Sir Walkelyn de Arderne, Knt., son and heir of Sir John, succeeded to his father's Lordship of Aldford in or before 1237-8, as shown by his grant to Richard de Sondbache (who was a military tenant of Aldford) during the Justiciaryship of Sir Richard Draicote [Flower's Extracts from the Cheshire Domesday Roll, No. xlv.]. Leycester places Sir Walkelyn among the justiciaries of Chester, between 1250 and 1258, but his authority has not been found. He is named in the Cheshire Domesday Roll, June 2, 1233, as sitting in the Court at Chester with Earl John and his barons, and then had place between Roger de Meinilgarin and William de Malpas. [The Mainwarings at this time took precedence by virtue of connexion with the Earl's family.]. In another entry, Nov. 1236, he is named as presiding in the court, "loco Comitis, eo die," the Abbot of Chester, and the barons of Kinderton, Dunham, and Montalt, being also present, and of course giving place to him. In 1244-5, 29 H. III, he again occurs as presiding along with N. de Wilib', Constable of Chester Castle.[Domesday Roll, Nos. 11, and xxxv.]
With respect to his marriage, it appears from a fine at Chester, 28 Hen. III, that Walkelyn de Arderne then made partition with Fulco de Orreby of his wife's family estates, having release from the said Fulco to him and Agnes his wife, and their heirs, of the vills of Upton, Frankby, Willaveston, and Alvandelegh. [Ibid. 14. The Arms of this branch of Orreby were ermine, three chevrons gules, on a canton of the second, a lion passant or. This lady was daughter and heiress of Philip de Orreby the younger, by his wife Leuca de Montalt, through whom the Ardernes inherited Elford in Staffordshire, in the first instance, and the representation of the Palatine Barons de Montalt afterwards. The manors here named were the paternal estates of Orreby, those on which the Lady Alice de Bamville, widow of Sir Philip de Orreby, Justiciary of Chester, had assignment of dower in 1230. [Chesh. Domesday Roll, 18.] Elford was derived, hereditarily, by the mother of Agnes Lady Arderne, from the Earls of Chester, through the lines of Montalt and D'Albini Earl of Arundel.
In 38 Hen. III, 1253, Walkelyn de Arderne had grant of market, fair, and free warren, in Aldeford, and Aldredeley (Alderley) in Cheshire, and Elleford in Staffordshire; [Cal. Rot. Pat. p. 82, and p. 206. The original Gascon Roll has been referred to, but is very obscure.] and in 1255, held Cnocton or Knotton, near Newcastle, purchased from John de Leye and Alice his wife, daughter of Ranulph de Knotton. The service was ward at Newcastle for xl days, in war, with lance, breastplate, and helmet, at the King's cost, who confirmed the grant, 41 Hen. III. [Testa de Neville, Inquistions in Turr. Lond. 39 Hen. III, and Confirmation by the King Rot. Cart. 41 Hen. III, ibid.]
About this time Walkelyn de Arderne appears to have been a constant attendant on the court at Windsor, and is witness to almost all the Charters on the Roll last cited, 41 H. III.
After this, a release of the manor of Alvandelegh [Sir Walkelyn's interest in Alvanley occurs also in the Register Book of St. Werburgh, Harl. MSS. 2148, p. 21, during litigation between him and the Abbot as to Haybote, etc. of the latter, as Lord of Ynes, in Alvaney Wood.] was made by Sir Walkelyn de Arderne, Knt., to Peter de Arderne (his son and heir) and his heirs; to which Lucas de Tancy is witness, and described as Justiciary of Chester. The Chester Annals assign 1264 and 1265 as the years in which this Lucas held such office, during the usurpation of Simon de Montfort. Sir Walkelyn does not occur again, and may have died during the struggles attending Prince Edward's advance on Chester, or during the subsequent incarceration, in the Castle there, of Montfort's adherents.
