Cecilia (Neville) Weston (abt. 1491 - 1573)

Born about 1491 in Raby, Durham, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 May 1573 at about age 82 in Raby, Durham, England

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Biography

Cecilia Neville was the daughter of Ralph Neville, Lord Neville by his second wife Edith Sandys. Her parentage is known from a College of Arms pedigree created for Richard Weston, 1st Earl of Portland in 1633.^[1][2] Included in the 1633 Weston Pedigree is a letter from Simon Weston where he details his ancestry including naming own grandmother as Cecilia Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, Lord Neville and a sister of Ralph, 4th Earl of Westmorland. Also found in the pedigree is a grant of land from John Weston of Rugeley to her husband and Cecilia also name her father as Ralph Neville. Outside of the pedigree, evidence includes the funeral certificate of Sir James Weston which also states that his grandmother was Cecilia Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, Lord Neville.^[3][4][5] The Neville arms are found on the Weston monument in St. Mary's Church in Litchfield.

The 1633 Weston Pedigree and Cecilia's very existence has been challenged as a fabrication. However, the overwhelming evidence points towards the accuracy of the pedigree, and the flaws with conspiracy theories challenging the pedigree. Read more about these issues here.

She was likely born about 1491. Her parents were married in 1490. When her father died in September 1497, her mother was pregnant with her brother, the future 4th Earl of Westmorland.

Cecilia was last known living on 15 July 1526 when John Weston of Rugeley gifted land in Lichfield to John Weston and Cecilia his wife.

Birth

Born: Say 1493 (1491-1496).

The date is a rough estimate based on her parents marriage and presumed birth order of siblings.

Marriage and Children

Married: John Weston of Lichfield about 1510. This date is a rough estimate based on the estimated dates of their children.

Children of John Weston and Cecilia Neville:

1. Edmund Weston, Archdeacon of Lewes. Eldest son. Born say 1511, based on his dates attending Oxford. His married Petronell Unknown and had at least one son named Henry. Edmund died returning from London in Guilford, co. Surrey on 15 April 1570.
2. Richard Weston, MP, Justice of the Common Pleas. Second son. Born say 1513, based on his dates attending Oxford. Richard died on 6 July 1572 in Roxwell.
3. Robert Weston, Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Third son. Born say 1515, based on his dates attending Oxford. Robert died on 20 May 1573 in Dublin, Ireland.
4. James Weston MP, Registrar of Lichfield. Born say 1517. James died between 2 and 24 May 1589.
5. Christopher Weston, Burguess of Tamworth, co. Warwick. Born say 1519. Christopher died after 2 May 1589 when he was named in his brother James' will.
6. Catherine Weston. Born say 1521. She married John Dyott of Lichfield. Catherine died before 24 June 1602.
7. Alice Weston. Born say 1523. She married John Ball of Lichfield and had six children. Alice died after 2 May 1589 when named in her brother James' will.

Death

Died: After 15 July 1526.

She was last known living on 15 July 1526 when John Weston of Rugeley gifted land in Lichfield to John Weston and Cecilia his wife.

Records

1526 Charter of John Weston of Rugeley to son John Weston

The full text of the 1526 charter (BM Add MS 18667, fol. 101), translated, reads as follows:

[fo. 101 recto]

Original at Chillington

[55] ...I, John Weston of Rugeley the elder, gent., have given, granted and in this my present charter have confirmed ... , to the use of John Weston the younger, [61] my son, and Cecily his wife, sister of Ralph, Earl of Westmorland, and their heirs and assigns forever, to hold from the Chief Lord of that fee by the service therefrom due and lawfully customary. ... In witness whereof I have affixed my seal to this my present Charter of enfeoffment. Dated at Lichfield, the fifteenth day of July in the eighteenth year of the reign of king Henry the eighth. [15 July 1526]

1631 Letter from Simon Weston to Richard Weston

“(From Sir Simon Weston Knt) To my rt wort. cozen Richard Weston Esq at his home in Ridgley Cosen Weston to satisfie your desire in answer of your lter for the pefecting of our pedigree ... and especially of my grandsire [great-grandfather] who was your anncestour and of my grandfather John Weston who whilest he lived in England lived in the Citty of Lichfield and had to wife Cecely the daughter of Ralph Neville that died in the life time of the Erle of Westmorland his father ...”^[6]

James Weston Funeral Certificate

The funeral certificate of Sir James Weston, Baron of the Exchequer (d. 1633) was recorded at the College of Arms as required by the 1568 order of the Earl Marshall. The College of Arms has two copies of this funeral certificate which have been examined by Adam Tuck, current Rouge Dragon Pursuivant, one a draft copy and one a final version. A copy of this funeral certificate was placed in the Weston Pedigree.

Transcription of the two originals found in the College of Arms archives.^[3] The two copies are essentially identical with a couple of very minor spelling differences. The College of Arms transcription:

Sir James Weston Knight one of ye Barons of the excheq[ue]r and youngest sonne of James Weston of Lichfeild [sic] in the county of Staff[ord] Gentleman 4th sonne of John Weston by Ciceley his wife Da[ughter] of Raph Nevill Lo[rd] Nevill and sister of Raph Earle of Westmerland [sic] died in London ye 5th day of December 1633 and his body was conveyed to Castle Camps where it lies interred,...

Sources

Footnotes and citations:

1. ↑ The 1633 Weston Pedigree. There are three known surviving copies of the original six. BL Add. 74251A; BL Add. 18667; SRO 1344/1.
2. ↑ Potter. Weston Pedigree Reconsidered. (2022).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} College of Arms. The Funeral Certificate of Sir James Weston, 1633. College of Arms MSS F.C.3/180 (draft copy) and College of Arms MSS I.23/72 (final copy). College of Arms, 130 Queen Victoria St., London, UK. Examined and transcribed by Adam Tuck, Rouge Dragon Pursuivant, December 2022.
4. ↑ Potter. Weston Pedigree Reconsidered. (2022): pages 108-110.
5. ↑ BL Add. 18667, folio127 verso.
6. ↑ Discovery: The National Archives, UK. "Nineteenth Century Copy of a Letter from Sir Simon Weston of Lichfield to Richard Weston, Esq. of Rugeley." Dated 9 December 1631, D(W)1885/4/6/1.

Source list:

• College of Arms. The Funeral Certificate of Sir James Weston, 1633. College of Arms MSS F.C.3/180 (draft copy) and College of Arms MSS I.23/72 (final copy). College of Arms, 130 Queen Victoria St., London, UK. Examined and transcribed by Adam Tuck, Rouge Dragon Pursuivant, December 2022.
• Three known extant copies (of the original 6) of Segar's 1633 Weston Pedigree:
  1. BL Add. MS 74251A. Illuminated Genealogy of the Family of Weston-under-Lizard, co. Stafford, 25 Nov 1633. BL Add. MS 74251A. The British Library Manuscript Department, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, UK.
  2. BL Add. MS 18667. Weston-Cave Heraldic Pedigrees by William Segar, knt., Garter King of Arms, 25 Nov. 1633. BL Add. MS 18667. The British Library Manuscript Department, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, UK.
  3. SRO 1344/1. Weston Pedigree, 25 Nov. 1633. SRO 1344/1. Staffordshire Record Office, Eastgate Street, Stafford, UK.
• Potter, Shawn and Lois Potter. Weston Pedigree Reconsidered: A Review of Documentation Provided by the College of Arm. (2022). Available at Amazon.com.

See also:

• Notes on Cecilia Weston
• Weston 1632 Pedigree Controversy

Acknowledgements

Magna Carta Project

Cecilia (Neville) Weston is not listed in Douglas Richardson's Magna Carta Ancestry but has been identified by the Magna Carta Project as trails from Gateway Ancestors Elizabeth Cooke and Stephen Terry to Magna Carta Surety Barons Hugh le Bigod and Roger Bigod. These trails have not yet been developed on WikiTree by the Magna Carta Project. They can be seen in the Magna Carta trails sections of the profiles of Martha White and Mary White.

• Needs Development: This profile has just been put under the management of the Magna Carta Project and needs development against the project's checklist to bring it up to current project standards. ~ Michael Cayley, 4 Mar 2023

See Base Camp for more information about identified Magna Carta trails and their status. See the project's glossary for project-specific terms, such as a "badged trail".