Derbyshire and North Staffordshire SHELDONS

SHELDON & BAKEWELL

“The hamlet or township of Sheldon was, from a very early period, a parcel of the Manor of Ashford. Griffin, son of Wenonwyn, alienated it in the reign of Henry III to Geoffrey de Pickeford”: it was afterwards re-united to Ashford. The minister of the chapel is appointed by the vicar of Bakewell, to which church it is a chapel of ease.“

The place name Scelhadun (later SHELDON) appears in the Domesday Book in 1086. The first man of record to take the name SHELDON a Roger de Scheladon of Bachequell (Bakewell) who appears in a deed 25 July 1306 and 1307/08 served with a debtor’s notice over the purchase of 2 sacks of wool, valued at 12 marks a sack. A Ralph SHELDON son of Roger de Scheladone of Baquelle (Bakewell) is mentioned in a grant during the reign of Edward I (1272-1307). A Richard SHELDON born around 1385 in Monyash, which is about 3 miles SW of the hamlet of SHELDON and five miles W of the larger market town of Bakewell. About 1410, Richard de Scheladon had a son, Hugh, who married Anne, and they had sons: Richard, William, Thomas, Henry and John. It is from the son Richard that it is believed the Group A SHELDONs descend.

At Bakewell we have recorded the marriage of John SHELDON & Jane Hodge 26 Jun 1615. We have a William SHELDON buried 18 Mar 1615/16 and a Henry baptized 10 Mar 1617, son of William SHELDON.

Beyond the very first SHELDONs of Bakewell the epicenter of SHELDONs seems to shift to Monyash. Then the records in Bakewell return with the earliest parish register records the marriage of a John SHELDON to Jan Hodge 26 June 1615. There are a William SHELDON buried 18 Mar 1615/16 and a Roger SHELDON Buried 21 Nov 1616.

MONYASH

“In the chapel at Monyash, are memorials of Thomas Cheney, Esq., of Ashford, 1723, (father of Edward Cheney, Esq. before-mentioned) and the families of Sheldon and Palfreyman.” Magna Britannia: Volume 5, Derbyshire.

Note: more information can be found on Ken SHELDON’s website the SHELDON Chronicles links are bolded.

ELLASTONE

From the SHELDON Chronicles: “Around 1410, Richard de Scheladon had a son, Hugh, who married Anne, and they in turn had sons Richard, William, Thomas, Henry and John. Hugh is mentioned in a charter of 1428 and is listed as a “juror holding a free tenement in Monyash” in 1431. According to another charter: “On the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the time of Henry VI [2 Feb 1436/7], John Asshley, chaplain, granted to Thomas Vernon, John Stafford, William de Monyash, Thomas in the Dale, William Perysson, William Lee, John Clee, and Hugh de Scheladon, all of Monyash, co Derby, a toft and barn in Monyash. In 1542, during Henry VIII’s reign, Humfrey Stafford or Eyam, Derbyshire, leased to “Hew Sheldon of Monyahse, jun., yeoman, of a messuage and lands in Monyashe; rent 21s 4d”. The lease is dated March 1. “

Whether the above Hugh is the same or the father of the following is not clear. The oldest parish record from Ellastone of a SHELDON is the marriage of Hugh SHELDON to Dorothie Hurte 21 Oct 1554. She died 1580. To this union were born and Baptized: Thomas 14 Apr 1557, Alice 9 Oct 1558, John 11 Aug 1561, Hughe 27 Nov 1563, Roche 24 Feb 1565, and Ralphe 24 Feb 1566. Next we find a Thomas SHELDON perhaps the Thomas baptized 14 Apr 1557 who married a Johane who died in 1624. Thomas died 1635 and was buried 22 Dec 1635. To this union were born and baptized 10 children: Johane 15 Sep 1580, Elizabeth 2 Sep 1582, Elleanour 17 Jan 1585, Roger 1 Apr 1586/7 , William 29 Jun 1589, Raphe 17 Nov 1591, Hughe 14 July 1594, Ann 12 Jan 1596/7, John 21 Jan 1598/99, Thomas 13 Jan 1602/3. There is also a Roger SHELDON who married an Ellen she died 1631 and was buried 18 Apr 1631. To Roger and Ellen SHELDON we have baptized: Hughe 12 Aug 1593, Raphe 1 Aug 1595 and Gylborte 22 June 1598 (believed to be the same as below.)

Arguably the most famous SHELDON of the Derbyshire SHELDONs family is Gilbert SHELDON. He was born in Ellastone, Stanton, Staffordshire about 15 miles S of SHELDON. According to an entry in SHELDON’s family Bible, now at the Bodleian Library, Oxford he was baptized 19 June 1598. He was youngest son of Roger SHELDON of humble origins. Roger’s lineage traces back to Henry SHELDON (c1500-after 1556) who is believed to be the progenitor of the Ellastone SHELDONs . Gilbert’s alleged Lineage is Gilbert 7 , Roger 6, Henry 5, Hugh 4 , Richard 3 Hugh 2, Richard 1. Gilbert SHELDON was the Bishop of London from 1660-1663. He was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1663 to 1677 and Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1663-1667. During the time he was Chancellor he employed the architect Sir Christopher Wren to build the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford at a cost of 12,000 Ł and left 2,000 Ł for its repair. It was built between 1664-1668 and completed after his death in 1667. Sir Christopher Wren is probably best know for his design of St. Paul’s cathedral in London.

YOULGREAVE

The early parish records list a George SHELDON & wife Elizabeth. George & Elizabeth ‘s children baptized: Francys 10 June 1592, Maria 10 Dec 1606, George 11 Mar 1608, Henry 10 May 1604.

MORE INFO

The most thorough treatment of the Derbyshire SHELDONs is to be found in J. Gardner Bartlett, “The Sheldons of Bakewell, Derbyshire, England, and Isaac Sheldon of New England.” The New England Historical and Genealogical Register 80:378, October 1926. Caution should be taken with the information on Isaac 10 SHELDON on pg 397 Where it says ” Isaac…was born probably born at Ashford, in the parish of Bakewell….” which has him as the son of Ralph is incorrect. We know from DNA testing that Isaac matches the descendants of John (13) SHELDON and not the SHELDONs of Derbyshire.

Further speculation on Isaac can be found in Dale SHELDON’s transcription from “Sheldons Prior to 1700” Chapter 3 by E. Hortense SHELDON 1961.

Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2020. All RIghts Reserved.