Alexander de OSBALDESTON, , SIR

                   On the death of Richard Osbaldeston on 22nd July 1507, his son, Alexanderwas heir to the Osbaldeston estates. The Inq.post mort; was taken in1508, when Richard Osbaldeston was found to have held Osbaldeston manorof the King in chief, worth £20; Keuerdale (Cuerdale) manor, of RichardLangton in socage (tenure of lands by service fixed and determinate inquality) worth 20 marks; and Over Derwynd (Darwen) manor, of RichardLangton in socage, worth 20 marks.

Alexander Osbaldeston was then aged 26 years. He married twice, firstlyto Anne Southworth, daughter of Sir Christopher and Isabel (nee Dutton -daughter of Sir Thomas Dutton of Dutton) Southworth of Samlesbury Hall.Sir Christopher was born about 1450, knighted in 1482 and died in 1487.By the marriage of Sir Alexander and Anne, a son John was born in 1507.

On the 9th September 1513 Alexander Osbaldeston fought under the Earl ofDerby at the Battle of Flodden Field. James IV of Scotland had faced theEarl of Surrey at Flodden near Berwick on Tweed and during some threehours of desperate fighting the Scots had been decimated. Some 10,000 menwere killed including a large number of the nobility, several bishops andKing James IV himself. It was a major English victory. A short time laterKing Henry V111 knighted Alexander Osbaldeston.

A quote from 'Weber - Flodden Field' reads as follows: -

The hynde Hassel hied in faste
With the lusty Lealand trulye,
Soe did Alexander Osboston
Come in with the Earle of Derbye

Alexander's second wife was Ellen Tyldesley, daughter of Thomas Tyldesleyof Wardley. The first child from this marriage was Richard Osbaldestonand his father; Alexander gave him the Sunderland Grange in Balderstonein 1540. This estate consisted of three messuages, 540 acres of land,meadow and pasture. An agreement was made that should Richard have nochildren then the remainder of the estate had to pass successively to hisbrothers, Henry, Thomas, Thurstan and William.

For further information on the Osbaldestons of Sunderland from RichardOsbaldeston see the chapter on that subject in Volume 2.

Apart from these sons, Sir Alexander and Ellen had daughters, Anne, whomarried Edward Langton, son and heir of Thomas Langton; Elizabeth whomarried Henry Kyghleys, son and heir of Henry Kyghleys; Siscelye; Alycewho married John Talbot of Salesbury, born about 1518 (son of JohnTalbot, born about 1501, died 30th August 1551 and his first wife, Anne,daughter of Hugh Sherburne). Alice, nee Osbaldeston, Talbot died in 1533and there was no issue. John Talbot married secondly Margaret Moore ofSheffield. He was a Captain in Queens Marys army. In 1553 he wasdefendant in a dispute over property with his stepmother, Anne Talbot,nee Bannester, second wife of his father, John Talbot. John Talbot diedon 1st September 1588 (In 1581 Edward Campion, the Jesuit on beingtortured on the rack divulged certain Lancashire gentry who had harbouredhim whilst in Lancashire and this John Talbot was one of thoseresponsible.  Other daughters were Isabell Osbaldeston; Elnor who marriedThomas Clifton of Westby and Jane who married William Gerard of the Ince.

In the Visitation of 1533, it was noted: - Syr Alexander Osbaldeston,knight, had to his furst wyffe Anne, dowghter to Sr. Xpver Sudworthe,knyght, and they hadd yssue John, whyche maryed Marget, dowghter to theLord Strange. The sayd Syr Alexander had to hys second wyffe Ellyne,dowghter to Thomas Tyllysley of Wardley, and they hadd yssue Richard,Harry, Thomas, Wyllm, Thorston, Anne, Elizabeth, Siscelye, Alyce,Isabell, Elnor and Jane. Anne is maryed to Edward Langton, sonne andheyer to Thomas Langton, Baron of Nyowton; Elizabeth ys maryed to HarryKyghleys, sonne and heyer to Harry Kyghley'.

Sir Alexander Osbaldeston was sheriff of Lancashire in the years 1527/8.He died on the 17th January 1544 aged 63 years and at the Inq.post.mort.taken at Preston on March 31st, 1544 it was stated that Sir AlexanderOsbaldeston had held Osbaldeston, Cuerdale, Over Derwynt and Balderstonemanors with all rights belonging to the property; and the fourth part ofseven messuages, 200 acres of land, 100 acres of meadow, 300 acres ofPasture, 60 acres of woodland, 300 acres of moor and 300 acres ofrushland and heath in Balderstone, Walton and twenty four otherLancashire townships; also a fishery in Ribble.

His widow, Ellena, by her will, dated 1560 bequeathed £10 to the reliefof the poor, to her daughter, Ann Langton, 'her gold ring with the FiveWounds upon it', towards the mending of the glass windows and repairingof the Osbaldeston Chapel in Blackburn Church - 5s(25p) and for thenecessaries of the Church there - £5; to the mending of the Queen'shighways, 20s(£1); and four beds for the laying of poor folks, one toremain at Darwen and one at Balderstone for ever and the other two at thediscretion of her executors. She also desired that three stones withinscribed brasses should be placed in the Osbaldeston Chapel at BlackburnChurch over her remains, her husbands and her brother, Sir ThomasTyldesley. Unfortunately these memorials have long since vanished,presumably when St.Mary's Church, Blackburn was demolished in the early19th century when the new church was built a few yards away. To herstepson she gave certain things belonging to the altar in the chapel atOsbaldeston to remain as heirlooms. Two figures of saints in carved woodformally in the chapel of Osbaldeston were at one time preserved in thehall at Tabley Old Hall.