Hamon Massy

Additional Curator's Notes

Very learned texts dispute whether this Hamon or his father, also named Hamon, was the last Baron of Dunham-Massie. It is the belief of this curator that, since he died before his father, he did not become a baron. I have found no other titles that were granted to him. Not at dispute is that this Hamon died about 1341 without heirs, causing a difficult settlement of the estates, as described below. After this Hamon's death, his father the Baron divorced his wife Alice and married again in hopes of getting another male heir.

Maria Edmonds-Zediker, Volunteer Curator March 23, 2021

    =================================

The Baronetage of England: Containing a Genealogical and Historical Account of All the English Baronets Now Existing, with Their Descents, Marriages, and Memorable Actions Both in War and Peace... (1771), Kimber, E., (3 volumes. London: [s.n.], 1771), FHL book 942 D22ke; FHL microfilms 824,476-824,477., vol. 1 p. 23.

Sir Hamon de Massie, the sixth and last Baron of Dunham Massie, in the parish of Bowdon, in the County Palatine of Chester, being one of the eight Barons instituted by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, to whom William, called the Conqueror, in the fourth year of his reign, granted the whole county and Earldom of Chester. The family of Massie had been settled at dunham Massie before the entrance of that Prince of England, and appears by the famous survey, called doomsday book, to have been then possessed of a vast estate, as in other parts of Cheshire, so of the greatest part of the parish of Bowdon, which is of large extent."

http://www.thornber.net/cheshire/htmlfiles/dunham.html

The area of Dunham Massey was originally called just Dunham but was given the Massey addition to distinguish it from another Dunham near Chester. The family that settled there took their name from Masci in Normandy. The last baron was Hamon who died in 1341. A complicated sequence of events then took place for Hamon de Massey and his wife Joan, having no issue, had sold the reversion of the manor to Oliver de Ingham, a judge of Chester. However, Hamon had four sisters, Cicely had married John Fitton of Bollin, Isabel married Hugh Dytton, a third sister married Thomas de Lathom and a fourth married Hamon de Hilond. On the death of Hamon, Richard Fitton and the heirs of the other sisters tried to seize the manor as Oliver de Ingham was in France during the early years of the Hundred Years' War, serving Edward III. However, in due course, the king ordered Hamon Massey of Tatton to ensure that Oliver de Ingham gained possession. After Oliver's death, Richard Fitton and his cousins tried again and a legal battle ensued. Eventually, Henry Duke of Lancaster bought out all the heirs of of Oliver de Ingham and those of Hamon de Massey and gave the manor of Dunham to Roger le Strange, Lord of Knocking.

The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol.1, 1819claims that the father was the 6th baron.