General Notes

Hamon Legh of West-Hall in High Legh, in Cheshire, about the time of Henry II. It is incontrovertibly clear from Domesday Book that the Saxon lords of High Legh were ejected at the Conquest, and that a new lord was then introduced, Gilbert Venables, Lord of Kinderton, from whose grants, or from those of his descendants, all subsequent proprietors must have derived their possession. In or about the time of Henry II (1154-1189) the Manor of High Legh had been granted out in moieties to two families, who assumed the local name, the earliest known ancestor of which are Hamon de Legh, Progenitor of the West-Hall family, and Edward de Legh, progenitor of the East-Hall family. Both of these were as nearly contemporaries as possible, as can be gathered by marriages and dates of their immediate descendants, and both were most probably original grantees from the Venables family. There is not, however, anything which can induce a belief in Hamon and Efward being common stock. The origin of Hamon de Legh is referred to the Venables family by strong probabilities. Dr. Williamson, historian, who quotes a deed in his possession, for Hamon being original grantee, expressly states him to be descended from Gilbert Venables. Of the Moiety of West-Hall, later one moiety was given by Thomas Legh to his half brother, Ralph Hawarden.
Arms of Venables: Azure, two barrs argent.
Crest: On a wreath. A wyvern Argent, pierced by an arrow, heador Or and feathered Argent, devouring a child proper, crined Or, and standing on a wier Argent banded Azure.
Sources: Ormerod's History of Cheshire, Vol. 1, pp. 352, 526, 381-383, 354;
Vol. 2, p. 93; Vol. 3, pp. 306, 332, 336-338, 343, 393, 106.
Betham's Baronetage of England, Vol. 1, pp. 99-105.
Foster's County Families, Lancashire.
Browning's Magna Charta Barons, pp. 265 and 301.
Burke's Landed Gentry (1939), Vol. 3, pp. 2759-60.