The Brownhill Family of Cheshire.

The Brownhill Family of Cheshire is the oldest of the Brownhill families dating as it does from 1290 and it still exists in Cheshire today.  It is my belief that all the other Brownhill families have their roots in this family and I regard the Brownhills of Lancashire as being part of it.

 As previously noted, Richard de Brounhull appears in the records in 1290. To have witnessed a transfer of land he must have been at least twenty-two years of age and, therefore, we can place his birth at or before the year 1268. The name Richard de Brownhill also appears at Northenden in the year 1315. This could have been the same Richard or possibly his son. However, between 1332 and 1336 one Adam de Brownhill was taxed by King Edward III  to assist him  finance his wars against Scotland, following the establishment by Robert the Bruce of his right to the Scottish Crown. Adam would have been an adult and, therefore, born at or before  the year  1310. Consequently, he would have been either the son or grandson of  Richard (1290), or of that generation.

Nothing is currently known about the Cheshire Brownhills after 1336 until 1510 when the inhabitants of Northenden, including one William Brownhill,' gave evidence at a hearing called to discuss Breaches of Assize of ale by mistauyed vessel.' The burial registers of Northenden record the death of Sir John Brownhill in1568.   In those days, so I have read,  the title 'Sir' was used for knights, or, according to S. O. Addy, M. A., for Bachelors of Arts.  It  would appear, therefore, that  the family was of some standing within the local community at that time. However, so far, the will of Sir John has not been found, assuming, of course, that he left one.

In the seventeenth century the Tatton family  was the most prestigious in Cheshire and sided with the king during the civil war. Robert Tatton was a prominent Royalist. ' He was besieged at Tatton Hall in 1643, and after a long siege the Parliamentarians brought up two cannon from Manchester. This heavy onslaught soon brought about a surrender. Cannon balls and six skeletons  have been unearthed from the garden.'  According to Harold Brownhill of Nova Scotia, two members of the Brownhill family were with Robert Tatton at the time and took part in this fight. This being so it is to be noted that the Brownhill and Tatton families were associated with each other for three and a half centuries and this, in turn, provides some evidence of the social standing of the family in Cheshire during that period.

The Brownhill Family of Cheshire - Family Trees - compiled by Frank Brownhill.

Updated 2nd. July 2012. These 'trees' will be further updated from time to time because there is much more to add to them.