Arderne Deeds

The Arderne Deeds comprise muniments of the Arderne family of Alvanley, Cheshire, and the related Done family of Utkinton, Cheshire, and their estates. The documents relate chiefly to the townships of Alvanley, Utkinton, Tarporley, Rushton, Eaton, Oulton, Clotton, Kingsley, Norley, Duddon and Stockport. They include title deeds, leases, settlements, wills, enclosure awards, and 17th- and 18th-century deeds concerning apprentices' charities.

There are numerous marriage settlements and wills from the 17th and 18th centuries. These include the settlement made after the marriage of Ralph Arderne and Eleanor Done in 1625, through which part of the inheritance of the Dones of Utkinton came into the Arderne family (ARD/331/2), and the settlement in 1831 on the marriage of John Warrender and the Hon. Frances Henrietta Arden, daughter of the first Baron Alvanley (ARD/356/1). Among the wills is that of Jane Done (d. 1662), daughter of Sir John Done of Utkinton (ARD/331/12).

A number of items also relate to the Crewe family of Crewe. These include a group of 17th- and 18th-century deeds concerning apprenticeship charities by which money arising from certain lands was to be used "for the putting forth as apprentices yearly one of the eldest sons or, for want of such sons, one of the eldest daughters, of the cottagers or poorer sort of tenants" of Sir John Crewe and his heirs, in the townships of Clotton Hoofield, Eaton, Rushton and Alpraham (ARD/333). The trades to which the apprentices were to be assigned had to be approved by Sir John and his heirs.

Arderne or Arden family of Cheshire

The Arderne or Arden family of Alvanley in Frodsham parish and of Harden (or Arden) Hall in Bredbury within Stockport parish, Cheshire traced its lineage back to John de Arderne in the early thirteenth century. They held the township of Alvanley for six centuries. There were two notable members of the family. James Arderne (1636-1691) served as chaplain in ordinary to Charles II, and was appointed dean of Chester in 1682. Richard Pepper Arden (1744-1804), younger son of John Arden of Harden and Alvanley, was appointed Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in 1801 and was created Baron Alvanley.

The Arden estates passed by the marriage in 1854 of Helen Catherine Warrender, grand-daughter of the above Richard Pepper Arden, to George Baillie-Hamilton (1827-1917), 11th earl of Haddington, who changed his surname to Baillie-Hamilton-Arden.

Sources: David Lemmings, 'Arden, Richard Pepper, first Baron Alvanley (1744–1804), judge', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004) https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/634 [accessed 23 January 2018].

Michael Mullett, 'Arderne, James (bap. 1636, d. 1691), dean of Chester', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004) https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/635 [accessed 23 January 2018].

George Ormerod, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, 2nd edition revised by Thomas Helsby, 3 vols (London: Routledge, 1882), vol. 2, pp. 75-87.

Done family of Utkinton, Cheshire

The first recorded member of the Done family of Utkinton in Tarporley parish, Cheshire, was Richard Done, in the reign of John (1199-1216). The Dones held Utkinton for several centuries, later acquiring the manors of Willington and Tarporley; they were also hereditary foresters of Delamere Forest. On the death of the last male heir, John Done, in 1630, the family estates were divided amongst his sisters: Jane Done, the eldest sister; Mary wife of John Crewe, esq.; and Eleanor wife of Ralph Arderne, esq. Jane Done's share comprised the manors of Utkinton, Willington and Tarporley, and the advowson of Tarporley. Under an award in Chancery in 1725, the estates were again divided into six parts, each valued at £4200, between: Richard, eldest brother of Sir John Arderne, who held two shares; John Arderne of Boothurst in Rushton; Ralph Arderne of Clayton Bridge, Lancashire; James Arderne of the Oak in Sutton Downes near Macclesfield; and the Dean and Chapter of Chester Cathedral. In 1817, the first two shares were the property of John Arden, esq.; the third, with the share of Utkinton and Tarporley, was vested in Mrs Clegg; the fourth share of Willington, Utkinton and Tarporley, with the advowson, was sold for £1000 to Edward Warren, merchant, in 1727, and was later purchased by Philip Egerton of Oulton, esq.; the fifth remained the property of the Dean and Chapter; and the sixth belonged to the representatives of James Arderne of the Oak, with the exception of the advowson, which was sold to his cousin, Richard Arderne of Harden.

Sources: J. H. Hanshall, The History of the County Palatine of Chester (Chester: printed by John Fletcher and sold by the author, 1817-[23]), pp. 437-8.

George Ormerod, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, 2nd edition revised by Thomas Helsby, 3 vols (London: Routledge, 1882), vol. 2, pp. 243-53.

When received, the collection was arranged in bundles numbered 331-357, 360-362, 364-371, and 377-378. As these numbers may have been used for reference purposes prior to the deposit, it was considered advisable to retain them in the descriptions below. The documents are, accordingly, described within these groupings.

The original spelling of names of persons and places has been retained. Unless otherwise stated, all places mentioned are in Cheshire.

The archive is open to any accredited reader.

The Arderne Deeds were deposited in the John Rylands Library on 29 April 1955 by Messrs Sale, Lingard & Co., on behalf of Lady Helen O'Brien of Kilduff, North Berwick, East Lothian.

Photocopies and photographic copies of material in the archive can be supplied for private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents.

Prior written permission must be obtained from the Library for publication or reproduction of any material within the archive. Please contact the Head of Special Collections, John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH.

The documents are presumed to have remained in the hands of the Arderne or Arden family until the mid-nineteenth century when, together with the Arderne/Arden estates they passed by marriage to George Baillie-Hamilton (1827-1917), 11th earl of Haddington. They are then presumed to have passed by descent to the depositor, Lady Helen O'Brien, sister of the 12th earl of Haddington, and grand-daughter of the 11th earl.

No further accruals are expected.

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies holds a major collection of deeds, estate and family papers, with some manorial records, of the Done and Crewe families of Utkinton, and their successors, the Ardeme family of Harden in Bredbury, relating to estates in the Alvaney, Utkinton, Tarporley and Bredbury areas, c.1290-c.1960, ref. GB 17 DAR.

J. H. Hanshall, The History of the County Palatine of Chester (Chester: printed by John Fletcher and sold by the author, 1817-[23]), pp. 437-8.

David Lemmings, 'Arden, Richard Pepper, first Baron Alvanley (1744–1804), judge', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004) https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/634 [accessed 23 January 2018].

Michael Mullett, 'Arderne, James (bap. 1636, d. 1691), dean of Chester', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004) https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/635 [accessed 23 January 2018].

George Ormerod, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, 2nd edition revised by Thomas Helsby, 3 vols (London: Routledge, 1882), vol. 2, pp. 75-87, 243-53.