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Hi,

Roger Hebden, 'Quaker of Ryedale' was my 8 x gt grandfather and brother of the first Lord Appleton. Most of the info I have has been taken off the 'Hebden Family Notes' and a journal about the Hebden's and Flower's, but I would like to know more about him and his brother given William's title and his younger brother's 'radical' beliefs.

Can you help?

Thanks,

Kim.

Ancient History of the distinguished surname Hepden The first documented use of the name de Hebden came about in the 12th century but the history of the family can be traced back even earlier to Aldhun, Bishop of Durham circa 975AD to 1018AD. Where Aldhun came from, or who his ancestors were, nobody knows for sure but the likelihood is that his origins include the Viking invaders and settlers that came over to these shores with Ida the Flamebearer. Aldhun was a wealthy and influential landowner in the Tees area. At some stage in his adult life, he decided to turn his attentions to the church quickly becoming Bishop of Chester le Street and then Durham. It was Aldhun who took the body of St Cuthbert to Durham and with Uhtred, built the first stone cathedral on the present site. Aldhun had been married to a woman who history declined to name but his daughter Ecgfrida was not so ignored. She was married to none other than Uhtred, Earl of Northumbria and High Reeve of Bamburgh. Ecgfrida and Uhtred had one son, Aldred, before she was divorced in favour of Sigen, the daughter of Styr, a wealthy Dane of York. There were another two children from this marriage and then Uhtred went on to marry Alfgifu, daughter of the King, Ethelred II, by whom he had a daughter. At some stage, between 1004 and 1015, Ecgfrida remarried, this time to a local thegn, Kilvert, son of Ligulf and from this marriage she produced a daughter Sigrida. Shortly after Uhtred, her first husband, was politically assassinated in 1016, she was once again divorced, returning to her fathers custody. She spent the rest of her days in a convent, probably quite thankful that she was no longer a political football. Her son Aldred eventually went on to become Earl of Northumbria and fell victim of a blood feud that had gone on through the generations, since his fathers murder. Sigrida was married 3 times, one of which was to Eadwulf, the son of her half brothers (Aldred) father (Uhtred) by his second marriage to Sigen. Confused ? I am not surprised but rest assured Sigrida and Edwulf were not actually related. Edwulf became Earl until he was slain in 1041, by his nieces husband Siward the Great. This marriage, between Sigrida and Edwulf, produced a son Oswulf who became Earl of Bernicia (Northumbria above the Tees) in his own right until he was slain by a robber in 1067. Sigrida's third marriage was to Arkil, son of Ecgfrith and from here the de Hebden family began to emerge. Of Arkil and Sigrida's children we only have records of the one. Gospatric de Rigton was born probably about 1045. Rigton still exists today between Harrogate and Leeds, with the site of the old manor still be visible within the village boundaries. Whilst Arkil fled to Scotland, during the Northern Rebellion against the Conqueror, becoming progenitor of the House of Lennox and the Clan MacFarlane, his eldest son Gospatric remained in England. With his cousin Waltheof having married the Conquerors niece, perhaps he felt suitably positioned to raise his family and tend his estates without hindrance. Waltheof, incidentally, was executed by William the Conqueror after being involved in a rebellion. He had the dubious honour of being the only Englishman to be sentenced to death by the conquering king. Certainly having kinfolk of influence wouldn't have done Gospatric any harm. He married a daughter of Dolphin ( possibly another descendant of Uhtred) and raised four sons - Arkil, Uhtred, Dolphin and Gospatric. Dolphin, of Appletreewick, Hertlington and Rilston, in his turn, produced three surviving sons, two of which became the ancestors of the Lascelles, Thoresby and Staveley families. The third son was Uctred de Hebden, who received the lands of his grandfather Gospatric and became the first Lord of Hebden, Burnsall and Coniston. From that day forward there have been Hebdens in that area, some finding their small places in the history books and some fading into total obscurity. The name Hebden remains there to this day. Though shrouded by the mists of time, the chronicles of Scotland reveal the early records of the Norman surname Hepden which ranks as one of the oldest. The history of the name is interwoven within the colourful plaid of Scottish history and is an intrinsic part of the heritage of Scotland. Diligent analysis by professional researchers using such ancient manuscripts as the Doomsday Book (compiled in 1086 by William the Conqueror), the Ragman Rolls, the Wace poem, the Honour Roll of the Battel Abbey, the Inquisito, the Curia Regis, Pipe Rolls, the Falaise Roll, tax records, baptismals, family genealogies, and local parish and church records shows the first record of the Hepden was found in Yorkshire where they were seated from early times at Heberdene where they were conjecturally descended from a Norman noble, Osbern d’ Arcis, and at the time of the taking of the Doomsday Book in 1086, Hebden or Hebedene consisted of a hall and a farm. Variable spellings of the name were typically linked to a common root, usually one of the Norman nobles at the Battle of Hastings. The name Hepden, occurred in many references from time to time, and variables included were Hebden, Hebdon, Heberden, Hepden, Habton, Habdon, Hibdon, Hibden, Ebdon, Ebden, and many more. Scribes recorded and spelled the name as it sounded. It was not unlikely that a person would be born with one spelling, married with another, and buried with a headstone which showed another. Preferences for different spellings were derived from a branch preference, to indicate a religious adherence or sometimes to show nationalistic allegiance. The family name Hepden is believed to be descended originally from the Norman race. The Normans were commonly believed to be of French origin but were, more accurately, of Viking origin. The Vickings landed in the Orkneys and Northern Scotland about the year 870 A.D. The French King, Stirgud the Stout. Later under their Jarl, Thorfinn Rollo, they invaded France about 910 A.D. The French King, Charles the Simple, after Rollo laid siege to Paris, finally conceded defeat and granted northern France to Rollo. Rollo became the first Duke of Normandy. Duke William who invaded and defeated England in 1066, was descended from the first Duke Rollo of Normandy. After the conquest, Duke William took a census of most of England in 1086, it became known as the Doomesday Book. By 1070, William’s nobles were growing restive, dissatisfied with their grants of land. William took an army north, and laid waste most of the northern counties. King Malcolm Canmore of Scotland offered refuge to these nobles, granting them land. Later, King David, about 1160, also encouraged his Norman friends to come north to join the Royal Court and obtain lands. The surname Hebden / Hepden emerges as a notable Scottish family name in the county of York. One of the first on record was William Hebden, who became Rector of Burnsall in Yorkshire about the year 1220. By the 14th century they had branched to Oxfordshire, and to Easthope Park in Yorkshire, where they became one of the distinguished families of Yorkshire. The main line of Hebden, near Craven in Yorkshire, devolved in the marriage of co-heiresses to Sir Piers Tempest of Bracewell and to Sir Thomas Dymoke, the King’s champion, carrying with them the main estates. The main stem of the family continued at Appleton in the county of Yorkshire. A branch emerged using the ancient spelling of Heberden and aquired a town mansion in St. James, Westminster. Meawhile a branch of the family moved north to Scotland and settled on the Island of Eday in the Orkneys. Their present family seat is at Eday, where they are considered “landed gentry”. Of note amongst the family at this time was William Hebden, Rector of Burnsall. The surname Hebden / Hepden contributed much to local politics and in t