General Notes

REFN: 9363AN
The Stapylton family is one of great repute and antiquity in the county. T
hey take their surname from Stapleton-on-Tees, where they possessed lan
ds previous to the Conquest. The first of whom any record has been preserv
ed was Heryon, or Herman, who held the manor of Stapleton in 1052, and w
as father of Alan De Stapylton, who was living in 1080. Sir John, his gran
dson, was lord of Stapleton, and comptroller of the household to King Step
hen.
Sir Miles Stapylton, Knight, the next in descent, fought under the standa
rd of the Cross, in Palestine, and, on his return, married Pendoras, daugh
ter of the King of Cyprus. After three descents came another Sir Miles, w
ho distinguished himself in the wars of Gascony and Scotland, in the reig
ns of the first and second Edwards, and was summoned to parliament, as a b
aron, in 1313. His son, Sir Nicholas Stapylton, second baron, was summon
ed to parliament in 1342. He married Sibill, a niece and coheir of Pet
er De Brus, who brought him the manor of Carlton. He was involved in the i
nsurrection of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, and was fined 2,000 marks to sa
ve his life, but the fine was remitted by Edward III. in the first ye
ar of his reign. His son, Sir Miles, third baron, was one of the first kni
ghts of the garter. He was a warrior of repute, and was high sheriff of Yo
rkshire in 1353, aga
in in 1355, and also for the five years following. Of another of this fami
ly, Sir Bryan Stapylton, K.G., it is related that "the King of England a
nd the King of Cyprus being present, he fought with a Saracen, faith for f
aith, whom, by the grace of God and his valour, he did kill. For which cau
se he did desire for the reward of his valour, of Edward III., then presen
t, nothing else but that he and his heirs, in memory of the victory, shou
ld carry for their crest the head of a Saracen." Sir Robert Stapylto
n, of Wighill, Knight, when high sheriff of Yorkshire, in 1581, met the ju
dges with seven score men, in suitable liveries. He was, according to Camd
en, "a person well spoken, comely, and skilled in the languages, with scar
ce an equal, except Sir Philip Sidney, and no superior inEngland." Brya
n, third son of Sir Robert, was Receiver-General in the north for Charl
es I., and seated himself at Myton. From him the Myton branch of the fami
ly is descended. His son, Sir Henry, was created a baronet in 1660. Sir Ma
rtin Stapylton, eighth baronet, died, without issue, in 1817, and the tit
le became extinct, but the estates devolved upon his nephew, Martin Bre
e, Esq. (son of his sister Anne, wife of the Rev. John Bree), who assum
ed the surname and arms of Stapylton only. The present owner of Myton, h
is grandson, was high sheriff of Yorkshire in 1876.