Jane Danvers

     Jane was born circa 1428 in Oxfordshire, England, at the manor house at Colthorpe. Jane married Sir Richard Fowler I, son of Sir William Fowler and Cecelia Englesfield, in Oxfordshire, England. Since her husband did not include her when he asked in his will for masses to be said for the souls of himself & his parents, it is believed she was still living on 10 October 1477. Jane made her will on 4 February 1505. 14 april 1505 probate


In the name of our Lord God, Amen, the fourth day of February in the year of our Lord 1505, And first, I, Jane Fowler widow, late wife of Richard Fowler, Chancellor of the ___ of London. Being in bery good mind make and ordain this my present testament in forme and manner as fowelleth: That is to say, First, I bequeath my soule to Almighty God and to the Blessed Lady ... to Briget my administrator and to all ---- my body to be buried in the --- of the church of the yon after .... I doe make my ......................

I bequeath to my Mother Church at Lincoln
I bequeath to my soon RichardI Fowler
I bequeath to my daughter Margaret to help her at her marriage
I bequeath to my sonne George to sonne Edward Fowler
I make my daughter Bridget, wife of Thomas Englesfield
Thomas Langeton
Edward Chamberlin, chancellor
Richard Fowler knight






He was a Member of Parliament for Oxford in 1467. He was Knighted by Edward IV in 1467 and was made his Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster. Sir Richard was a very generous benefactor to the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, at Sutton-cum-Buckingham, and in 1470 he added the very large cross aisle, 90 ft. long, to the church. He inherited the Manor of Rycote from his parents. His manors of Rycote, Castle House, Shobendon, Water Stratford, Stokholt, Stutely, Bourton, Mourton, Foscote, and Shaller. It should be noted that he was also seized of the Manor of Stanton Berry, Newport Hundred, by special grant of Edward IV, in 1467.

There is now in the British Museum, London, Addition Charter, No.20, 321, dated June 28, 27 Henry VI (I 449), to which is attached the seal of Sir Richard Fowler, Knt, as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Sir Richard evidently took his Seal from the Rycote Arms, viz: "Argent three wolves heads, erased, gules," his father having married the heiress of Rycote and brought that estate into the Fowler family. This seal proves conclusively that the commission given by Edward IV to Sir Richard, confering upon him the Chancellorship was not an original one but the renewal of a former one issued by Henry IV. Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica, New Series, Vol. III, p. 345




The Genealogical & Heraldic History of

Richard was knighted by Edward IV and made chanceller of the Duchy of Lancaster. He married Jane, daughter of John Danvers Esquire of Colthrop in the county of Oxford. He was succed by his elder son.

Rycote Manor:

Richard Fowler the elder was the nephew of Sybil Quartermain, Richard Quartermain's wife. He lived at the North Weston manor house during the lifetime of Richard Quartermain, but on Richard's death he inherited the manor house at Rycote, to become his upon the death of Richard's widow Sybil.

Richard Quartermain died in 1477. Richard Fowler, who was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from 1473, died in 1478. His son, also Richard Fowler, came into possession of the Rycote manor house upon the death of Sybil Quartermain in 1483.

Richard Fowler the younger has been called a spendthrift, and it is known that he was compelled to sell off much of his land, including Rycote manor, which he sold to Sir John Heron in 1521.