Sir James de Echyngham & Joan Dakeny

2955248. Sir James de Echyngham & 2955249. Joan Dakeny

~1296, James de Echingham born in Sussex, England, s/o 5910496. Richard de Ecchyngham & 5910497. Matilda ?.

~1315, Joan born in England, d/o §§Sir Thomas Dakeny of Northwood. [Joan’s surname is based on Sir James’ arms impaling “a cross between 4 lions rampant.”]

1323, James’ father Richard died.

2/18/1324, From: Stephen atte More To: James son of Richard of Etchingham, Sussex A piece of land and woodland called 'Syredisknolle' in Benenden parish … Witnesses: 'Dominus' William of Etchingham, knight; 'Dominus' Robert of Etchingham, knight; 'Dominus' Simon of Etchingha, rector of 'Easth'st' … (S) UKNA. [William, Robert and Simon are Richard’s brothers.]

1326, James’ uncle William died, his brother Robert, of full age, his heir to Echingham manor. (S) CIsPM, 6/19–19EII.

1/24/1327, Edward III, age 14, succeeded Edward II as King of England.

By 1327, James married to Joan.

1328, Robert died leaving Simon as the heir.

10/23/1330, “Debtor: William de Ferrers, knight … of Devon. Creditor: James de Echingham of Sussex. Amount: 550m.” (S) UKNA.

[––James & Joan––]

1331, James married Joan. (S) CPRs, 12/1/1389, Petition of grandson William de Echyngham.

1331, John de Ore v. James de Echyngham and Joan his wife (by Ralph le Speek, guardian of Joan); manor of Glettyngham [Glottenheim] in Sussex, manor of Hempstede and a messuage, 103 acres of land, 38s. 8d. rent and rent of 12 larks and 20 herrings in Lyde, Promhelle, Holewest and Demecherche in Kent; to James and Joan and heirs of their bodies, with contingent remainder to heirs of James, for 100 marks. (S) Feet of Fines, Sussex, V3, 1916, no.1788.

9/1332, Fine levied between John de Ore and James de Echyngham and Joan, his wife, … the manor of Hempstede … to be the right of the said John, for which … regranted the premises to the said James and Joan, in fee tail. (S) CPRs.

1333, James found poachers of trees on his land at Hemsted and brought a suit against the prior of Christchurch.

9/27/1333, From: James of Etchingham ('Ecchingehamme'), Sussex To: Bertram de Twitham For a piece of land and woodland called 'Siredisknolle' in Benenden vill. (S) UKNA.

1334, James, of Echyngham, Sussex, [who bore the arms, Azure, frettee, argent], possessed Hemsted manor and brought action against the prior of Christ-church and others for entering his close at Beneden and cutting down his trees. (S) The History … of the Co. of Kent, V7, Hasted, 1798, P177.

1341, James Ecchingehamme succeeded his uncle Simon de Echingham – who in 1328 was heir to his older brother Sir Robert who died without issue. (S) Catalogue of Seals in the Dept. of Manuscripts., V2, P754.

11/19/1345, Release by John de Passele …  held in co. Surrey. Witnesses: James de Echyngham, … (S) CCRs.

6/27/1346, Order to cause James de Echyngham, who is about to set out in the king's service to parts beyond the sea in the company of William de Clynton (3803074), earl of Huntyngdon, to have respite until his return to England from taking the order of knighthood. (S) CCRs.

5/30/1346, To … Roger Hillary, … James de Echyngham, … Order to cause the king’s protection to be allowed to Richard Frend of Clyve … who are [in] the king’s service … (S) CCRs.

6/27/1346, John in the retinue of William de Clynton about to set out in the king’s service to parts beyond the sea. [William and his large contingent passed with the king to Hogges in Normandy. The king’s division was led by the earls of Suffolk and Huntingdon, and the Bishop Palatine of Durham.]

8/26/1346, William, earl of Huntingdon, fought at the battle of Crecy, north of Paris. Edward III vs. Philip VI, heralded the rise of the longbow as the dominant weapon, and also saw the use of the ribauldequin, an early cannon, by the English. The English longbowmen could fire much more quickly than the Genoese, with a killing range of 250 yards.

1346, James knighted in France.

9/20/1346, Order to supersede the demand made upon James de Echyngham for forfeited issues until further order, as he has besought the king to cause this to be done, as he took the order of knighthood in the king's service in the war of France. (S) CCRs.

1347, William at the siege of Calais, with 224 men in his contingent. (S) English Historical Doc’s 1327-1485, Myers, 1996, P497. [Ended 8/1347.]

1347, James de Echingham held the manor of Hempsted by 4th part of a knight’s fee at the making of the Black Prince a knight. (S) Villare Cantianum, Philibot, 1776, P71.

1348, John son of Thomas Colepeper, Knight, v. Simon de Hechynghamme and Alice his wife; manor of Wyggeselle ... and his successors, James de Echynghamme, Knight, John Cressy, John Alard and Simon Brabon and their heirs, to John for 200 marks. (S) Feet of Fines, Sussex.

1348, James served in France in the retinue of the Earl of Huntington. [1348, The plague swept northward through France from Marseille.]

1348, The Black Death entered the west countryside of England [likely entering through Bristol].

9/24/1348, Sir James petitioned the King for the removal of an obstruction of the Rother river at Knellesflete, by which ships and boats were prevented from coming into his manor of Echingham, and trading with the town of Salehurst. [Where James had a market – the obstruction had been a flood control wall.] (S) UKNA.

6/1349, The Plague reached Dorset, and had spread across England by the end of 1349.

8/23/1349, James died, seized of the manor of Echingham and other properties in Sussex.

7/28/1350, Writ for IPM of James de Echyngham, knight. Sussex: Echyngham, Glottynggeham, Mondefeld, Okham and Udimere. The manors held of Philippa, queen of England, by service of 3 knights’ fees as of the barony of Hastynges. Udimere. Certain tenements … Glotynghamme. Certain tenements held of Thomas de Hoo, knight, … He died on Saturday before St. Bartholomew, 23 Edward III. William de Echyngham, his son, aged 16 years and more, is his heir. … (S) CIsPM.

(S) Sussex Archeological Collections, 1857, P344.

Family notes:

·         1308-14, Sir Thomas Dakeny served against the Scots. (S) A List of Coat Armour use in Norfolk, Rye, 1917, P18.

Children of James and Joan:

i. William de Echingham (1477624), born 1333 in England.

ii. Robert de Echingham, born ~1335 in England.

9/1379, William de Echyngham and his wife Elizabeth named in the will of Sir Nicholas Criol. Elizabeth Echingham received 20 marks, and William was an executor, as was Robert Echyngham, his brother. (S) N&Qs, Somerset & Dorset, V9, 1905, P301.