Baron Astley (1295)
Baron Astley (1295) was created by writ of summons dated 23 June 1295[1] for a family which had lived at Astley, Warwickshire, England since the time of Henry I. Sir Thomas de Astley who was killed in the Battle of Evesham in 1265 married twice. From Sir Thomas's first marriage to Joan de Blois descended the Barons Astley.
- Andrew de Astley, 1st Lord Astley, (1295–1301)
- Nicholas de Astley, 2nd Lord Astley, (1301–1325)
(Sir Giles de Astley, younger brother of Nicholas, (died before 1316)
- Sir Thomas Astley, 3rd Lord Astley, son of Sir Giles, (1325–1370)
- William Astley, 4th Baron Astley (1370?)
William had only one child, a daughter Joan, who married Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn. Their son Edward married Elizabeth Ferrers, 6th Baroness Ferrers of Groby and he, Edward, was thereby summoned to Parliament as Baron Ferrers of Groby.
Whether the Barony of Astley passed to Joan and her son Edward is open to dispute. The Complete Peerage entries on the 1st and 2nd Marquess of Dorset and on the Duke of Suffolk do not include Baron Astley with their other titles; indeed the entry on Baron Astley stops with William Astley and a query on his descendants. On the other hand, Burke’s Dormant and Extinct Peerages of 1831 [2] and 1978 take the barony to 1554 when it would have been forfeited along with all the other titles of the Duke of Suffolk following participation in Wyatt's Rebellion and his attainder and execution. Therefore-
- ? Joan Astley, Baroness Astley
- ? Sir Edward Grey, (died 18 December 1457)
- ? Sir John Grey of Groby, (died 17 February 1461)
- ? Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset, (died 20 September 1501)
- ? Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, (died 10 October 1530) and his son:,
- ? Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, (executed 23 February 1554)
References
- The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom Extant, Extinct, or Dormant; first edition by George Edward Cokayne, Clarenceux King of Arms; 2nd edition revised by the Hon. Vicary Gibbs et al.
- Burke's Dormant and Extinct Peerages (1978)