The New Murrey and Blue blog

Upholland is a village in Lancashire, about 4 miles from Wigan and these days only just outside Greater Manchester. It was formerly the HQ of the Lancashire gentry family of Holland. (Up until the 15th Century, it was often, if not invariably, spelt ‘Holand’, but I will stick with the modern spelling for consistency.)

The first of the name was Matthew (1181-before 1224). In a final concord made at the Lancaster Assizes, dated 5th November 1202, Uhtred de Chyrche, who seems to have had some claim or right in the manor of Upholland, in consideration of the sum of six marks of silver, released his right in fourteen oxgangs of land in Upholland in favour of Matthew de Holland.

This amounted to about 210 acres for which a rental (or fee farm) of 12 shillings was payable to the King. (60p modern money, but of course, worth very much more in real terms.)

In 1202 Matthew had been recognised as Lord of the Manor of Upholland, bar for two bovates. (Between 20 and 36 acres depending on the condition of the land.)

Robert Holland (1197-1242) appears to have been Matthew’s son. He was certainly his heir. In 1241 he and his son, Thurstan, were accused of setting fire to a house in Wigan. Although legal proceedings were initiated, no one who has studied medieval ‘justice’ will be surprised to find out that the matter ended without any clear conclusion.

Robert died in 1242 and was succeeded by his son Thurstan (1222-1275) who in turn was succeeded by his eldest son Robert (about 1253 – before 1305). Robert was fortunate to marry an heiress, Elizabeth Samlesbury, who brought considerable land into the family. He was knighted in 1281. He and Elizabeth had several children. One daughter married the man who founded the Ireland family of Hale, Lancashire. Another daughter, Joanne, married successively Edmund Talbot (1), Sir John Radcliffe (2), and Sir Hugh Dutton of Dutton, Cheshire. (3) She had children with all three husbands and there are numerous descendants.

Sir Robert’s son (also Robert 1283-1328) was an even more influential man than his father. He married Maud la Zouche, who had several impressive relatives and was descended from Henry II. He was knighted by 1305 and in 1314 received an individual summons to Parliament that made him Lord Holland. (There were not, at this time, many peers in Lancashire.)

Thomas was in the service of his namesake, Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. However, he refused to be involved in the Earl’s treason against Edward II and thus survived his patron’s downfall and execution in 1322. He was imprisoned by Edward II. nonetheless, and was only released on Edward’s fall. His failure to support Earl Thomas made him a ‘marked man’ in certain quarters. In 1328, supporters of the late Earl captured him at Borehamwood, Hertfordshire and beheaded him. This was pure murder, of course.

He left behind several children. Robert, the eldest, became 2nd Lord Holland and from him descended a line that eventually merged with the Lovells. (4)

Various cadet Holland families survived in Lancashire, including the branch that owned Heaton Hall (not more than two miles from where this is written) until their last heiress married Sir John Egerton, Bart., in 1684.)

Otes (or Otho) Holland, though quite obscure, managed to become a KG. This was of course achieved by military service in France, but he died childless and his lands passed to his brothers.

It was Thomas (the son between Robert and Otes in age) who really broke the mould. Again, he distinguished himself in Edward III‘s wars. There is no doubt he was a soldier of considerable courage and resourcefulness. However, he is mainly remembered now for his relationship with Joan of Kent, the King’s cousin.

He and Joan claimed that when she was about 12 they married secretly. This was taken to the Pope and in consequence, her subsequent marriage to William Montagu, Earl of Salisbury, was annulled and her marriage to Holland judged good and lawful.

Some find this ‘romantic’ but in honesty, I would prefer to believe Joan and Thomas lied to the Pope as a way of breaking her marriage, rather than that he seduced her at such a young age. Your mileage may vary, as they say.

Whatever the truth, they clearly loved one another deeply. After Holland’s death in December 1360. Joan fairly swiftly agreed to marry her cousin, Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales. This did no harm to her Holland children, who in effect became fringe members of the royal family. Her sons, Thomas and John, made excellent marriages – albeit John’s marital arrangements were rather unconventional. Her daughters became Duchess of Britanny and Countess of St. Pol.

As for her grandchildren, Thomas’s daughters became the Mitford sisters of the late 14th/early 15th centuries. They married into the Mortimer, York and Lancaster families and sat at the very top tables.

The Hollands had come a long way from Upholland.

(1) This Edmund Talbot was of the Lancashire Talbots. A relatively obscure gentry family who, although long-lived as a dynasty, rarely appear in national politics. I believe one was involved in the Cheshire Risings in the 1390s, while another helped capture Henry VI. They are said to be linked in blood to the Shrewsbury Talbots, but I have yet to find the link.

(2) A younger son of Radcliffe of the Tower, he and Joanne founded the cadet branch, Radcliffe of Ordsall.

(3) Joanne was his second wife, but the mother of his male heir.

(4) Hence Francis Lovell claiming ‘Holland’ among his titles.