POWIS, lords of GREY or GRAY

Sir JOHN GRAY or GREY, of Heton, Northumberland (c. 1385 - 1421), married Joan, elder daughter and coheiress of Sir Edward Cherleton, lord of Powis (died 1421). In her right, he, for a few months, enjoyed half the lordship of Pool. When Sir John Oldcastell (Oldcastle), otherwise known as lord Cobham, was taken from hiding at Broniarth in 1417 by Ieuan and Griffith Vaughan, and handed over to their lord at Powis castle, he was escorted to London by Sir John Gray. His son, HENRY GRAY (c. 1420 - 1450), count of Tancarville, who married Antigone, illegitimate daughter of Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, had Sir Griffith Vaughan beheaded in the courtyard of Powis castle in 1447 in violation of a safe conduct which he had issued. The elegies written at the time by the Welsh bards reflect the intense indignation which was aroused by this act. His son, Sir RICHARD GREY of Pool (born at Pontesbury, 5 November 1436; died 17 December 1466), described as ' dominus de Powes,' swore allegiance in Parliament to Henry VI, 24 July 1455. He is thus regarded as having been lord Grey of Powis or lord Powis. In the Wars of the Roses he was with the duke of York at the battle of Ludford, 12 October 1459, but he was reconciled to the king before the end of the year, and in 1460 the earl of Warwick ordered him to surrender Montgomery castle. In 1461, however, he received the stewardship of Kerry, Kedwen, and Montgomery. He married, before 12 January 1459, Margaret, widow of Sir Roger Vaughan, daughter of James, lord Audley. His son, JOHN GREY, was summoned to Parliament by writs directed to ' Johanni Grey de Powes chivaler ' between 1482 and 1491. His wife (married after 14 February 1471) was Anne, daughter of William Herbert, earl of Pembroke. He died in the autumn of 1494 and was followed by his son, JOHN GREY (c. 1483 - 1504), 3rd baron. The latter's son, EDWARD GREY, 4th baron, died 2 July 1551 without legitimate issue. His estates passed by will to his illegitimate son, EDWARD GREY, who sold the lordship of Powis to the Herberts.

Author

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/

The Dictionary of Welsh Biography is provided by The National Library of Wales and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. It is free to use and does not receive grant support. A donation would help us maintain and improve the site so that we can continue to acknowledge Welsh men and women who have made notable contributions to life in Wales and beyond.

Find out more on our sponsorship page.