Medieval Period to 1300

William de Ebor & Hebden's wife was called Cicely (or Cecilia,- Her family name is unknown) and the line of William de Hebdens continued with the birth of their son Sir William de Hebden around 1264 and Emma De Hebden. Note the subtle change in title from William to Sir Willliam. William senior must have died before 1294 as in that year his widow remarried to an Amadus De Surdlyal. Whilst nothing further is known about his sister Emma (no doubt she went on to make a fortuitous match), Sir William, Lord of Hebden and Conistone was brought up in the custody of the Abbot of Fountains. He went on to marry Isabella de Yelland, the daughter and heiress of Sir Richard de Yelland.            (continued below Armorial Bearings)

1300 to 1500 The Ancient Line Dies Out

Sir William De Hebden and Isabella De Yelland had four children, Richard was born in 1324  followed by Elyceot (or Elizet), Aueray and Duket. Sir William died in 1321, and the estate and title passed to his eldest son, who became Sir Richard De Hebden. 

Sir Richard and his wife Petronilla had a son, Richard De Hebden (later Sir Richard), who was born about 1350. His date of death is known to be 1373 so, he would have died in his prime but not before he had married and produced children. The name of Sir Richard (jnr's) wife is unknown but she was the daughter of a Geoffrey Lutterel. Not much is known about him, but when King John was forced by the barons to sign Magna Carta in 1216, Sir Geoffrey de Lutterell was one one of those who had opposed the King.

By now, Sir Richard's De Hebden's title was Lord of Hebden and the name Conistone is omitted. Perhaps Lordship of Conistone was conferred on Elyceot, Aueray or Duket.  Sir Richard held lands in Howell, Claypole and Gosberton in Lincolnshire, where his three children, Richard, Nicholas and Elizabeth were born between 1355 and 1373.

Richard De Hebden was born about 1355 and married Joan Chammond, a widow, with a daughter (Johanna Ffitlyng) from her first marriage.  Sir Richard and Joan Chammond married around 1380 and as Sir Richard was buried at Ousebridge in 1385, it was not long before Joan was widowed again. Richard’s children were Thomas who became Dean of Auckland in 1431 and died about 1435 . Anastasia De Hebden was also referred to as a sister in the will of Thomas, (since found to be the wife of John De Hebden, so sister-in-law) and John De Hebden, who was the last Lord of Hebden in 1460.

Nicholas de Hebden (later Sir Nicholas) was born around 1359 in Gosberton Lincolnshire. He married Katherine de Wyhom who was the heiress of Rye, Whyam and the Marmions. Before Nicholas died in 1417, they had three children, William de Hebden who died young, Elizabeth de Hebden (born about 1380 in Howell, Lincolnshire) and Grace de Hebden. Although born in Lincolnshire, there were still close links with Yorkshire, as Grace married Sir Piers Tempest, the son of Sir Richard Tempest of Bracewell in Craven. The Tempests had considerable influence and also gained ownership of Conistone at some stage.

Elizabeth married Sir Thomas Dymoke, of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire, the Kings Champion. The primary Hebden male line died out at this point, though both Grace and Ellizabeth had children.

Around this time there was also John Hebden of Coldstonefold (Hebden) in the Parish of Ripon, and the Hebden family of Ripon, wakemen (watchmen) to the City of Ripon from 1400 onwards, at the same time as the Hebden family presence at Hebden in Craven. The Ripon Hebdens occupied land at Fountains Abbey. What is not clear is where John of Coldstonefold fits into the Hebden line. He could have been a descendant of Auray or Duket - but who knows? This was the time of the "Wars of the Roses" and many documents were lost, leaving few records of the Hebden family during this period.

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