JR Crompton's history of Gilbert de Venables gives and extensive branch line of Gilbert's descendants. Its problem is that his sources are not referenced and therefore cannot be taken as a definitive genealogical tree.  In addition he focuses only on the line that developed into the Cromptons of High Legh and the settlement of Crompton County Lancashire.  However, he states:

GENERATION II

Gilbert divided his land between his two sons: Gilbert de Venables, born 1062 and Baron of Kinderton, Cheshire. Gilbert senior's younger son was Hamon, born about 1064.  After being educated at Abingdon Abbey in Oxfordshire, he settled in Leigh, Cheshire. Following the custom of the day he changed his name to that of his feudal property becoming Hamon de la Legh. Hamon de la Legh married Adeliza, daughter of Walter de Malveysin, who died at a great age and was buried in the Abbey of St Evroult, Normandy.

GENERATION III

Hamon de la Legh and Adeliza had two sons: Sir Hamon II de la Legh, born 1084 and the progenitor or the Leghs of Easthall, the Meres of Mere, the Dones and the Brerertons. In 1130 he became a Benedictine Monk at St Albans. The second child was Gilbert de la Legh (1080-1159) who was knighted in the 11 year of Henry I. He was educated at Lancaster Priory and held a wide variety of state offices. Crompton suggests he had no children by his unnamed first wife. He married secondly, in 1112, Emma  daughter of Jen de Montreuil.

GENERATION IV

Sir Gilbert and Emma had two sons: Sir Piers and Hamon III who died 'in tender years'. Sir Gilbert had one illegitimate son, Sir Gilbert de la Legh, knighted 1138,  by Adeliza, wife of James de Braose. ¹

Ormerod comments that the name of Gilbert's son is not recorded.

'Gilbert de Venables, grandson of the first baron, married Margery, daughter of Walthew fitz Wolfric, with whom he has half Marton in frank marriage, and by whom he had issue six sons and two daughters. His seal was a falcon sister, regardant, ... witnessed by Ormus de Davenport and others, whereby he grants lands, and a release "ab omni actione servili et ab omni vili consuetudine " to Osmund, son of Gamel de Eccleston, for which William and Richard de Eton pay one mark, and the said Osmund pays also one mark of silver.'

'The issue before-mentioned were Sir William Venables, son and heir; Hugh Venables, to who his brother gives (1) his right in the churches of Rosthorne, Eccleston, and Astbury, by a grant made in the synod held at Chester, next after the consecration of Hugh de Novant, who was made bishop in 1188. Gilbert, Michael and R. Venables, witnessed to the chapter last mentioned. Hamon de Venables (apparently the same person with Hamon, ancestor of Leigh of West Hall) garantee of lands in Wincham from his brother William, and his niece and sister, [Matilda, or] Maud de Venables, and Maud de Shireburne; Amabilia, [or Amabell,[ wife of Richard de Davenport; and Maud wife of Ralph Fitz-Roger and after of Hugh de Brexis by the first of whom she had Maud, wife of Nicholas de Letres, and Emma, wife of Robert Brant.' ²

End notes

1. Crompton, pp. 1-3
2. Ormerod, 187

Source:

• Crompton, JR, The Cromptons of Crompton County Lancashire, 1902, Bodleian Library Oxford, Library of Congress
• Ormerod, History of the County Palatine Vol. II, 1882 (Accessed: 13 March 2020)

This page was created by Richard Crompton and maintained by Chris Glass		Version A6 Updated 04 February 2025