John Manning from England

ESSE QUAM VIDERI !

"To be rather than to seem"



Notes for John Manning


In 1405 he exchanged Wakelins Field in Downe for two fields below Cudham Park. On 7 Dec 1407 he was one of eight men commissioned to collect taxes in Kent. [22]

"In his account of St. Mary Cray, Hasted (Vol. I., p. 141) describes Kevington as a manor and seat in that parish, 'now (he says) vulgarly called Kevingtown.' This estate was for some generations the residence of the Mannngs. Here also the reader may find some account of this family. He speaks of John Manning as settled in the parish of Cowdham in the reign of K. Henry IV." [402]

"Kevington is a manor and seat in this parish [St. Mary Cray,
Kent] now vulgarly called Kebingtown. {fn Augtn. Off. Parl. Surveys.}
This estate was, for some generations, the residence, of the Mannings,
a family of good account in this part of Kent, who took their name
from a town so called in Saxony. {fn Guillim, p. 138.} from whence
they came very early into this kingdom. In the reign of king Henry
IV. John Manning {Vis. Co. Kent, anno 1619. Pedigree of Manning.} was
settled in Cowdham". [408]


"The Heraldic Visitation of Kent, taken in the year 1619, gives
the arms of Manning, "Gules, a cross patonce between four cinquefoils
or." Notwithstanding which it appears by their monuments and grave
stones in this church, which was the burial place of the family for
many generations, that the Mannings of this parish bore the
cinquefoils in their coat of arms slipt; those of Westerham bore, "A
chevron between three cinquefoils slipt. [further descendents of
Manning given.]
( vol ii p 117/8)" [408]


"Johannes Manning, de Codham, Obit anno 13 Henry 4th; married Alicia, filia . . . Walden de Com. Cantii." [413]




Hugh Manning lived in Saint Mary's Cray, Kent, which is but six miles north of Cowdham, his ancestral home. The Visitation pedigree of the Manning family has him married to the aunt of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, that is, a daughter of Sir William Brandon. No documentary evidence of this marriage or any relationship can be found. Probably there was some more remote relationship that gave rise to the legend. If true, she would have to have been one of the two Margarets, daughters of Sir William Brandon and Elizabeth Wingfield, and there would have been a royal lineage thru the Wingfields. Hugh and his wife died early and that helps explain the lack of records for them. St. Mary's Cray, with its church dedicated to Saint Mary, lies five miles NNE of Downe, Kent. Within this church lies Hugh Manning and his wife and several more generations of this family. There is a mural monument for one of the Mannings and a fine brass memorial to Richard Manning, and his wife Rachel, he the grandson of Richard, son of Hugh.