Grindon 1600 onwards – Deepdale Farm

There are references to George Titterton of Grindon in 1586, 1607/8, 1631 and 1654 and they are discussed on the Early UK families: Cauldon and Grindon page.  The 1631 reference is to a map of Grindon showing the  tenements the family used and lived in. These tenements are highlighted in red on the map shown and can be identified by the initials G T for George Titterton. However they are not  living at Deepdale Farm. The first reference to Deepdale, which is in the south of the village on a track going to Waterfall today, is in 1705.
Click here for a larger image of map.

George with the daughter marrying in 1654 was probably the grandfather of a George Titterton born about the same time, i.e. 1654. This George is called George the Founder because he is ancestor of at least one third of the Tittertons living world wide.   Discussion about the identity of his father as a William and of  his two uncles, George and John is discussed on Uncle John the Joiner page.

George Titterton of Grindon married Elizabeth Oakden in January 1678/9 at Dilhorne, Staffs.  It seems likely that initially he lived in the properties of 1631 but he acquired the farm, Deepdale, before 1705.  The family farmed at Deepdale for another 150 years.   It seems likely that initially he lived in the properties of 1631 but that he acquired the farm, Deepdale.

George died in February 1718/19.  He was one of the senior people in village society.  According to the hearth tax returns his father had lived in one of the largest farms in the village and George seems to have been able to add Deepdale to the family estate so that his two elder sons had a farm each.He had three sons, all of whom have descendants living today.  Two of his sons contiued to live in Grindon. His sons were:

William b.1681 (Ancestor of the following branches:- Anthony, Ardwick, Bradnop, Butterton, Caleb, Cheadle, Deepdale, Edensor, Glossop, Hilderstone, Longton, Manchester, Openshaw, Shelton, Tissington, Trentham, Wales)

George b. about 1689 (Ancestor of the following branches:- Australia, Canada, Handsworth, Kemberton, Madeley, South Africa, Shropshire.  See Deepdale – Kemberton page)

John b.1691 (Ancestor of the following branches:- Apesford, Coxon Green, Macclesfield, Oncote, Prudence, Reddish, Revidge, Stockport. See Deepdale – Apesford page)

His eldest son William inheritated Deepdale Farm and married an Elizabeth Billings of Elkstones in Alstonefield parish.  It seems William died rather quickly after being taken ill in 1734/5 as he did not have time to make his will properly.  He has a nuncupative will recorded which means he expressed his wishes to those around him (at his death bed) and it was written down later based on their testimony.  Such a practice is not legal in the UK today.

William and Elizabeth also had three sons also  called John George and William.   In 1733 the eldest son, John, married Jane Edensor at Hartington church.  He had inherited some land from his maternal grandfather, John Billings at Elkstones  and set up home there.   Thus when his father William died just over a year later, John was already provided for, and son George inherited the Grindon farm. (Jane Edensor was the daughter of a Richard Edensor and Thomasin Beresford.  Both families were well to do in the area and through the Beresford family a descent can be traced to Edward I and the Emperor Charlemagne.)

Life did not run smoothly for John.  He and Jane had three children, Elizabeth (b. 1734), John (b.1737) and William (b 1739).  Sadly Jane died because of complications with the birth of William.  He was baptised on September 23rd and she was buried on September 29th.  Both services were at Alstonefield church, not Grindon, because Elkstones was in Alstonefield parish.  To deal with the situation of John having a young family to bring up on his own, the family seemed to have changed homes.  John moved back to Deepdale with his brother George and brother William moved to Elkstones, where their mother, Elizabeth, died in 1765.  George married a lady called Hannah but died without any known family. Details of William’s family can be found on Deepdale – Elkstones page.

As well as loosing his wife Jane in 1739, John’s son John died as a boy in 1747.  It is not known what happened to Elizabeth.  John died in 1769 and was buried with his wife Jane in Alstonefield parish church. With George eventually dying childless and William being John’s only surviving son William eventually inherited Deepdale farm for himself.  George and Hannah did not die until 1784 and 1796 respectively and would have lived at Deepdale with William and his family.  William has been given the nickname of William the Terrible and this is explained together with details of his family and descendants on Deepdale- William the Terrible page.