woods at night he was shot dead As the same tale is told of another Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir Robert Danby who died 51 years later in 1474 it seems improbable that two heads of the English judiciary should die in the same unusual way in the same century In his will made two days before his death in addition to family bequests including provision for the education of two illegitimate grandsons he left generous sums to churches charities and religious foundations in North Devon Sir William Cheyne his successor as Chief Justice was one of his executors 2 nbsp nbsp Pair of sculpted heraldic escutcheons in spandrels of arches in doors of mediaeval wooden screen at west end of Annery chapel Monkleigh churchFamily editBy 1380 he had married Christine who died before him and whose parents are unknown Their son was Richard Hankford died 1419 2 twice MP for Devon who with his wife Thomasine Stapleton was father of 8 Sir Richard Hankford died 1431 who became his grandfather s heir in 1423 2 9 Jane Hankford died 1448 who married as his second wife Sir Robert Cary died about 1431 10 11 Having no children from this marriage in 1433 she then married Sir Theobald Gorges died 1470 and had three children with him 12 13 References edit Tristram Risdon s Notebook a b c d e f g h i j Virgoe Roger 3 January 2008 Hankeford Hankford Sir William c 1350 1423 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Retrieved 20 September 2023 Ball F Elrington 1926 The Judges in Ireland 1221 1921 London John Murray p 169 Saul Nigel 1997 Richard II New Haven Yale University Press p 378 ISBN 0 300 07003 9 Chrimes S B 1956 Richard II s questions to the judges Law Quarterly Review lxxii 365 90 Beatson Robert A Political Index to The Histories of Great Britain and Ireland p 414 Harriss Gerald 2005 Shaping the Nation England 1360 1461 Oxford Oxford University Press pp 486 8 ISBN 0 19 822816 3 Hankford Richard d 1419 of Hewish Devon History of Parliament Cokayne G E The Complete Peerage Vol 5 2 ed pp 504 5 Vivian J L Lt Col ed 1895 The Visitations of the County of Devon Comprising the Heralds Visitations of 1531 1564 amp 1620 Exeter Henry S Eland p 150 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names editors list link History of Parliament Weis Frederick Lewis 1999 The Magna Charta Sureties 1215 5 ed p 30 Roberts Gary Boyd 2008 The Royal Descent of 600 Immigrants to the American Colonies or the United States p 524 See also editPrince John 1643 1723 The Worthies of Devon 1810 edition pp 458 462 biography of Sir William Hankford Legal officesPreceded byPeter Rowe Lord Chief Justice of Ireland1395 1396 Succeeded byWilliam TynbeghPreceded byWilliam Gascoigne Lord Chief Justice of England1413 1423 Succeeded byWilliam Cheyne Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Hankford amp oldid 1189675552, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
