1. LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY was born Bef. 1066 in Aldithley, Normandy, and died Aft. 1130 in Staffordshire, England.

Notes for LYDULPH (LIULF)DE ALDITHLEY:
Was the first member of the Audley family to appear in official records. He was the freehold tenant of the Manors of Aldithley and Balterley in Staffordshire.

Children of LYDULPH (LIULF)DE ALDITHLEY are:

2.	i.		LYDULPHFITZ LIULF2DE ALDITHLEY, b. 1115.
3.	ii.		ADAMDE STANLEIGH, b. 1125, Staffordshire, England; d. 1200, Staffordshire, England.
	iii.		RALFFITZ LIULFDE ALDITHLEY.

2. LYDULPH FITZ LIULF²DE ALDITHLEY (LYDULPH (LIULF)¹) was born 1115.

Children of LYDULPH FITZ LIULFDE ALDITHLEY are:

4.	i.		ADAM3DE ALDITHLEY, b. 1135, Staffordshire, England; d. 1211, Staffordshire, England.
	ii.		LIULFDE ALDITHLEY.
	iii.		ROGERDE ALDITHLEY.
	iv.		MARGERYDE ALDITHLEY.

3. ADAM² DE STANLEIGH (LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1125 in Staffordshire, England, and died 1200 in Staffordshire, England.

Notes for ADAM DE STANLEIGH:
Adam de Stanleigh was born circa 1125, and was the brother (or brother in law) of Lydulph de Aldithley, who was born circa 1115. They were both thanes (the early equivalent to knights) and they held the freehold tenancies of their respective estates in Staffordshire from the Norman De Verdun family by socage, i.e. military service, which required them to defend their Overlord and his possessions. Lydulph held Aldithley and Balterley, whereas Adam held Talk on the Hill. It is unlikely that either held a surname during their actual lifetime. Surnames were introduced into England by the Normans, but they were still rare at the time of the Great Survey in 1086, when only the more important barons used them. These surnames were generally derived from their Normandy estates. The minor barons and knightly families began adopting surnames during the 12th century and these were generally derived from their new English estates.
 
 

Children of ADAM DE STANLEIGH are:

5.	i.		WILLIAM3DE STANLEIGH, b. 1170, Staffordshire, England; d. 1236, Staffordshire, England.
	ii.		ADAMDE STANLEIGH, b. 1171.
	iii.		THOMASDE STANLEIGH, b. 1172.
	iv.		RICHARDDE STANLEIGH, b. 1173.

4. ADAM³ DE ALDITHLEY (LYDULPH FITZ LIULF², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹) was born 1135 in Staffordshire, England, and died 1211 in Staffordshire, England. He married EMMA.

Notes for ADAM DE ALDITHLEY:
He appears to have been the first member of his family to have used the surname 'de Aldithley' in official documents, when in 1155 and again in 1160 he witnessed Charters of his Overlord, Bertram de Verdun. His two brothers, Liulf and Roger, still continued to sign themselves as 'Liulf fitz Liulf' and 'Roger fitz Liulf' respectively, when they witnessed Charters in 1160-1202.

In 1184 and 1185, Adam de Aldithley succeeded Bertram de Verdun as Sheriff of Warwickshire and Leiscestershire.

When Bertram de Verdun departed for the Crusades in 1190 with Richard I, as special evidence of his favor, granted the Manor of Stanleigh to Adam de Aldithley.

During the latter part of his life, Adam decided to rearrange his estates by granting to his cousin, William (the son of his uncle, Adam de Stanleigh), all the Manor of Stanleigh and half of the Manor of Balterley in exchange for his cousin's tenancy of the Manor on Talk of the Hill. Thus it was that the two separate lines began, with the Audleys at Aldithley and the Stanleys at Stanleigh.

Children of ADAM DE ALDITHLEY and EMMA are:

	i.		ADAM4DE ALDITHLEY.
	ii.		HENRYDE ALDITHLEY.
	iii.		WILLIAMDE ALDITHLEY.
	iv.		LUCASDE ALDITHLEY.
	v.		ISABELDE ALDITHLEY.

5. WILLIAM³ DE STANLEIGH (ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1170 in Staffordshire, England, and died 1236 in Staffordshire, England.

Notes for WILLIAM DE STANLEIGH:
The eldest son, succeeded to his father's Manor of Talk on the Hill, and to the manor of Bagnall, near Leek, which had been passed to his father by Adam de Aldithley. (Talk on the Hill was one of three manors held by Gamel, a Saxon Thane at the time of the Domesday Book of 1086.)

After the death of his father, his cousin, Adam de Aldithley, wished to rearrange his estates by exchanging his Manor of Stanleigh (which was near William's Manor of Bagnall), and half of the Manor of Balterley, for William's Manor on Talk on the Hill, (which adjoined Adam's Manor of Aldithley). The Manors concerned were all held from the De Verduns, and their exchange had to have the Overlord's consent. Since Stanleigh was an additional tenancy held by special favor, Adam de Aldithley proposed that if that Manor could not be warranted, he an his heirs would give as much in value to William and his heirs. Stanleigh would be held by William from Adam de Aldithley for a yearly rent of 12 pence.

A Charter was arranged and the Manor of Stanleigh passed to William. He now being in possession, he adopted the surname "de Stanleigh" and thus became the ancestor of the House of Stanley. He used the surname when he witnessed the Charter in 1203 as "William de Stanle". Adam de Aldithley and William de Stanleigh were the first members of their respective families to use surnames in official documents. It is highly unlikely that their respective fathers, Lydulph de Aldithley and Adam de Stanleigh, possessed surnames during their actual lifetimes.
 

Children of WILLIAM DE STANLEIGH are:

6.	i.		WALTER4DE STANLEIGH, b. 1215, Staffordshire, England; d. 1285, Staffordshire, England.
	ii.		JOHNDE STANLEIGH, b. 1220, Staffordshire, England; d. 1288, Cheshire, England.

Notes for JOHN DE STANLEIGH: He took Holy Orders and rose to the distinction of Magister. Nothing is known of his early clerical career, but between 265 and 1267, he was presented to the important and valuable living of Astbury in Cheshire, by the Abbot of Chester. He was said to have been a special friend of Simon, the Abbot of St. Werburgh, and he occurs frequently in the Abbey Records until his death in 1288.  It was John who conducted the marriage of his nephew William to Joan de Bamville in 1282 at Astbury Church.

6. WALTER⁴ DE STANLEIGH (WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1215 in Staffordshire, England, and died 1285 in Staffordshire, England.

Notes for WALTER DE STANLEIGH:
Succeeded to his fathers estates. He first appeared in official records in 1256. In 1270 he is shown as the tenant of the Manor of Stanleigh, paying a rent of 12 pence per year to the Audleys.
 

Children of WALTER DE STANLEIGH are:

7.	i.		WILLIAM5DE STANLEIGH, b. 1250, Staffordshire, England; d. 1324, Staffordshire, England.
	ii.		BENEDICTDE STANLEIGH, b. 1255.

7. WILLIAM⁵ DE STANLEIGH (WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1250 in Staffordshire, England, and died 1324 in Staffordshire, England. He married JOAN DE BAMVILLE.

Notes for WILLIAM DE STANLEIGH:
The marriage of William to Joan has become one of Cheshire's legends. The story relates that Sir Phillip and his wife Lettice, were being entertained at a banquet given at Stourton in Cheshire. A marriage had been arranged for Joan (who was her father's heir) with the son of his wife (who was Joan's stepmother). She had no liking for that marriage, and while the festivities were at their height, she slipped out of the Hall to where William de Stanleigh was waiting with saddled horses. Together they galloped to Astbury where they were wed in the Church by William's uncle, John de Stanleigh, William saying: "Joan, I plight thee my troth to take and hold thee as my lawful wife until my life's end," and she replying, "I, Joan, take thee William, as my lawful husband."
 

In 1284, on the death of his wife's father, William de Stanleigh acquired the hereditary office of Master Forester of Wirral together with the Manor of Stourton and the bailiwick of Wirral.

In 1306 and 1307, he is mentioned as Hereditary Forester of Wirral. In the year 1316, by grant of Edward II, he assumed the Armorial Bearings, viz. 'Arg, on a bend asure, three Stags Head, cabossed, Or', in place of those previously borne by his ancestors. These arms are carried by his descendants to this day.
 
 

Children of WILLIAM DE STANLEIGH and JOAN DE BAMVILLE are:

8.	i.		JOHN6DE STANLEIGH, b. 1285, Staffordshire, England; d. 1346, Staffordshire, England.
	ii.		ADAMDE STANLEIGH, b. 1286, Staffordshire, England; d. 1349, Stourton, England.
	iii.		THOMASDE STANLEIGH, d. 1346.
	iv.		SARAHDE STANLEIGH.

8. JOHN⁶ DE STANLEIGH (WILLIAM⁵, WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1285 in Staffordshire, England, and died 1346 in Staffordshire, England. He married EMMA (? LATHOM) 1310.

Notes for JOHN DE STANLEIGH:
Succeeded to his father's estate in 1324.

He served in the French Wars with distinction, and was the favorite of Edward III.

In 1310, John's father had granted him the Manor of Stanleigh and Over Elkston in Staffordshire as part of a marriage settlement.
 

Children of JOHN DE STANLEIGH and EMMA LATHOM) are:

9.	i.		WILLIAM7DE STANLEIGH, b. 1311, Staffordshire, England; d. 1360, Staffordshire, England.
	ii.		JOHNDE STANLEIGH, b. 1312.

Notes for JOHN DE STANLEIGH: Ancestor to the Stanleys of Dalegarth and Ponsby Hall.

9. WILLIAM⁷ DE STANLEIGH (JOHN⁶, WILLIAM⁵, WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1311 in Staffordshire, England, and died 1360 in Staffordshire, England. He married CECILY CONGLETON.

Children of WILLIAM DE STANLEIGH and CECILY CONGLETON are:

	i.		ALICE8DE STANLEIGH, b. 1336, Staffordshire, England; m. RANDLELE ROTER; b. Stourton, England.
10.	ii.		WILLIAMDE STANLEIGH, b. 1337, Staffordshire, England; d. 1398, Staffordshire, England.
	iii.		ELLENDE STANLEIGH, b. 1338, Staffordshire, England; m. JOHNDE MERTON, 1359.
11.	iv.		SIR JOHN DE STANLEIGH, b. 1340, Staffordshire, England; d. June 6, 1414, Ireland.

10. WILLIAM⁸ DE STANLEIGH (WILLIAM⁷, JOHN⁶, WILLIAM⁵, WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1337 in Staffordshire, England, and died 1398 in Staffordshire, England. He married AGNES DE BECKINGTON 1361.

Notes for WILLIAM DE STANLEIGH:
He was the probable builder of Stourton Hall.

On 10 January 1376, William signed an agreement with William de Hooton, relating to the marriage of his elder son, William (then eight years old) to William de Hooton's only child and heiress, Margery. The actual marriage took place ten years later in 1386, and when his father-in-law died on 14 September 1396, William (junior) acquired the Manor of Hooton in right of his wife and subsequently became the founder of the Stanleys of Hooton.

Children of WILLIAM DE STANLEIGH and AGNES DE BECKINGTON are:

	i.		WILLIAM9DE STANLEIGH, b. 1361; d. 1367.
12.	ii.		SIR WILLIAM DE STANLEIGH, b. 1368, Staffordshire, England; d. February 2, 1427/28, Cheshire, England.
	iii.		HENRYDE STANLEIGH.
	iv.		MATILDADE STANLEIGH.

11. SIR JOHN⁸DE STANLEIGH (WILLIAM⁷, JOHN⁶, WILLIAM⁵, WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1340 in Staffordshire, England, and died June 6, 1414 in Ireland. He married (1) JANE LASSELLS 1360. He married (2) ISABEL LATHOM 1385. She was born in Lancashire, England.

Notes for SIR JOHN DE STANLEIGH:
As a young man, Sir John was an ardent soldier, when travels and martial exploits took him all over Europe. He had an exceptional military record, and distinguished himself in tournaments and single combat; such was his fame that knights travelled long journeys just to challenge him.

Sir John was prominent in Court, and he was given the Controllership of the Wardrobe which brought with it the responsibility for the military organization of the Chamber of Knights and the Bearers of the White Hart Badge.

In 1399, when Henry, Duke of Lancaster, revolted against the King, Sir John was among the first to join him and was rewarded with the Manors of Mold and Hope in Flintshire, large possessions in Cheshire and the Lieutenancy of Ireland.

In 1403, in the rebellion of Own Glendower, Sir John was recalled from Ireland, and fought brilliantly for Henry IV at Shrewsbury, for which service he was rewarded by the King with several of the forfeited estates of the Earl of Northumberland's followers, including certain lands of his nephew, Sir William Stanley of Hooton, who, together with his son had participated in the rebellion.

In the same year, Sir John was appointed Steward of the Household of Henry, Prince of Wales; and granted for life the office of Steward of Macclefield and Surveyor of the Forest thereof. He was also made Governor of Chester and granted the avowson of Chester Cathedral.

In 1404, as the King's Knight and Steward of the Household, he was granted a pardon of all his debts and in 1405 the King mad him a Knight of the Garter.

On April 6, 1406, the King granted him the important Lordship of the Isle of Man which had been forfeited by the Earl of Northumberland for his treason. It was to be held By Sir John for himself and his heirs and their successors with all royalties and franchises, together with the patronage of the Bishopric, to be held by leige homage for the service of two falcons, payable to the King at his coronation.

In February 1406, Sir John Stanley was granted free warren of the Manors of Lathom and Knowsley in his wife's right. (The Manor of Knowsley is still held by his descendant, the Earl of Derby, while the Manor of Lathom remained in the Stanley family until 1717, when it was sold by the daughter of William Stanley, 9th Earl of Derby.) It was about this time that Sir John Stanley adopted the crest of an eagle and child which has been used by his descendants ever since.

In 1409, Sir John was granted the office of Constable of Windsor Castle for life. On June 8, 1413, he was appointed Lieutenant of Ireland for six years.
 
 

Child of JOHN DE STANLEIGH and JANE LASSELLS is:

i.

ROBERT9DE STANLEY, b. 1362.

Children of JOHN DE STANLEIGH and ISABEL LATHOM are:

13.	ii.		SIR JOHN9 STANLEY, b. 1390, Lathom, Lancashire, England.
	iii.		HENRY STANLEY, b. 1391.
14.	iv.		THOMAS STANLEY, b. 1392; d. 1463.
	v.		RALPH STANLEY, b. 1393.
	vi.		MARGARET STANLEY, b. 1395.
	vii.		ISABEL STANLEY, b. 1398.

12. SIR WILLIAM⁹DE STANLEIGH (WILLIAM⁸, WILLIAM⁷, JOHN⁶, WILLIAM⁵, WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1368 in Staffordshire, England, and died February 2, 1427/28 in Cheshire, England. He married MARGERY HOOTON 1386, daughter of SIR WILLIAM HOOTON. She was born in Cheshire, England, and died in Cheshire, England.

Notes for SIR WILLIAMDE STANLEIGH:
Founder of the Stanleys of Hooton.

On 10 January 1376, when William was only eight years old, his marriage to Margery, daughter and heiress of Sir William Hooton of Hooton, Cheshire was arranged by his father and the father of the bride. The actual ceremony took place ten years later, in 1386. When is father-in-law died on 14 September 1396, William acquired the Manor in right of his wife.

Children of WILLIAM DE STANLEIGH and MARGERY HOOTON are:

15.	i.		SIR WILLIAM10 STANLEY, b. 1387, Cheshire, England; d. 1417, Cheshire, England.
	ii.		JOHN STANLEY.
	iii.		EDMUND STANLEY.
	iv.		ELLEN STANLEY.
	v.		ROWLAND STANLEY.

13. SIR JOHN⁹ STANLEY (JOHN⁸DE STANLEIGH, WILLIAM⁷, JOHN⁶, WILLIAM⁵, WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1390 in Lathom, Lancashire, England. He married ISABEL HARRINGTON 1404, daughter of JOHN HARRINGTON and MARGARET NEVILLE.

Notes for SIR JOHN STANLEY:
In November 1414, he was elected Knight of the Shire and a Justice of Chester. He served in the French Wars, being part of a considerable contingent from Lancashire which accompanied Henry V in the campaign which ended at Agincourt in 1415.

His father, the first ruler of the Stanley line, never visited the Isle of Man. Sir John, however, took a keen interest in his kingdom, visiting it on several occasions, with beneficial results for the island. He began the first systematic record of the history of Man, and he introduced written laws for the first time, drawing up a sort of Magna Carta defining the rights and duties of King, Church and People. Sir John also substituted trial by jury for trial by combat.

In 1428, Sir John was made Constable of Caernarvon Castle and Sheriff of Aglesey in 1439, when he secured peace in Wales and loyalty to the English King.
 

Child of JOHN STANLEY and ISABEL HARRINGTON is:

16.

i.

SIR THOMAS10 STANLEY, b. 1405; d. February 20, 1458/59.

14. THOMAS⁹ STANLEY (JOHN⁸DE STANLEIGH, WILLIAM⁷, JOHN⁶, WILLIAM⁵, WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1392, and died 1463. He married (1) ELIZABETHDE WALLER. He married (2) MAUDE DE ARDERNE 1413, daughter of JOHN DE ARDERNE. She was born 1396.

Notes for THOMAS STANLEY:
High Sheriff of Staffordshire from 1433 to 1438 and King's Squire in 1438. In 1441 he was a Justice of the Peace and Privy Councillor for 1453-1454.

He was married first to Maude de Arderne. On this marriage Sir Thomas became possessed of the estates of Elford, Haselour, Clifton Campville and Pipe Ridware in Staffordshire; Camplen super Wild in Gloucestershire; Sibbertoft in Northamptonshire; and Alford, Nether Alderley and Echells (in the Parish of Northended) in Cheshire.
In 1433, he founded a chantry at Elford Church, where there is a window to his memory.

Child of THOMAS STANLEY and ELIZABETH DE WALLER is:

17.

i.

GEORGE10 STANLEY, b. Abt. 1450, Lichfield, England.

Children of THOMAS STANLEY and MAUDE DE ARDERNE are:

18.	ii.		SIR JOHN10 STANLEY, b. 1423; d. 1474.
	iii.		ANNE STANLEY, b. 1425; d. 1487; m. JOHN GRESLEY; b. Drakelow, Derbyshire, England.

15. SIR WILLIAM¹⁰ STANLEY (WILLIAM⁹DE STANLEIGH, WILLIAM⁸, WILLIAM⁷, JOHN⁶, WILLIAM⁵, WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1387 in Cheshire, England, and died 1417 in Cheshire, England. He married BLANCHE ARDERNE 1402. She was born in Cheshire, England.

Notes for SIR WILLIAM STANLEY:
In 1415 he was present at the Battle of Agincourt in the retinue of Sir Richard Hastings, having been knighted that year for his military prowess.

Children of WILLIAM STANLEY and BLANCHE ARDERNE are:

19.	i.		WILLIAM11 STANLEY, b. 1406, Cheshire, England; d. 1461, Cheshire, England.
	ii.		KATHERINE STANLEY.
	iii.		ELIZABETH STANLEY.
	iv.		MARGARET STANLEY.
	v.		ISABEL STANLEY.

16. SIR THOMAS¹⁰ STANLEY (JOHN⁹, JOHN⁸DE STANLEIGH, WILLIAM⁷, JOHN⁶, WILLIAM⁵, WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1405, and died February 20, 1458/59. He married JOAN GOUSHILL, daughter of ROBERT GOUSHILL and ELIZABETH FITZ-ALLEN. She was born Abt. 1409 in Nottighamshire, England, and died 1458.

Notes for SIR THOMAS STANLEY:
In 1429 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

On succeeding to his father's estates in 1439, he was granted by Henry VI the office of Seneschal of Macclesfield and Chief Ranger of the Forest.

On January 20, 1456, Sir Thomas was created Baron Stanley by special writ and was made a Knight of the Garter, and Chamberlain to Henry VI. Ambassador to Scotland.
 
 

Children of THOMAS STANLEY and JOAN GOUSHILL are:

20.	i.		SIR THOMAS11 STANLEY, b. 1435; d. July 29, 1504.
	ii.		SIR WILLIAM STANLEY, b. 1436; d. 1495.

Notes for SIR WILLIAM STANLEY: Beheaded in 1495

21.	iii.		SIR JOHN STANLEY, b. 1437.
	iv.		REV. JAMES STANLEY, b. 1438.

Notes for REV. JAMES STANLEY: Rector of Winwich 1462-1485  Archdeacon of Chester 1478  Warden of Manchester 1481  Rector of Warrington 1482

	v.		MARGARET STANLEY, b. 1439, Lathom, Lancashire, England.
	vi.		ELIZABETH STANLEY, b. 1440.
	vii.		CATHERINE STANLEY, b. 1441.

17. GEORGE¹⁰ STANLEY (THOMAS⁹, JOHN⁸DE STANLEIGH, WILLIAM⁷, JOHN⁶, WILLIAM⁵, WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born Abt. 1450 in Lichfield, England. He married ELEANOR DUDLEY BEAUMONT.

Notes for ELEANOR DUDLEY BEAUMONT:
Widow of Sir Henry Beaumont of Wednesbury, Staffordshire, and daughter of Lord Dudley.

Children of GEORGE STANLEY and ELEANOR BEAUMONT are:

22.	i.		JOHN11 STANLEY, b. Abt. 1482, West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England; d. October 7, 1533, West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England.
	ii.		ELIZABETH STANLEY.

18. SIR JOHN¹⁰ STANLEY (THOMAS⁹, JOHN⁸DE STANLEIGH, WILLIAM⁷, JOHN⁶, WILLIAM⁵, WALTER⁴, WILLIAM³, ADAM², LYDULPH (LIULF)¹DE ALDITHLEY) was born 1423, and died 1474. He married (1) ISABEL VERNON. She was born in Derbyshire, England. He married (2) DULCIA LEIGH. He married (3) CECILYDE ARDERNE 1428.

Notes for SIR JOHN STANLEY:
Succeeded to his father's estate.

A member of Parliament in 1446 and Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1460.

He was created a Knight Banneret on the field at the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471.
 

Children of JOHN STANLEY and ISABEL VERNON are:

	i.		HUMPHREY11 STANLEY.
	ii.		ALICE STANLEY.
	iii.		CATHERINE STANLEY.
	iv.		ISABEL STANLEY.

Child of JOHN STANLEY and DULCIA LEIGH is:

v.

ROGER11 STANLEY.

Child of JOHN STANLEY and CECILY DE ARDERNE is:

23.

vi.

JOHN11 STANLEY, b. 1447; d. 1508.