THOMAS BEESTON 1414-1477

[Ancestral Link: Harold William Miller, son of Edward Emerson Miller, son of Anna Hull (Miller), daughter of William Hull, son of Anna Hyde (Hull), daughter of Uriah Hyde, son of Elizabeth Leffingwell (Hyde), daughter of John Leffingwell, son of Mary Bushnell (Leffingwell), daughter of Marie or Mary Marvin (Bushnell), daughter of Elizabeth Gregory (Marvin), daughter of Henry Gregory, son of John Gregory, son of Dorothy Beeston (Gregory), daughter of George Beeston, son of George Beeston, son of John Beeston, son of Tochett Beeston, son of John Beeston, son of Thomas Beeston.]

[Ancestral Link: Harold William Miller, son of Edward Emerson Miller, son of Anna Hull (Miller), daughter of William Hull, son of Anna Hyde (Hull), daughter of Uriah Hyde, son of Ezra Hyde, son of Anne Bushnell (Hyde), daughter of Richard Bushnell, son of Marie or Mary Marvin (Bushnell), daughter of Elizabeth Gregory (Marvin), daughter of Henry Gregory, son of John Gregory, son of Dorothy Beeston (Gregory), daughter of George Beeston, son of George Beeston, son of John Beeston, son of Tochett Beeston, son of John Beeston, son of Thomas Beeston.]

AS FOUND ON STAGGE-PARKER.BLOGSPOTCOM

Beeston Castle Engraving by Buck Brothers
near Cheshire, view from South

Beeston Castle gate and Bridge

Beeston Castle is a castle in Beeston, Cheshire, England. The castle, which perches on a rocky sandstone crag 150 m above the Cheshire plain, was built in 1225 by Ranulph de Blondeville, 4th Earl of Chester, (1170-1232), on his return from the Crusades. It is now ruined and owned by English Heritage. On exceptionally clear days, it is possible to view Liverpool, Manchester, the Cheshire Plain including Jodrell Bank and views stretching as far as the Pennines, Snowdonia and The Wrekin in Shropshire. Beeston crag is one of a chain of rocky hills stretching across the Cheshire plain. Beeston crag is one of a chain of rocky hills stretching across the Cheshire plain. Remains have been found of a Bronze age community living there about 800 BC, and an Iron age hill fort on the site in around 400 BC. In medieval documents the castle is given the apt description Castellum de Rupe, the Castle on the Rock. Unlike many medieval castles, Beeston does not have a single massive tower or keep as its last line of defence. Instead the natural features of the land together with massive walls, strong gate houses, and carefully positioned towers made the baileys themselves the strong hold. The design is thought to be due to Ranulf himself, but he did not live to see his castle completed. Although most of the defences were in place, there were no living quarters at Ranulf's death in 1232 and this remained so on the death of his successor John in 1237. Earl John died without a male heir and King Henry III took control of the Earldom of Cheshire and Beeston himself. Wars with Wales continued after the brief peace brokered by Ranulf, and Beeston played an important part in these conflicts. However, no attempt was made to equip the castle as a permanent residence with halls and chambers. Garrisons were probably housed in wooden structures in the outer bailey. In 1254 Henry gave Beeston together with other lands in Cheshire to his son Prince Edward. He also gave the title Earl of Chester to the prince, a title that has always since been conferred on the heir to the throne of England. Edward was crowned king of England in 1272 and completed the conquest of Wales. Beeston was nevertheless kept in good repair and improved during his reign, and throughout the 14th century. By the 16th century the castle was considered of no further use by the English Crown and passed to Sir Hugh Beeston of Beeston Hall. With the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, many neglected castles were pressed in to service. Beeston was seized on 20 February 1643 by parliamentary forces commanded by Sir William Brereton. The walls were repaired and the well was cleaned out. In 1643 part of the royal army of Ireland landed in Chester. On 13 December 1643 Captain Thomas Sandford and eight soldiers from that army crept into Beeston at night and persuaded the larger parliamentary force commanded by Captain Thomas Steele to surrender. Steele was tried and shot for his failure. The Royalists survived a siege by parliamentary forces from November 1644 until November 1645 when they surrendered due to lack of food. Source: Photograph by Billion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Beeston_Castle_Gate.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beeston_Castle
found on ancestry.com