CHAMNEYS, of Orchardleigh, Somersetshire

From "The Baronetage of England" by Rev Betham (1803)

Created Baronet, Jan 12, 1767

The tradition of Somersetshire is, that this family has been seated at Orchardleigh, near Frome-Selwood, in that county, from the time of the Norman conquest.

1. Sir Amian Chamneys, Knt. Lived temp. Henry II: he had one son
2. Sir Amian Chamneys, Knt. Who married Anne, daughter of ______ Courtenay, Earl of Devonshire (by his wife Blanch, daughter of Lewis, King of France) by whom he had
3. Sir John Chamneys, Knt. Who married _____ , Daughter of Sir Richard Turberville Knt. By whom he had one son, Sir Hugh, and one daughter Joan, wife of John de Merlaund (a)
4. Sir Hugh Chamneys, Knt. Married Maud, daughter and heiress of Sir John Avenell, Knt. Son of Sir Geffrey Avenell, Knt. By whom he had
5. Sir John Chamneys, who married Anne, daughter of Thomas Warren, of the county of Gloucester, Gent. By whom he had two sons, Sir John, who died without issue, and Ralph, of whom hereafter; and one daughter Margaret, wife of Sir Thomas de Gournay, of Stoke, in Somersetshire, and of Gloucestershire (b)
6. Ralfe Chamneys Succeeded, and married Alice, daughter and heiress of _____ Corts, of Devonshire, Gent. By whom he had one daughter Agnes, wife of John de Flory, and one son,
7. John Chamneys, called John de Erleigh, de Orleigh, or Orcherlei, who married Beatrix, daughter of Sir John Cheverell of Wiltshire, by whom he had one son
8. Richard Chamneys Esq. Who married _____, daughter of _____ Williamscote of Gloucestershire by whom he had
9. Richard Chamneys Esq. Who married Mary, daughter of _____ Stakepole, by whom he had
10. Sir John Chamneys, Knt. Who married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Hugh Bitton, of Bitton, in Gloucestershire, by whom he had two sons, Sir Henry, of whom hereafter, and John Chamneys Esq (c) to whom the moor's head was given for a crest in the field of battle. He married Joane, daughter of Sir Humphrey Aylesworth, by whom he had two sons, 1, Thomas Chamneys of Gutteridge in Wiltshire Esq. Who married Alice, daughter of _____ by whom he had one son Thomas, and a daughter, Joan; 2. John (the second son of John) was of Chew, Somerset and married _____, daughter of _____ Castelyne, by whom he had one son, Sir John Champneys, Knt. Lord Mayor of London, 1534; he married Muriel, eldest daughter of Muriel Barret of Bell House in Essex Esq. And died Oct 3 1556 and was buried at Boxley in Kent, where is his monument, and was succeeded by his son,
11. Sir Henry Champneys, Knt. Who married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Walter de Horrey: they were both living in 1463, and were buried at Frome, in Somersetshire. They had three sons, 1. Henry; 2. Richard who died 1463, and was buried at Frome (d); 3. Sir Thomas Champneys, Knt. (his will was dated and proved 1505); he married Joan, daughter of William de Whatcombe, in Somersetshire, by whom he had two sons, 1. Sir Thomas Champneys, of Orchardleigh aforesaid, K.B. he died before 1506; he married Margaret _____; 2. Richard, living at Frome, 1505; and one daughter _____ wife of John Agmondesham.
12. Henry Champneys, of Frome Selwood, Esq. Was buried at the church of Frome, will dated July 28 1505, proved Jan 5 1505. He married Jane, daughter of Gabriel Livesedge, of Vallis House, near Frome, and heiress, by her mother, to the family of Braunch, by whom he had three sons and three daughters; 1. Henry; 2. John of Yarnscombe, in Somersetshire, Esq. He married Christian, daughter of Humphrey Sydenham, of Combe Sydenham, by whom he had Thomas, Richard, Isabella, Margaret and Jane, the wife of H Sydenham,; and 2. Christopher, living in 1506. Of the daughters, 1. Agnes, living in 1506, abbess of the monastery of Shaftesbury, received a pension of ten pounds per annum after the dissolution; 2. Elizabeth; 3. Grace, both living in 1505. Henry was succeeded by his son.
13. Henry Champneys, of Orchardleigh, Esq,; he married Elizabeth, only daughter and heiress of _____ St. Maur of Seymours Court, Somersetshire; her will was dated July 5, proved July 26 1580, and she was buried at Frome. By this lady he had six sons and two daughters; 1. John of whom hereafter, 2. Edward; 3. Christopher; 4. George; 5. Henry and 6. Richard who married _____, daughter of Sir Amias Baumfield, of Hardington, Knt. These last five were all living in 1580. Joan the eldest daughter, was wife to John Rowland, and Elizabeth, of William Cutte Esq. Henry was buried in Frome, his will dated in 1570, and was succeeded by his eldest son.
14. John Champneys Esq. Who was executor to his father; he married Joan, daughter of William Sydenham, and heiress to her mother, a Wyndham. He married secondly, Cecil, daughter of _____, who was executrix to her husband in 1613; he had two sons (but by which lady does not appear), John and William, who went into Spain and died S.P. leaving his estates to his brother,
15. John Champneys of Orchardleigh, Esq., married 1610 Honor, daughter of Sir Francis Caldecot, Knt.; she was buried in the church of Orchardleigh, June 24, 1664, will dated May 10 1654 proved Jan 31 1664-5. By this lady he had nine children; 1. John; 2. Edward born Sept 3 and baptised at Orchardleigh Oct 5 1628, living 1654; 3. Edith, wife, Jan 26 1636 of Jerome Potticary, Esq.; she was buried April 2 1636; 4. Richard, a merchant, will dated Nov 30 1634 proved Oct 31 1635 by his father; 5. William, baptised Oct 6 1626; he was executor to his mother's will, 1664; he married Elizabeth, daughter of _____ by whom he had five children, Anthony born Dec 22 1660, Elizabeth, Richard born Feb 24 1656, William baptised Dec 11 1655, and John born Jan 18 1657; 6. Jane born March 8 1628; 7. Penelope, wife July 2 1638 of John Greenhill, Esq. She was buried at Orchardleigh, March 19 1662; 8. Elizabeth, wife of Sir _____ Hungerford of Farley Castle, Wiltshire; 9. Francis, living in 1640; 10. Honor, wife May 30 1649, of Henry Williams Esq. (e)
16. John Chamneys, of Orchardleigh, Esq. who was executor to his father's will. He was buried May 27, 1672, and was succeeded by his son,
17. John Chamneys, of Orchardleigh, Esq. who married Deborah, daughter of John Hippesley, Esq. of Stone Easton and Gameley, in Somersetshire, (and grand-daughter of Sir John Hippesley, by Dorothy, daughter of Sir John Hor- ner, of Cloford, in the same county), by whom he had five children; 1, John ; 2, Carew, mentioned in his great-grandmother's will, 1654, living in 1677; S, Dorothy, wife, July 8, 167-5, of Robert Smith, of Stony Littleton, in Somersetshire, Esq.; 4, Richard; 5, Jane, wife, 1674, of Augustus Whitton, Esq. John Chamneys was buried May 1, 1678, will dated Dec. 13, 1677» proved June 5, 1678: he was succeeded by his eldest son
18. John Chamneys, Esq. who married Jane, only daughter of William Beart, of Wilmington, in Somersetshire, Esq. by whom he had two sons and one daughter Mary, baptized Oct. 30, 1679, executrix to her father, and wife of Robert Yard- ley, Esq. William, the younger son, baptized Feb. 21, 1676, was bred to the law. John Chamneys was buried April 6, 1705, will dated March 99, and proved June 11, 1705, and was succeeded by his eldest son,
19. John Chamneys, Esq. who was high-sheriff for the county of Somerset in 1695. He married Elizabeth, only daughter and heiress of Richard Chaundler, of Cam's-Hall, Hampshire (and heiress to her maternal grandfather Sir Thomas Badd, of Cam's Hall, Bart, her will dated Dec. 29, 1722, proved April 11, 1733), by whom he had three children, 1, John Chamneys, Esq. who was high-sheriff for the county of Somerset in, H>9 '>, and was buried at Orchardley April 12, 1742; 2, Joanna-Maria, wife, 1722, of Richard Hole,-of Farrington, in Somersetshire, and of Netherton, in Wiltshire, Esq. by whom she had one son, who died S. P. John Chamneys, Esq. was buried Feb. 13, 1700.
20. Richard Chamneys, Esq. the younger son, was high-sheriff for Somersetshire in 1728. He married Sarah, daughter and coheiress of Sir William Daines, of Bristol, Knt. (and sister to the Viscountess Barrington, buried Jan. 4, 1733}, by whom he had two daughters, Catharine-Chandler, baptized Sept. 21, 1733, wife of Elias de la Fontain, and died 1777; and Elizabeth, of Thomas Missing, of Stebbington, in Hampshire, Esq.' He married secondly, Jane, only daughter, and eventually sole heiress of Anthony-Langley Swymmer (by Jane LangUy) who was buried July 13, 1752, by whom he had issue, 1, Jane, baptized Feb. S, 1742, wife of John Child, Esq. and died 1768 ; 2, Richard-Chandler Chamneys, born July 13, 1743 ; 3, Sarah, baptized Nov. 19, 1744, wife of J. Gamm, Esq. and died 1771; 4, Richard, baptized Oct. 19, 1745, died 1646; and
21. THOMAS CHAMNEYS, Esq. who was baptized at Fareham, Oct. 9, 1745, created a Baronet, Jan. 26, 1767, and was high-sheriff for Somersetshire in 1775. He married first, Caroline-Anne, daughter of Richard Cox, of Quarr ley, in Hampshire, Esq. by Caroline, daughter of Sir William Codrington, of Dodington, Bart, who died at Orchardleigh in 1791. Sir Thomas married secondly, , daughter of Humphry Kirchin, of Stubbington, in Hants, Esq.by whom he has no issue; but by his first lady he had six children, 1, Thomas- Swymmer Chamneys, Esq. only surviving son, born May 31, 1799, high-sheriff for Somerset in 1780; he married at St. George's, Hanover-square, April 81, 1792, Charlotte-Margaret, second daughter of Sir Roger Mostyn. of Mostyn, in the county of Flint, Bart. ; 2, Catharine-Harriot, born Jan. 1776, now living ; 3, Richard, buried at St. George's, Hanover-square, 1770; 4, Caroline, buried at Orchardleigh, 1793; 5, Louisa-Anne, buried at Orchardleigh, June 15, 1776; John-Swymmer-Powlett, buried at Quarley, in Hampshire

1. Sir Henry de Merlaund lived temp. Edw I and died 12 Edw. II leaving Henry, his son as heir, who died 30 Edward III and was succeeded by Henry, his son, who was a knight and celebrated warrior; he died 45 Edw. III and his son, John, lived in the beginning of the reign of Richard II and was the last of this branch, leaving Joan, his wife, his heir (from old deeds)
2. Sir Thomas Gournay possessed great estates in the eastern part of the county of Somerset, in right of his female ancestress, Eva de Gournay, sister and heiress of Maurice Berkeley, and daughter of Robert Fitzharding, by Alice, daughter and heiress of Robert Gaunt, of Folkingham, brother, and at length heir. Of Gilbert de Gaunt, Earl of Lincoln, which Eva was heiress of the great houses of Fitzharding, Gournay, Gaunt, and Paganel. The grandfather of this Sir Thomas de Gournay assumed the name and arms of his grandmother, and his summons to Bristol well fitted with horses and arms, The last heir male dying without issue, the estate became vested in the duchy of Cornwall. N.B. The Cowhill estate came by this lady, in Gloucestershire.
3. Old deeds place this John higher up, as father of Thomas, who was father to Sir Henry and John, father of Sir John
4. His will dated 1463, proved Feb 9 1463
5. Vide Register

ARMS—The original armorial bearings of the family of Champnee, or Champ- neys, as they stand in the register of Caen, in Normandy, are, Party, per pale, or, and sable, a border engrailed and counterchanged, a lion rampant, gules.

CREST—Out of a ducal coronet, a sword erect, between two wings expanded.

SUPPORTERS—Two lions rampant, gules, crowned, murally; and by a grant of Louis the XlVth, King of France, the lions are charged, one with the arms of France, and the other of Navarre.

MOTTO—Pro patria non tlmidus perlre.

SEAT—At Orchardleigh, in Somersetshire.

The Baronetage of England

By Thomas Wotton, Edward Kimber

Champneys, of Orchardley, in Somerfetfhire.

Created Baronet, Jan. 26, 1767.

The tradition in Somersetshire is, that the family of Champneys hath been settled at Orchadley, near Frome-Selwood, in that county, from the time of the Norman conquest, and it appears from an antient deed, in possession of the family at this present time, that Henry Champneys, of Orchadley, Esq., temp. Hen. IV. in consideration of the payment of one hundred shillings, was pardoned his transgression in marrying Joan, the widow of Walter Romsey, (a tenant of the King in capite) without license first obtained.

The following inscription, on a flat tomb-stone, in the middle aisle of the church of Frome-Selwood, aforsesaid, informs us, that another of this family, a descendant of the beforenamed Henry Champneys, was buried there very early in the sixteenth century: "Pray for the soules of Henry Champeneys, Esquire, and Jane his wife" which Henry decessed the 14th day of August, M.D.VI. on whose soules Christ have mercy Amen."

By a written instrument in Latin, with the great seal appendant, now in the family, dated 31 Hen. VIII. an annuity of six pounds per annun appears to have been granted to Alice Champneys, spinster, one of this family, then late abbess of the monastery of Shaftsbury, for her life, for her support, upon the dissolution of that monastery.

We find, that in Queen Elizabeth’s time, another Henry Champneys, Esq. was possessed of the said manor of Orchardly, together with the manors of Frome-Selwood and Wilmington, in the same county, and the manor of Cowhill, in Gloucestershire, and lived in great hospitality and reputation, at the manor house of Orchadly, till his death, which happened about the middle of that reign, leaving behind him six sons, viz. John, Richard, Henry, Christopher, George, and Edward Champneys.

John, his eldest son, successeded him in those possessions, who having no issue, limited the said several manors and estates, by deed, in his lifetime, to his nephew John, the son of his brother, Richard Champneys, which said John afterwards succeeded to the enjoyment of the said estates, and, upon his death, the same decended in succession to John, his son, and John, his grandson.

Richard Champneys, Esq. of Orchadly, son of the last named John Champneys, married to his first wife, Sarah, one of the daughters and coheirs of Sir William Daines, of Bristol, Knt. with whom he received a very considerable portion, and she dying without any male issue, he married to his second wife, Sarah, the only daughter of Anthony Swymmer, of the island of Jamaica, Esq.; by whom he had issue an only son, Thomas, born in Oct. 1745.

The said Richard Champneys died in the year 1761, possessed of the several manors and estates beforementioned, leaving his said son,

Thomas, a minor, who soonafter his attaining the age of twenty-one, in the seventh year of his present Majesty’s reign, in consideration of the antiquity of his family, which enjoyed such large pssessions in the county of Somerset, with splendor and hospitality, for so many centuries, and of the additional fortune which he inherited by the death of his uncle Anthony Langley Swymmer, Esq; without issue; was created a baronet of Great Britain, by the name and title of Sir Thomas Champneys, of Orchadley, in the county of Somerset, Bart.

Arms: Party per Pale, Argent and Sable; within a Border of the same, engrailed and counter-changed, a Lion rampant, Or. Motto: Pro patria non timidus perire. Seat: At Orchadley, in Somersetshire.

Anthony Swymmer, Esq. had in addition to Sarah, two sons, Anthony Langley Swymmer who married Arabella Astley and was M.P. for Southampton, and owned 8,278 acres in Jamaica in 1754 and William Swymmer, a merchant based in Bristol. Anthony Swymmer was a Bristol merchant. In the 1660s he was living in Port Royal on the Caribbean island of Jamaica. He was the island’s official representative of the Society of Merchant Venturers, Bristol’s elite merchant society which controlled foreign trade. His son Anthony owned land in Jamaica. The son Anthony was in business with his brother William, who was based in Bristol. They were trading in sugar (produced on the slave plantations) and also in enslaved Africans. This was in the 1680s, when the London-based Royal African Company had control of slave trading. The Swymmers were thus probably trading illegally, although it is possible they were buying slaves themselves from the Royal African Company and simply selling them on. In one deal they made, they agreed to supply the Bybrook Plantation, in Jamaica, belonging to William Helyar from Somerset, with 10 enslaved Africans. Their agent in Jamaica however, failed to deliver the agreed slaves to the plantation, and sold them to someone else for less than Helyar had agreed to pay for them. The Swymmers probably lost money on the deal, but they were anxious not to lose customers. The letter notes that 40 of the 120 enslaved Africans on the ship died, a very high death rate. They told Helyar that the slaves that survived had actually been in very poor condition, and might well have died in the first year if he had bought them. They tried to argue that it was therefore a good thing that their agent had sold the poor slaves elsewhere. They offered to buy him another 10 from the first ship that arrived in Jamaica, through Anthony Swymmer. The letter from William Swymmer and his Bristol partner William Hayman, dated January 1684, reads:

"In January last we covenanted [agreed] with you to deliver you ten Negres Slaves to say five men and five women in the Island of Jamaica at £17 sterling p head to be pd. In this city and according to the covenant with you we forthwith gave order to our factor Mr Robert Legg in Jamaica to deliver to you sd tenn negros to you Now we understand that Robert Legg did not deliver you sd Negros but for what reason we know not, and have sold them for lesse moneys than you were to pay for them and have also acted many other things to our own prejudice and losse Sir, we are much conserned that you order was not completed considering we were connected with so worthy a Gent. as you selfe though we believe noe way prejudicial to you notwithstanding that Mr Hellyar your overseer of your plantations writes you; for our negroes proved very sicke and dyseased this yeare, and lost forty of 120 and the rest were landed very much out of order and would have been capable but of very little service thise yeare if they had lived which is much to be feared."

William Swymmer had a daughter Elizabeth Swymmer who married Thomas Fane, 8th Earl of Westmorland and had two sons, the eldest of which, John, succeeded as 9th Earl of Westmorland.

Children of Richard and Sarah/Jane (Swymmer) Champneys:

i. Katherine Champneys, m. Elias-Benjamin de la Fontaine, bondsman to Edmund Burke, merchant of London and Codford St. Peter, Wiltshire. They had a son Elias-Benjamin de la Fontaine, born about 1764, attended Oxford University.

ii. Jane Champneys, m. George Child of Gosport.

iii. Sarah Champneys

iv. Sir Thomas Champneys

Other references:

Madge Dresser of UWE http://discoveringbristol.org.uk/slavery/people-involved/traders-merchants-planters/personal-stories/swymmer-brothers/

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