THE TEMPLE FAMILY
OF STOWE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

(Exerpts from “Colonel John Alston of North Carolina – something of Biography, Ancestry, Descendants” compiled by Mrs. Kate Harding Bates Parker and Mrs. C. Elizabeth Bates Nisbet, 1964, Houston Texas.    Their cited sources:  “Visitation of Leicestershire”, Lodges’ “Peerage of Ireland”, “Encyclopedia Britannia, Art. Harold”, Burtin’s “Leicestershire”, Fuller’s “Worthies of England”)

            It is stated in Burke’s Peerage that this ancient family derives its surname from the manor of Temple Co., Leicester, and has its pedigree record in the “Visitation of Leicertershire,” A.D. 1619.

1.      Leofern, or Leoferin, Ear of Mercia had

2.      Leofric, King of Leicester  (Lodges “Peerage of Ireland” under Viscount Palmerston).  He married the famous Lady Godiva, who rode naked through Coventrytown by day to regain for the citizens the privileges taken from them, and dying August 31, 1027.  They had issue:

3.      Algar, King of the east Saxons in 1053, who had

4.      Edwin, King of the East Saxons, deposed by the Conqueror, and killed in battle with the Normans, 1071.  His sister married, 1^st, the Welsh King Gruffydd.  “Her name was Ealdgyth and her brothers were Eadwine and Morkers.” (Encyclopedia Britannia, Art. Harold).  She married secondly, Harold, King of England.  He (Edwin) was father of

5.      Edwin, Earl of Leicestershire and Coventry, who assumed the surname, Temple, from the Manor of Temple, in the Hundred of Sparkenhor in Wellsboro, Leicestershire (See Burtin's "Leicestershire") whose descendant

1        Henry de Temple, Baron of Temple, and Little Shepey had

2        Geoffrey de Temple, Leicestershire, whose son

3        John De Temple, Leicestershire, had

4        Henry De Temple, Leicestershire, who married Lady Maud, daughter of Sir John Ribbesford, Knight, and had

5        Henry De Temple, Baron of Temple Manor and Little Shepey (temp. John) who had

6        Richard De Temple, Baron of Temple Manor, who m. Catherine, daughter of Thomas De Langley,  and had

7        Nicholas De Temple, who m. Lady Margery, daughter of Sir Roger Corbet, Knight, of Libton, and had

8        Richard De Temple of Shepey, who m. Lady Agnes, daughter of Sir Ralph Stanley, Knight, and had

9        Nicholas De Temple, who m. Maud, daughter of John Burguillon, of Newton, in Leicestershire, and had

10    Richard De Temple, who m. Joan, daughter of William Shepey of Great Shepey, Leicestershire, and had

11    Thomas De Temple of Whitney, Oxfordshire, third son, who m. Mary, daughter of Thomas Gedney, Esq., and had

12    William Temple, of Whitney, who m. Isabel, daughter and heiress of Henry Everton, Esq., and had

13    Thomas Temple, of Whitney, who m. Alice, daughter and heiress of John Heritage, of Burton Dorset, in Coventry Warwick, and had

14    Peter Temple of Stowe, second son, who in the latter years of Edward VI, obtained a grant of the Manor of Marston Botsler Co., Warwick, and m. Millicent, daughter of William Jeklye, Esq., of Nemington, in Middlesex, and had

15    John Temple of Stowe, eldest son b. 1542, d. 1603, m. Susan, daughter and heiress of Thomas Spencer of Everton, Northampton, and had Anthony, from whom the Viscount Palmerstone and

16    Sir Thomas Temple of Stowe, Knight, created Baronet June 29, 1611, d. 1637, m. Esther, daughter of Miles Sandys, Esq., of Latimers Bucks., by whom he had thirteen children.  Of the numerous progeny, John Temple received the honor of Knighthood, and married Dorothy, daughter and co-heiress, of Edward Lee, Esquire, of Stantonbury…….

The Coat of Arms of the Temple Family

Arms.   A Quarterly, first and fourth, OR, an Eagle displayed, Sable.   Second and Third, Argent, two Vars, Sable, on each three Martlets.   OR.

Crest.   In a Ducal Coronet, a Martlet, close, both   or.

Motto:  Temple quam dilecta.

“Kimber & Johnson”   Vol I  p. 30

This family is said to be descended by a younger son from Leoferic, who before the Norman invasion, was Earl of Chester.   As stated hereinabove, they took their denomination of Temple from a manor of that same name in the county of Leicester.   Of this manor and Little Shepey, Henry De Temple was Lord, in the reign of King John.  This Henry was succeeded by his son, John, who had a son, Richard, from whose son, Nicholas, descended Peter, who in the reign of Edward VI, and Queen Elizabeth, purchased several lands in the County of Warwick, and Stowe, in Buckinghamshire.

He was succeeded by his son, John, who married Susan, daughter and co-heir of Thomas Spencer of Everton, in Northamptonshire (ancestor to the present Duke of Marlborough, and Earl Spencer), and dying in 1603, he left issue six sons and six daughters.

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