William Crewe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Crewe
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Arms of William Crewe
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| Born | c. 1360 |
| Died | 21 July 1403 Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England |
| Family | Crewe |
| Spouse(s) | Alice Cholmondeley |
| Issue | Thomas Crewe, John Crewe |
| Father | David Crewe |
William Crewe was an English soldier and landowner. He lived a long time ago, from about 1360 to 1403. He came from a place called Sound in Cheshire, England. William joined a big fight known as the Percy rebellion. Sadly, he was killed during the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403.
William Crewe's Early Life
William Crewe was born around 1360. His family, the Crewes, had lived in the area for a long time. William owned a lot of land in a part of Cheshire called the Hundred of Nantwich. He also took care of land that belonged to his brother, Thomas. Thomas had moved away to Warwickshire to manage lands for a powerful family. William and his son, John, stayed in Cheshire. They lived in towns like Nantwich and Sound. Records show they also owned land in Aston, Grafton, Handley, and Worleston.
William was an active soldier. He served in Ireland in 1397 and again in 1399. For his service, King Richard II gave him a special payment of £5 every year for the rest of his life. After King Richard II was removed from power, William joined a military trip to Scotland in 1400. This was under the new king, Henry IV. However, the English army left early, so not much happened. William, like many people from Cheshire, was still loyal to the old king, Richard II. Earlier that year, William was chosen to help keep the peace in the Nantwich area.
The Battle of Shrewsbury
Cheshire remained a place where many people supported the old King Richard II. So, when Henry Percy arrived in Cheshire, he found many people willing to join his army. The Crewe family provided at least two rebels from the Nantwich area. William Crewe of Sound joined, and so did Henry Crewe of Aston. John, William's son, had also been close to King Richard II.
Percy's army grew to about 14,000 men. They met the king's army outside Shrewsbury on July 21, 1403. The king's side won the battle. Many people from Cheshire died that day. William Crewe and Henry Crewe were among those who died on the battlefield. They are some of the few soldiers from Shrewsbury whose names we know.
After the battle, official investigations were held for both William and Henry. Because they were part of the rebellion, their animals and lands were taken away. William lost 21 cattle and 8 horses. He also lost 32 acres of farmland. William's son, John, took over the family's property. After this, the family no longer lived in Sound. John's son, Thomas, later settled in the salt-producing town of Nantwich.
William Crewe's Family
William was the son of David Crewe of Sound, who passed away in 1401. This part of the Crewe family came from Patrick de Crewe. Patrick's father, Sir Thomas de Crewe, was a lord of the manor of Crewe in the 1200s. William had a brother named Thomas. Thomas lived in Wixford in Warwickshire. He had moved there after marrying a woman who was an heiress. William also had a sister, Elizabeth, who became a Prioress in Chester.
William married a woman named Alice. She was the daughter of John Cholmondeley of Chorley. William and Alice had two children. Their first son was Thomas. He was supposed to take over from his father. Thomas married a daughter of John Legh of Bothes, but he seems to have died young. So, their second son, John Crewe, then became the main heir.
