My Family Tree

5 years and 6 months and 23 days at his father's death, named in the will of his grandmother.
Source for birth date
"John Cutcliffe, bapt. 1632, was of Damage and succeeded to his father's estates to which he made an addition by the purchase, in 1653 from John Wichehalse of Roborough, of the Manor of Lyncombe, in the parish of Ilfracombe which Manor was formerly one of the possessions of Monastery of Dunkeswell, in the county of Devon, and on its dissolution was sold to Richard Parker of Cawstack, in the same county, to whom the sale was confirmed by Letters Patent under the Great Seat 35, Henry VIII. (1544), and from whom it passed to Nicholas Wichehalse, by whose descendant it was sold to John Cutcliffe. He married, previous to 1652, Eleanor, bapt. at Swymbridge, 1629, one of the daughters of Tristram Chichester of Hearstone, in Swymbridge, by his wife Eleanor, and coheiress of her brother Tristram Chichester of Dinnington, in the parish of Swimbridge. By Indentrues of the 19th. and 20th. October 1658, John Cutcliffe enefeoffed by way of post nuptial settlement, to Arthur Chichester of Swimbridge. Robert Chichester of South Molton, Arther Bury of Lapford, and John Pawle of Southhampton, gentlemen, his demesne lands of Damage, Ford, and Halswill, with his manors of Stodden, Warcombe and Lyncombe, and other estates in Devon and Somerset, upon trust for the benefit of his wife Eleanor, with remainder to his eldest son Charles Cutcliffe; with the remainder to his second son John Cutcliffe, with remainder to other future male issue fo the marriage. Eleanor Cutcliffe predeceased her husband; she deid 1681, aged 52 years, and was buried the 8th April following at Ilfracombe; in the chancel of which church there is a monument to her memory with Latin inscription which records also the deaths of her two daughters, Anne Felming and Elizabeth Bury, who both died within three months of their mother. The issue of the marriage of John Cutlciffe and Eleanor Chichester were eleven children, four sons and seven daughters. After the death of his wife Eleanor, John Cutcliffe, married Grace, daughter of John Newell, and widow of Thomas Challacombe of Westleigh, Devon, by whom he had issue three sons and two daughters. Mr. John Cutcliffe is entered in the "Benefactors'Book" in the College of Arms as a donor towards its re-building after the great fire of London. Probably his donation was given as a return for the courtesy shown to him in connection with his armorial bearings, which were not recorded in the Visitation Of Devon made in 1620, although his family pedigree was there duly entered. To remedy this omission application was, in 1673, successfully made to the authorities, backed by the following certificate (Ms. Coll Arms, "Earl Marshall's book I. 25", for. 142) of Nicholas Dennis, then Member of Parleament for Barnstaple: 'Nicholas Dennis of Barnstaple in the county of Devon Esq. one of the Members of this present Parliament, being requested by John Cutcliffe of Ilfordcombe in the county of Devon Gentleman, in regard of the long acquaintance and familiarity between our familyes to declare my knowledge touching the Armes, quality and condicon of the family of Cutlciffe of Ilford Combe, before menconed; doe, by these parents, Certifie and declare unto all persons concerned therein, that for the space of fiftie yeare last past, I have knowne the said family of Cutcliffe, and knowne the father, and grandfather, of the said John Cutcliffe, who were of good esteeme and quality in the said County of Devon, and were alwayes styled 'gentlemen', and sometymes 'esquires' with Seales whereon is the Impression of the Coate of Armes after mentioned; (viz) Gules, three pruning hookes argent: and the said Armes have been borne and used by the said family to my knowledge for forty yeares last past and upwards. And I have seene the monument of Charles Cutcliffe, father of the said John, sett up in the Church at Ilford Combe aforesaid, about Forty yeares since; whereon, the said armes are engraven. All which I doe declare and affirine for truth. In witnesse wherof I have hereunto set my hand and seale the Three and twentieth day of February Anno Dni 1673'. Nicho: Dennys Signed and Sealed in the presence of Hen: St. George, Richmond Mr. Cutcliffe was buried at Ilfracombe 1696, but his surviving relatives do not appear to have been so fond, as he apparently was, of erecting monumnets and placing on them elaborate inscriptions. So far as I can ascertain, no stone exists to record his merits. On his death he was succeeded in his estates by his second, but eldest surviving, son by his first wife, Eleanor Chichester."