See also

Sir William FIENES (c. 1442-1471)

1. Sir William FIENES, son of James FIENES ( - ) and Emmeline CRO(W)MER ( - ), was born circa 1442 in Broughton Castle, Oxfordshire. He had the title '2nd Baron Saye and Sele'. He died on 14 April 1471 in the Battle of Barnet. He married Margaret WICKHAM.


"Only son and heir sum. to Parl. 1451. Sold his Father's Patent of Dover Castle and Warden of the Cinque Ports to Humphrey Duke of Buckingham. Appointed Constable of Porchester, and Pevensey Castles, for life, 1461. Slain at the Battle of Barnet, 1471



Margaret WICKHAM and William FIENES had the following children:


Henry FIENES (c. 1454-1476). Henry was born circa 1454 in Broughton Castle. He had the title '3rd Baron Saye and Sele'. He married Ann(e) HARCOURT circa 1473 in Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire. He died on [Julian] 1 August 1476. He was buried in Broughton Castle.

Second Generation

2. James FIENES, son of William FIENES and Elizabeth BATISFORD, married Emmeline CRO(W)MER circa 1419 in Willingham, Cambridgeshire.



James Fiennes was created Baron Saye and Sele by Letters Patent from Henry VI by 24 Feb 1447 and summoned to Parliament for the first time 3 Mar 1447. Geoffrey White concluded that although the actual patent disappeared and was never enrolled there could be no doubt that the remainder vested to the heirs male of the body of the grantee and that the title did not arise from a writ of summons that at that time probably would have descended to heirs general. These tangled claims have led historians and genealogists astray. This compound title was partly personal, commemorating the grantee’s descent from his grandmother’s family, the Lords Say, a title since 1399 in abeyance between the heirs of Idonea Say Clinton and Joan Say Fiennes; and partly territorial, after Sele, formerly called Beeding, a priory in Saumur, co. Kent. After becoming a peer, he abandoned the Fiennes arms, Azure, three lions rampant or, for those of the Lords Say, Quarterly, or and gules. Sir Anthony Wagner links these arms with the families of Beauchamp of Bedford, Clavering, Lacy, and Vere because they, as well as the Saye family, were all connected with the rebel Earl of Essex, Geoffrey De Mandeville, who died in 1144. They are based on the quarterly coat of or and gules adopted by Essex.


3. Emmeline CRO(W)MER was the daughter of Sir William CROMER of Willingham and Margaret Squery, B. Poynings?. She and James FIENES had the following children:



William FIENES (c. 1442-1471)

Third Generation

4. William FIENES, son of Sir William FIENES Kt. and Joan de SAY, was born in 1357. He was baptised on 1 August 1357 in Hurstmonceaux. He married Elizabeth BATISFORD circa 1382 in Wartling, Sussex. He died on [Julian] 18 January 1402. He was buried in Hurstmonceaux.


"only son and heir, Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex 1397 and 1399.


5. Elizabeth BATISFORD was the daughter of William BATISFORD. She and William FIENES had the following children:



James FIENES ( - )


6. Sir William CROMER of Willingham was a Lord Mayor of London. He married Margaret Squery, B. Poynings?.


7. Margaret Squery, B. Poynings? has few details recorded about her. She and William CROMER had the following children:



Emmeline CRO(W)MER ( - )