Misc. Notes
By this marriage William Stanley (to Joan Bamville) became owner of one-third of the Manor of Stourton (the remaining two-thirds he subsequently acquired) and also the hereditary Bailiwick or Chief Rangership of the Forest of Wirral, which overspread the peninsula lying between the estuaries of the Mersey and the Dee. After this marriage the Stanleys migrated from the Stonylea in Staffordshire to their newly acquired home in Cheshire, and at the same time Sir William Stanley, in allusion to his office of heriditary Forester of Wirral, assumed the arms that have ever since been borne by his descendants in the first quarter of their shield as the paternal coat of Stanley, instead of those used by his ancestors, viz.: Argent on a bend azure, three bucks' heads caboshed or; in other words, over a shield of silver a belt of blue crossed diagonally, with three bucks' heads displayed thereon with a stag's head and neck for a crest.
53735The marriage of
William to
Joan has become one of Cheshire's legends. The story relates that
Sir Phillip and his wife
Lettice, were being entertained at a banquet given at Stourton in Cheshire. A marriage had been arranged for
Joan (who was her father's heir) with the son of his wife (who was
Joan's stepmother). She had no liking for that marriage, and while the festivities were at their height, she slipped out of the Hall to where
William De Stanley was waiting with saddled horses. Together they galloped to Astbury where they were wed in the Church by
William's uncle,
John De Stanley,
William saying: "Joan, I plight thee my troth to take and hold thee as my lawful wife until my life's end", and she replying, "I, Joan, take thee William, as my lawful husband". In 1284, on the death of his wife's father,
William De Stanley acquired the hereditary office of Master Forester of Wirral together with the Manor of Stourton and the bailiwick of Wirral. In 1306 and 1307, he is mentioned as Hereditary Forester of Wirral. In the year 1316, by grant of
Edward II, he assumed the Armorial Bearings, viz. 'Arg, on a bend asure, three Stags Head, cabossed, Or', in place of those previously borne by his ancestors. These arms are carried by his descendants to this day.
57964v2 p83
42939 5. Sir William de Stanley, who marr: Joan eld d/o Sir Philip de Bamville, Lord of Stourton, in Cheshire, by which he became possessed of the manor and bailiwick of Wyrall-Forest
v2 p272-273 William de Stanley, lord of Stanley, & Shoreton, in right of his wife, Johanna, eld. d/o Philip de Bannvile, lord of Storeton, in Wirehall, in Cheshire, by which he was also forrester of the forest of Wirehall, in the said county, 1317.
Pg 135 Stanley: 4. Sir William Stanley, Marr: Joan de Bamvile, eld d/o Sir Philip de Bamvile, heiress of Stourton, by which alliance he became possessed of the manor and bailiwick of Wyrral Forest, near Chester
54949