The Winstone / Winston Family of Willington Court, Sandhurst, Gloucestershire, England

By Varla Jane Owens Wright

The first existant parish register of Sandhurst, Gloucestershire, England is a beautiful little book – very small in size compared to others of its day. The first page opens with “Heare followeth the Regester booke of Sandhurst, conteynyng the names of everye such person I have Baptized, Marryed or buryed sence the fforth day of the Ano Kkg Henrici our … (edge of page missing) Ano domi 1537 in the year of their Baptising, Marrying and Buriall, in hereafter followeth. ” The beginning “H” is illuminated with cartoon-like whimsical faces of two men and a barking dog with swirls of flowers and vines.

It was in this register that the marriage of “Thomas Hurte of Bristoll and Martha Winstone, marr the xxixth october” was recorded in 1599. Looking back in the register 19 years earlier, we find that Martha Winstone was the daughter of James Winstone, gent. of Willington Court. Apparently Thomas Hurte, son of Ralfe Hurt, a successful merchant, guild member and civic officer of Bristol, had cause to reside at Willington Court for the next seven years. We find that his first two children, Phillip Hurtt and Radulph Hurte were baptised at the parish church in Sandhurst. Randulph was also buried there at the age of one month. The following year, the young family had returned to Bristol, where their third son, Roger and fourth son Thomas were baptised at the Church of St. John the Baptist.

Martha Winstone’s family had purchased the Willington Court and several parcels of surrounding property in 1514 from the Wroth family, heirs to the Willington family which ended with the childless John de Willington who died in the year “20 Ric II” or 1397. Willington Court originally gained it’s name from one Ralph de Willington who became the owner in 1218 during the reign of King Henry III. The Winstone family held the house, lands and a cottage, paying 12 pence in rent to the Crown. [History of Gloucestershire, Abstracts and Manuscripts respecting the County of Gloucester, Thomas D. Fosbrooke, Vol. 1, pgs. 288-292, FHL# 896620] It is thought by some historians of Gloucestershire that it was the Painswick branch of the Winstone/Winston family that made the purchase, but the exact land transfer document has not been located at this time.

On 23 Nov 1573, the marriage of James Winstone and Gwenllyan (no surname given) was recorded in the Sandhurst register as follows: “James Winstone and Gwenllyan were married the xxiiith daye of November”. We next find the baptism on the 27th September 1574 for Mary Winstone, daughter of James Winstone, gent. followed by her burial on th 5th of August 1576. The following year, son Gyles was baptised 7 July 1577 and recorded at Sandhurst. Martha, christened on 10 Nov 1580 apparently completed the family.

The next document of interest is found in the Gloucestershire Inquisitions Post Mortem [Harlean Society Publications, Vol. 9 pgs 66-67, FHL# 962742]. An inquisition post mortem was a legal document werein a landholding family basically filed a lawsuit against themselves in order to clear the title to their lands following the death of the head of family. The inquisition p.m .reads as follows:

James Winstone, gentleman
” Inquisition taken at Gloucester, 2nd September, 9 James I [1611] before John Browne, esq., escheator, after the death of James Winston, Gentleman, by the oath of William Singleton, Abel Angell, William Wilshere, Edward Kiste, Thomas Hill, Henry Mercer, Richard Portman, William Nutte, William Tirrye, Richard Slaughter and William Milton, who say that

James Wintson was seised of one capital messuage called Willington’s Courte, in Sandhurste, with the appurtenances, and 60 acres of land, 40 acres of meadow, 120 acres of pasture, and 4 acres of wood, with appurtenances in Sandhurst. So seised, the said James Winston, by indenture dated 29th November 30 Elizabeth [1587], and made between himself of the first part, Philip Williams, esq., of the second part, and Thomas Spenseley of the third part, in consideration of his love towards Gwelthian, his wife, Gyles Winston, his son, and Martha Winston, his daughter, agreed with the said Philip and Thomas that he should stand seised of the said tenements to the use of himself and the said Gwelthian for life; after their decease, to the use of the said Giles Winston and his heirs; for default to the use of the heirs male of the said James Winston; for default, to the use of the said Martha and her heirs; and lastly, for default, to the use of the right heirs of the said James Winston. By virtue whereof, and by force of the Statute of Uses, the said James Winston and Gwelthian were seised of the premises as of freehold.

James Winston was likewise seised of one messuage, 5 acres of land, 3 acres of meadow, and 6 acres of pasture, with appurtenances in Sandhurst commonly called Risbies.

All the tenements aforesaid are held of the King as of his manor of Barton Regis, near Gloucester, by fealty only in free socage and the rent of —–. The tenements mentioned in the said indenture are worth per annum, clear, 12 pounds, and the tenements called Risbies are worth per annum, clear, 20 shillings.

James Winston died 4th February, 30 Elizabeth [1588]; Giles Winston as his son and next heir, and was then aged 9 years, 7 months and 25 days; he has taken the issues and profits of the tenements called Risbies from that time until now.

The said Gwelthian still survives at Sandhurste; she has taken the issues and profits of all the tenements first mentioned from the death of the said James Winston until now.

Note: This Inquisition was delivered into Court 11th October, 3 Charles I [1627]. Inq. p.m.3 charles I, No. 131.”

It is interesting to note that a considerable length of time had passed since the death of James Winston before this document was written, let alone filed with the court. By the time it was filed, Gwenllyan/Gwelthian had also died and Gyles had returned to Sandhurst to take charge of the property. Turning again to the little Sandhurst register, we find the burial for “Welthian Hurburt, buried 23 october 1615”. Keeping in mind that exact, standardized spelling is a 19th century phenomenon, we can fairly well surmise that Gwenllyan / Gwelthian / Welthian, aka Gwenllyan Herbert was not too long out of Wales. No second marriage has been located for her, and it is highly possible that she followed the Welsh custom of keeping her maiden name.

A marriage for a Gyles Winstone has been located at Much Cowarne, Herefordshire, England to Penelope Walwin, daughter of Nicholas Walwin and Isabell Buryhill on 16 Oct 1600. They had a daughter, Elizabeth, christened 7 Sep 1601 at that same place. Further record of him between the birth of Elizabeth and the time he returned to Willington Court in 1615 has not been ascertained, but we know he had a son and heir, Phillip Winston, born in 1602, who assumed the ownership following Gyles’s death 6 Sep 1662. There is also a Richard Winston who appears in the records of Sandhurst with two marriages and a number of children who may have been a younger son of Gyles.

There is a Gyles Winston who appears for a time at Wheatenhurst near Bristol, who may be this Gyles. A (second?) marriage for him appears in the St. Philip and St. Jacob Church in Bristol on 12 Apr 1613 to Alice Bezaker. He served as church warden at Wheatenhurst and was called a yeoman. E.G.F. Routledge in his handwritten compilation “Winstoneana, 1559-1802” [FHL# 1363778 item 13, pg. 115] gives and interesting insight that may explain what Gyles was doing during this time. Husbandmen were usually younger sons and sons of younger sons actually working on the land of their parents. A yeoman assumed the supervision of an estate and lending a hand at harvest time and was usually paid in land or produce, but may have been a wage-earner. A gent. was the senior line of a county family and served as a yeoman prior to retirement to a messuage, when he assumed the higher status and title. Gyles was styled a “gent.” when he returned to Willington Court.

It has also been noted that there were Winston family connections in the parish of St. Philip and St. Jacob and in the Barton Regis section of Bristol. No connections between James Winstone and other branches of the family have been made at this time and research continues.

Phillip Winston, son of Gyles, married a Joane. He died without heirs and left a will naming several of his cousins, including William Hurte. Mrs. Joane Winston, widow, remarried 15 Oct 1677,to John Guise, Esqr. of Ablode, an estate a short distance southwest of Willington Court. John Gise was buried 16 Jun 1648 at Sandhurst from Gloucester. Around that time, widow Joane “alienated” the Sandhurst properties to the Viney family [ Harlean Mss. # 5013].

One final note on the Sandhurst Winston family: In the Bristol and Gloucester Archeological Society Publication, Vol 28, Transactions for the Year 1905, pg. 496-497. there is a description of the unusual coat-of-arms used by the family.
“Sandhurst. A curious blazon: ‘per pale gu. and az. 1 a lion ramp. arg. in the dexter paw a rose. . . 2 a tree eradicated vert,’ 1672. [Rudder, 650: ‘Sa. a lion ramp. arg. holding in the dexter paw a rose of the second..’ This is given in Armories, but not in Papworth. It is possible that it might be a quartered coat of “Sa. a lion ramp. arg.” the third quartering of Winston., viz Teithwalch; but I think it is a daubed coat of Winston with a copy of Master. Philip Winston, aged 70 of Willington’s Court; and below Gyles Winston, 1662 aged 85.” ( The article then goes on to try and make Gyles out as the son of Sir Henry Winston of Painswick. We know better.) There may be quite a few clues here that will help us determine further family connections.

Many thanks to Varla Jane Owens Wright for submission of this bio. Please note that I do not have any information on this line other than what appears here. If you have questions about this research, please contact Varla at varlajw [at] msn.com.