LANGTON, Robert (c.1546-94), of Lowe Hall, Hindley, Lancs.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1584
1586
1589
1593

Family and Education

b. c.1546, s. and h. of Peter Langton of Lowe Hall. educ. Jesus, Camb. 1564; I. Temple 1572. m. Jane, da. of Sir Ralph Leycester of Toft, Cheshire, 2s. 1da. suc. fa. 6 Jan. 1573.

Offices Held

J.p. Lancs. by 1584.

Biography

Little is known about Langton, who succeeded his father as lord of the manor of Hindley, and was brought into Parliament for Newton by his relation Thomas Langton, owner of the borough. The Langtons were in general Catholics, but Robert was one of 12 ecclesiastical commissioners who sat at Manchester in 1580, and he also served as a j.p. No doubt he conformed as the law required, and in 1590 was reported to be ‘well affected in religion, but he hath spoiled his estate and useth bad company’. Two years later his name appeared on a list of those ‘not seeming to be recusants, but discovered to be dangerous persons’. His children were brought up as Catholics: his eldest son Philip was a recusant, and his second son Thomas a priest. Langton died in 1594 and was succeeded by his son Philip. His will has not been found.

Vis. Lancs. (Chetham Soc. lxxxv), 174; Vis. Cheshire (Harl. Soc. xviii), 141; N. and Q. clxix. 186-7; CSP Dom. Add. 1580-1625, p. 25; Gillow, Lord Burghley’s Map of Lancs. 1590, p. 48; HMC Hatfield, iv. 241.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: N.M.S.

Notes