Richard Assheton of Middleton
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Richard Assheton or Ashton of Middleton (1483–1549) was an English soldier who fought at the
battle of Flodden The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...
. He is known for rebuilding St. Leonard's Church, Middleton, and for commissioning stained-glass windows there to commemorate that battle. They are one of the oldest
war memorial A war memorial is a building, monument, statue, or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or (predominating in modern times) to commemorate those who died or were injured in a war. Symbolism Historical usage It has ...
s in England.


Ancestry

Richard's grandfather was Sir Ralph Assheton who was knighted by the
Duke of Gloucester Duke of Gloucester () is a British royal title (after Gloucester), often conferred on one of the sons of the reigning monarch. The first four creations were in the Peerage of England and the last in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; the curren ...
at the
capture of Berwick (1482) In July 1482 an English army invaded Scotland during the Anglo-Scottish Wars. The town of Berwick-upon-Tweed and its castle were captured and the English army briefly occupied Edinburgh. These events followed the signing of the Treaty of Fother ...
and married Margaret Barton, the heiress of Middleton. Richard's father was Sir Richard Assheton (d. 28 April 1507) and mother, Isobel Talbot.


Flodden and the Flodden windows

Richard raised a company of archers to fight at the battle of Flodden in 1513 from Middleton, near
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
. An
heraldic visitation Heraldic visitations were tours of inspection undertaken by Kings of Arms (or alternatively by heralds, or junior officers of arms, acting as their deputies) throughout England, Wales and Ireland. Their purpose was to register and regulate the ...
in 1533 by
Clarenceux King of Arms Clarenceux King of Arms, historically often spelled Clarencieux (both pronounced ), is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of Englan ...
Thomas Benolt Thomas Benolt (died 8 May 1534) was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. As part of his service, he was also a diplomat. He appears to have been born at Rouen, though his family had stronger links with Calais. Benolt ...
noted that Richard had captured the courtier John Forman, sergeant porter to
James IV of Scotland James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauchi ...
and Alexander Burnett, Sheriff of Aberdeen, at Flodden. John Forman was taken to
Berwick upon Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census reco ...
where he identified the body of James IV of Scotland. Richard continued the rebuilding the parish church of St. Leonard's at Middleton. He commissioned the "Flodden Windows" depicting himself and his wife, and seventeen captains of the archers, and the priest Henry Taylor who blessed them before the battle, commemorating them each by name in stained glass. The windows are one of the oldest war memorials in England, second in date to
All Souls College, Oxford All Souls College (official name: College of the Souls of All the Faithful Departed) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Unique to All Souls, all of its members automatically become fellows (i.e., full members of t ...
, founded in 1438 with the provision that its fellows should pray for those killed in the
French wars French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with France ...
. The main inscription on the glass was, as described in 1845; "Orate pro bono statu Richardi Assheton et eorum qui hanc fenestra(m) fieri fecerunt quoru(m) no(m)ina et imagines ut supra ostendatur. Anno d(omi)ni, MCCCCC(X)V", meaning "Pray for the wellbeing of Richard Assheton and those whose names and images they caused to be made in the window shown above, 1515." As there was no "X" in the painted date, it has been argued that the window dates from the decade before Flodden, and commemorates a religious confraternity of archers. The legible names included; Henricus Taylyer, Richard Kylw (or Wyld), Hughe Chetham, James Gerrarde, John Pylkyngton, Philipe Werburton, William (Ste)le, John Scolefede, Wylliam (—), James Taylier, Roger Blomeley, Crystofer Smythe, Henry Whitaker, Robart Prestwyche, and Richard Bexwicke. The window is described in a 17th-century poem ''Iter Lancastrense'' by Richard James, c.1636;
Now go we to the church of Middleton
To find out there some glory of our own
At charge of those good men who went out far
In suite of brave Ashton to the warre
There stands a painted window, where I weene
The show of their departure may be seene
The Lord and Ladye first in skarlett; then
One neere attending of ye chiefest men
Their garments long, his short and bliew, behinde
The chaplaine of ye warfare you may finde
In robe of ye same colour, for to say
Before an altar praiers of ye daye
On bended knees; him follow neighbours bould
Whoe doe bent bowes on their left shoulders hould
Their girdle sheaft with arrowes; as the squire
So are they all, court mantells in attire
Of blewe; like Greeks in Trojan warre, their haire
In curles long dangling makes ye semblance faire
And sterne; each hath his name, and people tell
That on ye same lands now their children dwell
As yet so called.
Originally there was more than one window, with Richard and his wife shown separately, since 1847 the remaining glass forms one window. The window was restored again in 2012.


Family

Richard married Anne Foulshurst, daughter of Sir Robert Foulshurst of Crewe, their son was Richard Assheton of Middleton who married firstly Anne Strickland, and secondly Anne Lady Bellingham. The Asshetons of
Great Lever Great Lever is a suburb of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. Historically in Lancashire, it is south of Bolton town centre and the same distance north of Farnworth. The district is served by frequent buses running to Bolton town centre, Farnwo ...
, Lancashire were Richard's cousins. Two were members of parliament;
Richard Assheton Richard Assheton (by 1529 – 1579), of Whalley and Downham, Lancashire, was an English politician. He was a Member of Parliament, Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Aldborough (UK Parliament constituency), Aldborough in 1559 and for C ...
of Whalley and Downham, Lancashire, and his half brother Ralph Assheton of Great Lever at Middleton, who was Member of Parliament for Liverpool in 1553.Assheton, ''History of Parliament'', IHR
/ref>


References


''Remains Historical and Literary connected with Lancaster and Chester: Iter Lancastrense'', vol.7, Chetham Society, (1845)
window illustrated between p.cxii & p. 1, (the inscription is from the battlement of the church)


External links


St Leonard's Middleton, Homepages

Restoration of Flodden window, Manchester Evening News, 14 March 2013
{{DEFAULTSORT:Assheton, Richard People from Cheshire 1483 births 1549 deaths 16th-century English soldiers English knights